US 12,345,633 B2
Optical spectroscopy for characterizing atmospheric emissions
Gregory B. Rieker, Boulder, CO (US); Robert J. Wright, Boulder, CO (US); Caroline B. Alden, Boulder, CO (US); Sean C. Coburn, Longmont, CO (US); and David Wilson, Boulder, CO (US)
Assigned to LONGPATH TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; and THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, A BODY CORPORATE
Appl. No. 18/847,136
Filed by LONGPATH TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Boulder, CO (US); and THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO, A BODY CORPORATE, Denver, CO (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 16, 2023, PCT No. PCT/US2023/015386
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 13, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/177801, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 21, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/269,414, filed on Mar. 16, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0110047 A1, Apr. 3, 2025
Int. Cl. G01N 21/3504 (2014.01); G01J 3/02 (2006.01); G01J 3/42 (2006.01); G01M 3/38 (2006.01); G01N 21/17 (2006.01); G01V 8/22 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/3504 (2013.01) [G01J 3/021 (2013.01); G01J 3/42 (2013.01); G01M 3/38 (2013.01); G01V 8/22 (2013.01); G01N 2021/1795 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for characterizing gas emissions, comprising:
measuring a first optical beam to generate a first absorption signal, the first optical beam being transmitted from a geographic center point and retroreflected at a first retroreflection location, a first path of the first optical beam defining a first boundary of a sector;
measuring a second optical beam to generate a second absorption signal, the second optical beam being transmitted from the geographic center point and retroreflected at a second retroreflection location, a second path of the second optical beam defining a second boundary of the sector;
determining, based on the first and second absorption signals, a sector emission rate of a gas species from within the sector; and
in response to the sector emission rate exceeding a threshold:
measuring each intrasector optical beam of a plurality of intrasector optical beams to generate a respective one of a plurality of intrasector absorption signals, each intrasector optical beam being transmitted from the geographic center point and retroreflected at a respective one of a plurality of intrasector retroreflection locations, a plurality of intrasector paths of the plurality of intrasector optical beams dividing the sector into a plurality of subsectors; and
determining a location of a source of the gas species within at least one of the plurality of subsectors, said determining the location being based on the first absorption signal, the second absorption signal, and the intrasector absorption signal of each intrasector optical beam.