Background
The chemical composition of aerosol particles provides key insights into the study of the behavior of planetary atmospheres. Measuring aerosol composition typically involves separating the aerosols from the carrier atmospheric gases, which can be challenging. Current methods for aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS) are well-established in the field, but have many limitations including mass, size, and narrow range of operational outside pressures that prevent their suitability for planetary missions. These methods typically use an aerodynamic lens to pre-focus the aerosol samples prior to analysis, which can be used effectively in terrestrial applications. However, the use of aerodynamic lenses is inefficient for smaller aerosols, and for planetary applications, additional separation methods are typically required to accommodate the wide range in atmospheric pressure, aerosol size distribution, and sample compositions.
Invention Description
Researchers at the University of Hawai’i have developed a new ultra-compact acoustic-focusing enabled aerosol separator (AF-AS) capable of tolerating broad external pressure changes. This separator is capable of handling various aerosols with precise, deterministic control over aerosol spatial position within moving fluid. This separator enables the segregation of the aerosol and gas mixture prior to entering an aerodynamic lens system, which enhances the transmission efficiency to the detector of a mass spectrometer system.
Potential Applications:
- Planetary atmospheric research:
- Aerial & surface missions to planets
- Subsonic probe missions to ice giants
Benefits and Advantages:
- Improved efficiency – enables separation of aerosol and gas mixture prior to entering the aerodynamic lens system
- Wide applicability – suitable for any mass spectrometer and a broad range of missions
- Robust – capable of tolerating broad external pressure changes while handling aerosols with precise control over spatial position within moving fluid
- Compact – reduces traditionally large size requirements