10.5065/D6XD0ZQF
Huey, Lewis Gregory
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia USA
Flocke, Frank
UCAR/NCAR - Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modeling Laboratory
UCAR/NCAR - Earth Observing Laboratory
Georgia Tech Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometer (GT CIMS) for HIAPER
UCAR/NCAR - Earth Observing Laboratory
2009
Airborne Sensor
University Corporation For Atmospheric Research (UCAR):National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR):Earth Observing Laboratory (EOL):Research Aviation Facility (RAF)
Huey, Lewis Gregory
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia USA
Flocke, Frank
UCAR/NCAR - Atmospheric Chemistry Observations and Modeling Laboratory
2009
This service is available to be used subject to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research ("UCAR") terms and conditions.
A chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) capable of measurements in two basic configurations has been constructed for the HIAPER platform. In CIMS the target molecule is ionized via an ion-molecule reaction with a reagent ion and selectively detected with a mass spectrometer. The HIAPER CIMS is designed to operate in either negative or positive ion mode, allowing trace gases with affinities for forming either type of ions to be detected. In its most common configuration the instrument uses SF6 gas, ionized, to react with trace gases like SO2. producing charged reaction products that are then detected by a mass spectrometer in which the path of the molecule is determined by its mass.The standard CIMS (negative ion) mode allows measurement of nitric acid, pernitric acid and sulfur dioxide in real-time. Other species such as chlorine nitrate or dinitrogen pentoxide may be available after post-flight processing of the data by a scientist. The second (positive ion) configuration is as a proton transfer reaction - mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) and focuses on the real-time measurement of organics such as methanol, acetaldehyde, acetonitrile and acetone. Measurements are reported at 1 - 3 s time intervals and are made available in a standard data exchange format. The instrument is a routine operational instrument and is designed for unattended operation during flight.
Boulder, Colorado USA
The US National Science Foundation