Lidar-based gas analyzer for remote sensing of atmospheric methane

TL;DR

This paper presents a lightweight, power-efficient lidar-based gas analyzer for remote atmospheric methane sensing from UAVs, capable of accurate measurements up to 120 meters and outperforming competitors at higher altitudes.

Contribution

The novel methane analyzer employs wavelength modulation spectroscopy and quadrature detection, enabling reliable remote sensing from UAVs with improved altitude performance.

Findings

Reliable methane measurements up to 120 meters

Outperforms competitors above 50 meters altitude

Correlates signal attributes with surface distance as expected

Abstract

Enhancement of methane emission measurement techniques is necessary to address the need for greenhouse gas emissions monitoring. Here we introduce a gas analyzer designed for remote sensing of atmospheric methane aboard unmanned aerial vehicles. This device employs the wavelength modulation spectroscopy approach and quadrature detection of laser radiation scattered from the underlying surface. Our results demonstrate that the observed correlation between various signal attributes and the distance to the surface, where laser radiation scatters, aligns with analytical expectations. Calibrations proved that the instrument provides reliable methane measurements up to 120 meters while being lightweight and power efficient. Notably, this device outperforms its competitors at altitudes exceeding 50 meters, which is safer for piloting.