VGAM: Compact and Low‐Power Mass Spectrometer‐Based Instrumentation for Volcanic Gas Monitoring

Compact mass spectrometers (MSs) can provide simultaneous multispecies analysis with high sensitivity and precision. For volcanic gas monitoring in situ, instrumental mass spectrometry requires reliability and ruggedness combined with low power usage and portability. The Volcanic Gas Analytical Moni...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems : G3 geophysics, geosystems : G3, 2019-07, Vol.20 (7), p.3782-3798
Main Authors: McMurtry, Gary M., Dasilveira, Luis A., Falinski, Kim A., Fischer, Tobias P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Carbon dioxide
Deployment
Excess water
Fumaroles
Gas monitoring
Gases
geochemistry
Hydrogen sulfide
Inlets (waterways)
instrumental
Instrumentation
Instruments
Ions
Mass spectrometry
Mass spectroscopy
monitoring
Nitrous oxide
Plumes
Pressure measurement
Procedures
Scientific imaging
Spectrometers
Sulfur
Sulfur dioxide
Sulphur
Telemetry
Volcanic ash
Volcanic gases
Volcanic plumes
Volcanoes
volcanos
Water vapor
Water vapour
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Summary:Compact mass spectrometers (MSs) can provide simultaneous multispecies analysis with high sensitivity and precision. For volcanic gas monitoring in situ, instrumental mass spectrometry requires reliability and ruggedness combined with low power usage and portability. The Volcanic Gas Analytical Monitor (VGAM) is capable of quantitative molecular analysis of a variety of atmospheric and volcanic gases in a single sensor by ion trap mass spectrometry. These gases include H2, He, H2O, N2, O2, Ar, NO, N2O, CO, CO2, H2S, SO, SO2, and CH4. Unlike previous field instruments using magnetic sector and quadrupole MSs with vacuums backed by compact turbomolecular pumps, the VGAM uses a low‐power autoresonant ion trap MS and nonevaporable getter‐ion pumped vacuum that operates at only 25‐W total power, which is often the power requirement for just the MS. Ratiometric mass spectral response is combined with total pressure measurements to report absolute partial pressures. Data are generated in real time and are recorded to internal flash memory. Relatively low power (
ISSN:1525-2027
1525-2027
DOI:10.1029/2019GC008258