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Compact, Lightweight Open-Path Cavity RingdownSpectrometry System for UAS Deployment

Award Information
Agency: Department of Commerce
Branch: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Contract: 1305M218CNRMW0031
Agency Tracking Number: 18-1-019
Amount: $119,517.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: 8.4.1
Solicitation Number: NOAA-2018-1
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2018
Award Year: 2018
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2018-07-17
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2019-01-16
Small Business Information
1931 Old Middlefield Way Suite 208
Mountain View, CA 94043
United States
DUNS: 080579141
HUBZone Owned: Yes
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Manish Gupta
 Chief Technology Officer
 (650) 906-0274
 manish.gupta@nikiralabs.com
Business Contact
 Manish Gupta
Title: Chief Technology Officer
Phone: (650) 906-0274
Email: manish.gupta@nikiralabs.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:
In this Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, Nikira Labs Inc. proposes to miniaturize the patented, open-path cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) analyzer developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The resulting instrument will be used to measure the optical properties of aerosols aboard Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) in highly humidified area, dust storms, and other poorly characterized regions. This data will be used by researchers in the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory Chemical Sciences Division (ESRL CSD) to better constrain aerosol rad iative forcing estimations, thus improving climate models and the understanding of global climate change. In Phase I, Nikira Labs Inc. will fabricate a prototype, open-path CRDS instrument that includes a miniaturized, high-finesse optical cavity, fiber-coupled laser(s) and detector, and associated electronics for data control, acquisition, analysis, and reporting. The system will be extensively laboratory tested to determine its analytical performance by measuring both Rayleigh and aerosol scattering, before being deployed to measure ambient, outdoor air in an urban environment. Subsequently, the instrument will be deployed aboard a drone to empirically gauge its robustness and ability to perform airborne measurements. Finally, the Phase I results
will be used to design a Phase II prototype.SUMMARY OF ANTICIPATED RESULTS:
If the SBIR program is successful, Nikira Labs Inc. will have developed a very compact, openpath cavity ringdown system capable of measuring aerosol optical extinction and trace gases in unmanned aerial systems (UASs). This instrument will then be used to measure the optical properties of aerosols in highly humidified area (e.g. near clouds), dust storms, and other poorly characterized regions. This data will be used by researchers in the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory Chemical Sciences Division (ESRL CSD) to better constrain aerosol radiative forcing estimations, thus improving climate models and the understanding of global climate change.

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

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