Working in collaboration with Harris Corp. and Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a new laser-based technique for monitoring carbon dioxide emissions from sequestration sites, according to a NIST release. “NIST developed a mathematical model that considers the change in shape of a gas leakage plume in the wind. In this way, the model factors out other carbon dioxide sources in the sequestration area. The practical upshot is that wind variables and other outdoor field conditions are no longer a constraint,” according to the release.
Using the new technique, researchers were able to pinpoint a gas leak from the ground to within about 5 meters, 10 times more accurately than other approaches, the release says. “The approach means far fewer demands placed on the laser sensors, and much reduced worries about unrealistic wind conditions,” NIST physicist Zachary Levine said in the release. “It also means we can detect less intense leaks with far better spatial resolution. We’re looking forward to testing it further on additional field campaigns.”
