Date of Graduation
8-2019
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
Degree Level
Undergraduate
Department
Civil Engineering
Advisor/Mentor
Coffman, Richard A.
Committee Member/Reader
Coffman, Richard A.
Committee Member/Second Reader
Huang, Po-Hao Adam
Abstract
A ground-based aerial-tracking instrument, known as the Ground Tracker, designed to provide spectral data to quantify greenhouse gases is under development. The Ground Tracker includes an Optical System including a high power rifle scope, video camera, and spectrometer used to locate an active light source from the Emitter, and collect spectral data by utilizing an actuating mirror. The implementation of this instrument could be made low cost by utilizing existing weather balloon infrastructure to allow the Emitter to be placed into the lower stratosphere. The recovery of the emitter will be possible by tracking the GPS coordinates. Weather balloon instrument packages contain shipping instructions and postage for those packages that go beyond GPS range or are lost. The Ground Tracker and Emitter Gimbal, while not ready for implementation, demonstrate the feasibility of a spectroscopy system that could provide important data for climate observation and modeling at temporal and spatial resolutions not currently available to state-of-the-art satellites.
Keywords
Spectroscopy; Atmospheric monitoring; Open Path; Low Cost; Ground Based; Remote Sensing
Citation
Hodges, H. (2019). Development of a Ground-Based Aerial-Tracking Instrument for Open-Path Spectroscopy to Monitor Atmospheric Constituents. Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/cveguht/59
Included in
Computer-Aided Engineering and Design Commons, Environmental Chemistry Commons, Optics Commons, Other Earth Sciences Commons
