Accessibility navigation


A miniature oscillating microbalance for sampling ice and volcanic ash from a small airborne platform

Airey, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9784-0043, Harrison, G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0693-347X, Nicoll, K., Williams, P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9713-9820 and Marlton, G. (2017) A miniature oscillating microbalance for sampling ice and volcanic ash from a small airborne platform. Review of Scientific Instruments, 88 (8). 086108. ISSN 0034-6748

[img]
Preview
Text (Open access) - Published Version
· Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.
· Please see our End User Agreement before downloading.

391kB
[img]
Preview
Text - Accepted Version
· Please see our End User Agreement before downloading.

162kB

It is advisable to refer to the publisher's version if you intend to cite from this work. See Guidance on citing.

To link to this item DOI: 10.1063/1.4998971

Abstract/Summary

A lightweight and low power oscillating microbalance for in situ sampling of atmospheric ice and volcanic ash is described, for airborne platforms. Using a freely-exposed collecting wire fixed at only one end to a piezo transducer, the instrument collects airborne material. Accumulated mass is determined from change in natural frequency of the wire. The piezo transducer is used in a dual mode to both drive and detect the oscillation. Three independent frequency measurement techniques are implemented with an on-board microcontroller: a frequency sweep, a Fourier spectral method, and a phase-locked loop. These showed agreement to ±0.3 Hz for a 0.5 mm diameter collecting wire 120 mm long, flown to 19 km altitude on a weather balloon. The instrument is well suited to disposable use with meteorological radiosondes, to provide high resolution vertical profiles of mass concentration.

Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Divisions:Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
ID Code:71788
Publisher:AIP

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

University Staff: Request a correction | Centaur Editors: Update this record

Page navigation