In situ laser Raman measurements of ambient atmospheric gases: Preliminary results
Abstract
This paper reports preliminary results of In Situ measurements of the laser Raman spectra of atmospheric nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the environment. A PRA nitrogen laser was used in the earlier experiments on nitrogen and oxygen, while a Quanta-Ray Nd-YAG laser was utilized for the measurement of carbon dioxide. A synchronous single photon-counting system is used as a detection system. It has been reported that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is increasing. If such a trend continues, the dangerous phenomenon of greenhouse effect may be a possible occurrence. It is then
important for men to be conscious of the increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide. As an initial step towards the control of this trend, our preliminary results may lead to the development of a system that will have the capability of monitoring the intensity of carbon dioxide in the ambient atmosphere.