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The ability to observe and identify the presence of trace gases within an environment is a paramo... more The ability to observe and identify the presence of trace gases within an environment is a paramount capability needed to advance earth and planetary atmospheric research. Detection of trace levels of gases is also of interest in defense, industrial, security, medical, and environmental health applications. Current scientific objectives largely focus on identifying the presence of specific gases and isotopologues found in planetary atmospheres within our solar system. The presence and relative amounts of these gases allows scientists to deduce history of the planetary atmosphere and the likelihood that life has or could exist there. One challenge is accurately acquiring the data needed to make reliable conclusions when some of the target gas molecules are present in trace quantities of 10 parts per billion (ppb) or less. Laser gas spectrometers are effective ways of collecting in situ gas measurements, but their precision is directly proportional to the path length of the optical system. The Scanning Laser Infrared Molecular Spectrometer (SLIMS) is a novel solution that achieves very long effective path lengths, which yield ppb and sub-ppb measurements of trace gases. It can also accommodate multiple laser channels covering a wide range of wavelengths resulting in detection of more chemicals of interest. The mechanical design of the mirror cell allows for the large effective path length within a small footprint. The same design provides a robust structure which lends itself to being immune to some of the alignment challenges that similar cells face. The continued forward progress of the SLIMS project will rely on optimizing the optical paths and optical alignment geometries. Missions referred to in this document are for planning and discussion purposes only.
The ability to observe and identify the presence of trace gases within an environment is a paramo... more The ability to observe and identify the presence of trace gases within an environment is a paramount capability needed to advance earth and planetary atmospheric research. Detection of trace levels of gases is also of interest in defense, industrial, security, medical, and environmental health applications. Current scientific objectives largely focus on identifying the presence of specific gases and isotopologues found in planetary atmospheres within our solar system. The presence and relative amounts of these gases allows scientists to deduce history of the planetary atmosphere and the likelihood that life has or could exist there. One challenge is accurately acquiring the data needed to make reliable conclusions when some of the target gas molecules are present in trace quantities of 10 parts per billion (ppb) or less. Laser gas spectrometers are effective ways of collecting in situ gas measurements, but their precision is directly proportional to the path length of the optical system. The Scanning Laser Infrared Molecular Spectrometer (SLIMS) is a novel solution that achieves very long effective path lengths, which yield ppb and sub-ppb measurements of trace gases. It can also accommodate multiple laser channels covering a wide range of wavelengths resulting in detection of more chemicals of interest. The mechanical design of the mirror cell allows for the large effective path length within a small footprint. The same design provides a robust structure which lends itself to being immune to some of the alignment challenges that similar cells face. The continued forward progress of the SLIMS project will rely on optimizing the optical paths and optical alignment geometries. Missions referred to in this document are for planning and discussion purposes only.