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High-Precision Instrumentation for CO2 Isotope Ratio Measurements

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNX11CD28P
Agency Tracking Number: 104675
Amount: $100,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: S1.08
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2010
Award Year: 2011
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2011-02-18
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2011-09-29
Small Business Information
1570 Pacheco St. Suite E-11
Santa Fe, NM 87505-3993
United States
DUNS: 153579891
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Anthony Gomez
 Principal Investigator
 (505) 984-1322
 algomez@swsciences.com
Business Contact
 Alan Stanton
Title: President
Phone: (505) 984-1322
Email: astanton@swsciences.com
Research Institution
 Stub
Abstract

Knowing atmospheric 13CO2/12CO2 ratios precisely is important to understanding biogenic and anthroprogenic sources and sinks for carbon. Currently available field deployable instrumentation have unfavourable attributes such as high power requirements, are extremely expensive, are too large, are not proven or designed to run continuously or unattended for extended periods, and/or are unable to properly compensate for nature pressure, temperature and moisture variations.Southwest Sciences proposes to develop a high precision isotopic carbon dioxide measurement system that nullifies interferences from pressure, temperature and moisture, and that has characteristics compatible with field deployable instrumentation. This instrument would be fully autonomous, requires no consumable and would not need periodic maintenance. In Phase 1, we will build a simplified single-pass spectrometer and demonstrate the ultimate achievable precision under ideal conditions, operating parameters, and Allan variance measurements. In Phase 2, we will leverage Southwest Science's extensive experience with multi-pass cells and incorporate additional temperature and pressure compensation techniques for operation under non-ideal conditions. At the end of Phase 1, we expect this instrument to be at TRL-4.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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