Latest from the Picarro Blog

Greenhouse gas highest since the Pliocene
May 12, 2013 - 6:09pm — Bruce Pharr

An instrument near the summit of Mauna Loa in Hawaii has recorded a climate milestone: the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere there has exceeded 400 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in 55 years of measurement—and probably more than 3 million years of Earth history.
The New Western Fugitives: Ozone Ingredients from Oil and Gas
May 4, 2013 - 8:20am — Bruce Pharr

A few weeks ago, we posted a story from Upstream, the International Oil & Gas Newspaper, titled University of Wyoming researchers are on a quest to discover why big-city pollutant is now apperaing in sparsely populated area.
University of Wyoming researchers are on a quest to discover why big-city pollutant is now appearing in sparsely populated area
April 14, 2013 - 7:13pm — Bruce Pharr

The March 22 issue of Upstream, The International Oil & Gas Newspaper, includes several articles on the Upper Green River Valley in Wyoming.
The Coolest Presentations at EGU 2013 - Tuesday, April 9
April 8, 2013 - 8:17pm — Bruce Pharr

The Picarro Investigator^TM for methane emission sources sets outside the Austria Center Vienna (ACV) as the General Assembly 2013 of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) opens on Monday, April 8.
If you're attending EGU and would like to join us for a test ride, sign-up at Booth 50. For complete details of our EGU activities and links to abstracts and posters, please go to the Coolest Customers at EGU.
The Coolest Presentations at EGU 2013 - Monday, April 8
April 7, 2013 - 9:21pm — Bruce Pharr

The coolest presentations on earth are taking place this week at EGU 2103 in Vienna, Austria. We'll be giving you an advance look at each day's presentations and posters from Picarro customers and scientists. For conference details, take a look at The Coolest Customers at EGU
The New Tech that Aims to Make Methane Leaks a Thing of the Past
March 28, 2013 - 2:58pm — Jeff Forgeron

Amy Westervelt’s article in Forbes says, “Picarro has developed a vehicle-mounted surveying product that enables utilities to cruise around their territories, constantly on the look out for methane leaks.” The article includes several statements from Steve Redding of PG&E, including this quote about Pic
Changes in Land-Use Impacts Water Balance in the Ecosystem
March 20, 2013 - 12:05pm — Jeff Forgeron
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Views Picarro Analyzers
March 15, 2013 - 10:50am — Jeff Forgeron

Australian Prime Minister (PM) Julia Gillard visited Dr. Margaret Barbour's lab during the launch of the University of Sydney's new Centre for Carbon, Water and Food.
A Google Glass app I want made: carbon emissions viewer
March 15, 2013 - 10:11am — Jeff Forgeron

A post by Katie Fehrenbacher on GigaOM notes that “Google showed off a few sample apps for its augmented reality Google Glass at the SXSW festival this week.” Katie is very clear about the app at the top of her wish list, “I really want an app that helps people see the world differently and potentially help with important global issues like climate change.” She adds that, “The concept could be pretty simple.
Tune in at 8:00 P.M. PDT for a Special Radio Program on Hydraulic Fracturing and Natural Gas Emissions
March 13, 2013 - 12:36pm — Jeff Forgeron

This evening at 8:00 P.M. PSD, there is an hour long KQED (Public Radio for Northern California) radio program related to hydraulic fracturing (Wednesday, March 13^th). The program presents a conversation with Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund; and Rhonda Zygocki, vice president of policy and planning for Chevron and focuses on how natural gas released by hydraulic fracturing is turning energy markets upside down.
How NASA Scientists Are Turning Los Angeles Into One Big Climate-Change Lab
March 13, 2013 - 11:35am — Jeff Forgeron

An article by John Metcalfe in the Atlantic Cities takes a detailed look at Los Angeles’ role in the Megacities Carbon Project. The article is from an essay in the ebook “City 2.0: The Habitat of the Future and How to Get There,” co-produced in partnership by The Atlantic Cities and Ted Books. The article also describes the California Laboratory for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (CLARS). While we readily admit to some bias, we specifically like...
New Mobile Methane Surveyor Could Put An End To The Fracking Debate
March 6, 2013 - 12:51pm — Jeff Forgeron

An article by Andrew Berger in CleanTechnica describes the role Picarro can play in bringing transparency to natural gas production. Here are a couple of quotes from the article:
“We can identify source of methane emissions and natural gas pipeline leaks, pinpoint and quantify them on a map just by driving by. No one’s ever been able to do that before.”
Cool Ways Companies are Using the iPad
March 6, 2013 - 12:26pm — Jeff Forgeron

An article by Tara Struyk on Techopedia describes 9 ways innovative companies are using an iPad for business applications, including a description of how the

Picarro Surveyor™ for Natural Gas Leaks is in Houston, TX this Week
March 4, 2013 - 2:00pm — Jeff Forgeron

A Picarro Surveyor™ for natural gas leaks is in Houston, TX USA this week (March 4 to 8) for test drives.
Picarro Announces Surveyor™ for Natural Gas Emissions
March 4, 2013 - 1:46pm — Jeff Forgeron

Friday’s post with details of Michael Woelk’s Energy Innovation Pioneer Showcase Presentation tomorrow at CERAWeek 2013 mentioned that we would be announcing a major addition to our Surveyor™ mobile, real-time geo-informatics platform today. Well here it is!
Picarro to Present as Part of the Energy Innovation Pioneer Showcase at CERAWeek
March 1, 2013 - 3:10pm — Jeff Forgeron

Picarro CEO Mike Woelk, an Energy Innovation Pioneer 2012 recipient, will present on new technologies in natural gas emissions measurement and natural gas safety at the 32nd annual IHS CERAWeek taking place March 4th through March 8th, 2013 in Houston, Texas.

CERAWEEK EVENT DETAILS
Picarro Greenhouse Gas Analyzer Monitoring Ambient Carbon Dioxide Levels in Cape Town
March 1, 2013 - 12:08pm — Jeff Forgeron

Take a look at how our Cool Customer, Alecia Nickless, is using Picarro technology to monitor ambient carbon dioxide levels in Cape Town, South Africa.
http://capecarbon.blogspot.nl/2013/02/picarros-are-twitter.html
NASA Jet uses Picarro Greenhouse Gas Measurement Technology to Test Bay Area Air Quality
February 27, 2013 - 2:31am — Jeff Forgeron

According to a news story from San Francisco Bay Area ABC TV station and online news outlet KGO, “An aircraft that looked like a fighter jet seen making low passes over the Bay Area Thursday [February 21] is the latest weapon scientists are using to fight air pollution, an airborne lab that could someday allow us to breathe cleaner air. It was out to capture ozone and greenhouse gases over the Bay Area in the never-ending battle to control air pollution. One of the under wing pods is equipped as an airborne science lab [powered by Picarro Greenhouse Gas Measurement Technology].
Rob Jackson's TEDx Talk on Fracking
February 25, 2013 - 2:31am — Jeff Forgeron

Rob Jackson, a professor at Duke University, gave an excellent TED talk on the environmental and economic impacts of fracking.
Picarro CTO Eric Crosson and Philippe Ciais of LSCE to Convene a Session at EGU13 on Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Call for Abstract
December 1, 2012 - 11:23pm — Kristen Stanton

We would like to tell you about a session at the EGU 2013 General Assembly, April 7-12, 2013 in Vienna, which Picarro CTO Eric Crosson and Philippe Ciais of LSCE will convene.
From Bottled Water to Ethanol: Using Stable Isotopes to Trace Origin & Detect Fraud in Brazil
September 12, 2012 - 5:32am — Nabil Saad

The Brazilian bottled mineral water market is valued at a sizeable multi-billion liters produced annually. This large bottled water production associated with a surge in its seasonal demand presents a tempting opportunity for counterfeits to make their way into the Brazilian marketplace. In Prof. José Marcus Godoy’s study, the use of stable isotope analysis (d¹⁸O & dD) was proven to be a valuable tool in tracing the origin of the bottled water to at least the state level within the vast territory of Brazil.
Picarro's Superflux at the Cabauw Superstation: InGOS Flux Instrument Trial
September 11, 2012 - 12:41pm — Gloria Jacobson

While carbon dioxide (CO₂) currently contributes to two-thirds of anthropogenic radiative forcing, the effects from other greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as methane and nitrous oxide, remain largely uncharacterized and could significantly impact the future of global climate change. In order to address uncertainties in emissions, the Integrated non-CO₂ Greenhouse gas Observing System (InGOS) project is focused on improving and extending the European observation capacity for non-CO₂GHGs.
Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) Seminar in Japan, July 2012
September 11, 2012 - 11:33am — Iain Green

Climate and earth scientists gathered in Tokyo for a seminar on Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) hosted by Picarro’s partners in Japan, Sanyo Trading Co. Ltd. Special guest speakers, Dr. Naohiro Yoshida of Tokyo Institute of Technology, Dr. Hideki Nara of the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) and Dr. Yoshito Chikaraishi of the Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) provided talks on their diverse fields of research. Highlights included Dr.
Hydrologist Ricardo Sánchez-Murillo Sets Up Costa Rica’s First Stable Isotope Lab
September 10, 2012 - 8:22am — Kristen Stanton

Ricardo Sánchez-Murillo of the National University of Costa Rica foresees water challenges affecting even the wettest regions of the globe, such as Central America. Applying his experience gained from the University of Idaho-Moscow, he’s intent on finding solutions by studying Costa Rica’s little understood water systems.
Bermuda Prepares for Hurricane Leslie
September 7, 2012 - 8:48am — Hans-Christian Steen-Larsen

Hans-Christian Steen-Larsen is a Postdoctoral Researcher affiliated with the Danish Council for Independent Research, Denmark and CIRES, University of Colorado - Boulder, USA.
The Top Ten Mobile Platforms for Picarro Analyzers
September 4, 2012 - 5:23am — Aaron Van Pelt

At Picarro, the fun thing about making instruments that are field-deployable is watching the pictures come in from our customers in the field – people find all sorts of ways to put their Picarros on mobile platforms. Here’s the latest installment of our “Top Ten List” – some of our favorite mobile Picarros!
In the Lab with Stable Isotope Guru Dr. Stanislaw Halas at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin, Poland
September 4, 2012 - 4:57am — Robert Panetta

Housed in the first floor of the physics building of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland (UMCS-Lublin) is a lab that is responsible for some very impressive technical innovations to enable isotope analysis of a variety of light and heavy elements over the years.
Dr. Joe Galewsky on Measuring Water Vapor in the World’s Driest Desert
September 4, 2012 - 3:48am — Gregor Hsiao

I had the opportunity to speak with one of our customers, Dr. Joe Galewsky of the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque, on his long term water vapor isotope monitoring project in Chile. The location offers a unique opportunity to understand how climate change is affecting the atmospheric water vapor cycle. Here’s a transcript of that conversation.
Congratulations to Dr. David Noone, Winner of The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
August 11, 2012 - 7:24pm — Gregor Hsiao

Congratulations to a community member many of you know: Dr. David Noone, a CIRES Fellow at the University of Colorado Boulder. David has just been awarded the The Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, or "PECASE". It is the highest honor given by the U.S. government to early career scientists.
NASA and Picarro's Alpha Jet Collaboration
July 28, 2012 - 2:57am — Gloria Jacobson

My name is Rebecca Vincent. I attend Gunn High School and am interning at Picarro for the summer. I had the opportunity to visit the NASA Ames Research Center with several colleagues, Yoonah Danskin, Melissa Palmer, and Gloria Jacobson to watch the launch of the Alpha Jet on this-year’s GOSAT calibration mission.
Back to the Greenhouse Gas Future: A Conversation with Jim Butler, Director of NOAA’s Global Monitoring Division
June 17, 2012 - 2:38pm — Gloria Jacobson

According to their website, the Global Monitoring Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Earth System Research Laboratory (NOAA/ESRL/GMD) “conducts sustained observations and research related to source and sink strengths, trends, and global distributions of atmospheric constituents that are capable of forcing change in the climate of Earth through modification of the atmospheric radiative environment, those that may cause depletion of the global ozone layer, and those that affect baseline air quality."
The Promise of Natural Gas
June 14, 2012 - 12:00am — Michael Woelk

Natural gas will not live up to its promise without the vital support of a society focused on transparency.
One mustn’t look too far to find a story about natural gas production - whether from the perspective that it will transform the global economy or drive the climate past the point of no return. Whether you’re for gas or against it, the only chance we have to make clearheaded decisions about the issue is through credible measurements and complete transparency.
Interview with “Glacial Balance” Filmmaker Ethan Steinman
June 14, 2012 - 12:00am — Kristen Stanton

Part science documentary, part humanitarian expose´ and part adventure flick, “Glacial Balance” profiles the work of ice core expert Dr. Lonnie Thompson and the plight of local people who are dependent on the Andean glaciers.
Fun things to hear from the field: the Greenland field season is underway!
June 13, 2012 - 7:58pm — Aaron Van Pelt

I just got an email from our customer Hans Christian Steen-Larsen who is at NEEM:

"Greetings from NEEM where I'm setting up my vapor system once again. This time I have the Picarro from France - the serial number is HBDS012. The good things was that the analyzer started up right away after having been combat off-loaded on the put in flight (open snow landing)."
Dr. Zhonghe Pang on Groundwater Recharge, Geothermal Energy, and Carbon Sequestration
June 13, 2012 - 7:10pm — Gregor Hsiao

I had the opportunity to speak with one of our customers, Dr. Zhonghe Pang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, on using water isotopes to understand and mitigate climate change including: land use and ground water recharge, modeling geothermal reservoirs, and testing the CO₂ storage capacity of deep saline aquifers. Here’s a transcript of that conversation.
The Picarro List: About an Analyzer Named Walter
June 13, 2012 - 7:09pm — Aaron Van Pelt

When spending more time with their instruments than they do with their families -- especially during field season -- Picarro customers often pass the time coming up with clever names for their instruments. Here are a few stories about our favorites:
Flights Over Siberia: A French-Russian Team Gains Insight into Tropospheric Chemistry and Climate Change
April 19, 2012 - 8:09am — Andre Bals

By André Bals
Mid IR and the Transparency Spectrum
April 19, 2012 - 12:00am — Michael Woelk

With the release of our newest instrument, the G5101-i for N₂O concentration and isotope analysis, Picarro is ready to give scientists (not to mention policy makers and concerned citizens) more insight into the global nitrogen cycle and its interdependence with agriculture, climate, and the Earth’s natural ecosystems. Now our customers can easily and precisely measure the four most critical greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), water vapor (H₂O), and nitrous oxide (N₂O).
The Methane Road Less Taken: Surveying Terrestrial CH4 from an RV
April 18, 2012 - 6:50pm — Gloria Jacobson

UC Santa Barbara scientists, Dr. Ira Leifer, Paige Farrell and Dan Culling recently completed a methane measurement transect of the southern US while en-route to deliver their Picarro flux analyzer to a waiting ship in Louisiana. The Picarro analyzer and other equipment was originally intended only for shipboard measurements, but Dr. Leifer calculated, that for the cost of shipping and airfare to the port, they could drive the instrument instead, and use the opportunity to gather long-distance mobile methane data.
"Picarro’s Believe It or NOT!" The Top Ten Weirdest Samples Ever Run Through Our Analyzers
April 18, 2012 - 9:42am — Aaron Van Pelt

Our customers often measure some unusual things with our instruments. Liquids, gases and solids of all types, from deep sea vent water to bat breath to moth wings. We've collected a list of the weirdest… and we’ve added a few of our own as well as a few that we just made up. See if you can spot the fake analyses!
Presentations at EGU 2012 that You Won't Want to Miss
April 18, 2012 - 12:00am — Nabil Saad

1 - Session IG1/GMPV2.3/HS2.22/SSP5.1/SSS13.5/TS1.8, room 42 on Friday, 27 Apr 2012, 09:30:

EGU2012-13328
Online Compound-Specific δ¹³C and δD Determinations Using Laser Spectroscopy
by N. Saad and J. Hoffnagle

2- Session ERE5.2, room 28 on Thursday, 26 Apr 2012, 14:30

EGU2012-12895
Dispatch from London: Planet Under Pressure 2012
April 1, 2012 - 7:01am — Robert Panetta

This past week a gathering of climate, ecology, economic and legal researchers and experts took place in London. Planet Under Pressure 2012 sought to address the global sustainability challenge as we enter the Anthropocene. Questions that were posed and debated include: how can we marry the needs of the developed and developing worlds? How can we leverage the latest research to increase economic output?
Chocolate Industry: Time to Act; Embrace Science
March 8, 2012 - 1:26pm — Iain Green

Multinational companies that are deriving a profit from chocolate products need to take responsibility for their supply chains, particularly if they involve child labor or illicit trade practices, both of which are occurring in the cocoa industry as we speak. The International Labor Rights Forum (ILRF) and other NGOs have raised this issue.
The Urban Issue: why we need to start measuring cities now
March 2, 2012 - 1:51am — Robert Panetta

One thing I probably do a little too much of in this job is travel. While it can be a hassle, you do get to see a lot of places, meet a lot of interesting people and grow on both personal and professional levels. And like all matters in life, there are the little things that bring a smile to your face; learning cultural stereotypes are indeed expressed through national train operations; most people are nice, courteous and generally happy to talk to a visitor; every local food/drink is just great; and last but not least, the in-flight magazines can be good entertainment.
Picarro Surveyor™ for Natural Gas: Rapid, Accurate Leak Detection for Improved Safety; PG&E - First Utility to Deploy Technology
February 28, 2012 - 4:27pm — Aaron Van Pelt

In January, Picarro introduced a first-of-its-kind solution for natural gas pipeline leak detection and measurement, based on our new series of methane isotope analyzers. The new solution, called the Picarro Surveyor™ for Natural Gas Leaks, measures methane plumes in the air, maps them, and then immediately alerts users and repair teams upon leak detection in real-time while traveling at normal driving speeds.
Truth and Transparency About What’s Being Emitted into Our Air
February 28, 2012 - 2:12pm — Michael Woelk

Methane and City Carbon^TM have become buzzwords here at Picarro. Surely anyone familiar with carbon emissions and climate change knows that methane is a potent greenhouse gas and most emissions originate from cities.
Centre for Ice and Climate's Unique Solution for Ice Cores
February 27, 2012 - 1:25pm — Gregor Hsiao

The Centre for Ice and Climate at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark is one of the birthplaces of ice core science. In 1954 Willi Dansgaard [1] suggested the correlation between the oxygen isotope ratio and temperature at which the precipitation was formed and postulated that past climate changes could be discerned by such measurements. Ten years later, in 1964, Willi Dansgaard outlined the capabilities and limitations of the isotopic paleothermometer for glaciological uses in Greenland and Antarctica in a milestone publication in Tellus [2].
Quarterly Featured Picarro Coolest Remote Sites
February 24, 2012 - 12:38pm — Aaron Van Pelt

It's commonly said here at Picarro that our customers have more interesting lives than we do -- we're always receiving fantastic photos of someone with one of our instruments in some remote and often idyllic field location. We thought it would be fun to periodically share some of the amazing locations where our customers are doing field work. Here are the five that we've come up with this quarter including links to their research sites and a few selected photos (mouse over photos for captions):
Picarro Technology Innovation Update: How Fundamental Improvements to the CRDS Cavity Vastly Enhances Performance
February 22, 2012 - 4:02pm — Aaron Van Pelt

In my role as an Applications Scientist here at Picarro, I’m always getting questions from customers like, “So what’s new?” and “What new technology breakthroughs are you guys working on?” To better address these questions, I spoke with Picarro Senior System Engineer Dr. Yonggang He about the recent technology innovations that have enabled us to boost the performance of our isotopic carbon analyzers. Here’s a bit of our discussion:
Update on Emissions in Davos -- From Penn State Professor of Meteorology, Ken Davis
January 24, 2012 - 8:20am — Gloria Jacobson

Link to CityCarbon website showing current emissions in Davos
(hover over graph to the right for explanation)
02 February, 2012 Summary of Results
Picarro and Partners Measure GHG Emissions During the WEF Meeting in Davos - See it at http://citycarbon.picarro.com/
January 23, 2012 - 4:08pm — Gloria Jacobson

Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of working with collaborators from Penn State, Climmod, Sigma Space, NOAA and others to demonstrate the power of using high precision instruments coupled with advanced modeling techniques to measure greenhouse gas emissions in cities. While many cities are taking a step in the right direction by volunteering to report their emissions estimates, the self-reported numbers are only based on calculations, not on measurements of what is in the air.
Fair Trade Cocoa. Unfair on Children
January 21, 2012 - 6:47pm — Iain Green

Bravo to CNN for a thought provoking program on cocoa farm child labor in the Ivory Coast. The missing component from the discussion is that there is a solution that would go much further than the current crop of toothless fair trade ‘certifications’. Stable isotopes do a great job of distinguishing cocoa grown in different regions (see data inset).
HACCP: Use Stable Isotopes to Dig Deeper Into Your Supply Chain.
December 16, 2011 - 6:59pm — Iain Green

During a speech on Food Safety¹, Michael Taylor, Deputy Commissioner for Foods for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) discussed the benefits of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point programs – HACCP.
Hide-and-Seek Is Over for Polluters and Regulators
November 13, 2011 - 11:42pm — Michael Woelk

Greetings from Tuscon, Arizona! I’m down here speaking at Techonomy, a prestigious conference organized by former Fortune Magazine technology editor David Kirkpatrick. The topic of my talk is “Hide-and-Seek is Over for Polluters and Regulators.” I am discussing how novel technologies can measure minute quantities of trace gases in the air and, when combined with meteorological data, map those gases back to their point sources.
Food Safety And Modernization Act. Neither safe nor modern?
November 8, 2011 - 6:10pm — Iain Green

The following is a transcript of my comments at the Nov 2^nd 2011 Stakeholders Meeting set up by The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) at the behest of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in compliance with Section 204 of the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA). The current programs only require documentation of the container itself. They are incapable of tracking the goods inside the container.
Notes from the Helm: Picarro's Quarterly Post from CEO Mike Woelk
October 17, 2011 - 10:17pm — Michael Woelk

Greetings! Welcome to the Picarro quarterly newsletter. We’ve had an eventful summer at Picarro. On Sept. 1, 2011, the World Economic Forum named Picarro as Technology Pioneer. This award celebrates companies building innovative technologies that give back to society and contribute to the betterment of the world. Only 30 companies were selected out of nearly 1,000 applicants.
Notes From the Picarro Roof: Intern Jeff's Perspective
October 14, 2011 - 2:30pm — Gloria Jacobson

Greetings, Picarro Community! My name is Jeff Forgeron, and I am a meteorology major at San Jose State University. I am currently interning for Picarro, and was recently asked to design and implement a weather station on the rooftop using an All-In-One Climatronics instrument.
Farm Bill 2012; Molecular Tracking is a Necessity
October 4, 2011 - 11:34am — Iain Green

It seems such a short time ago that Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) was expanded and enacted through Title XI of the Farm Bill 2008. Yet legislators have already started the committee meetings and town hall discussions that are framing the early debates on Farm Bill 2012. COOL was intended as a step forward to improve consumers’ ability of to make rational choices of the origin of their food. However, it highlights the most significant problem in the food industry – there is insufficient testing used to verify the origin of the foods in our stores and restaurants.
Stable isotopes and the police
September 23, 2011 - 7:42am — Robert Panetta

When isotopes are mentioned in the same breath as law enforcement, the first thought that comes to mind is likely an atomic weapons-based attack using radioactive isotopes and what security forces can do to prevent it. That’s certainly the most publicized association between these words.
Picarro Named World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer 2012 And Our (Modest) Plan to Change the World
August 31, 2011 - 10:12pm — Michael Woelk

Today the World Economic Forum announced that Picarro had been selected as a Technology Pioneer 2012. This is a tremendous honor and a proud day for all Picarro employees! The World Economic Forum is one of the most prestigious collaborative problem-solving organizations on the planet.
Opening Up Entirely New Field Applications With Picarro's New Carbon Isotopes Analyzer
August 26, 2011 - 1:47pm — Kevin Cunningham

Hi, there. I'm Kevin Cunningham and I am the product manager for isotopic carbon analyzers at Picarro. I got my PhD in laser spectroscopy (but don't hold that against me) so it has been thrilling to work at Picarro where laser spectroscopy has been applied to so many other fields. And, you may have noticed, we have been announcing some fantastic innovations lately and now its my turn. The new G2131-i isotopic analyzer improves the precision levels for δ¹³C measurements by 3X with a guaranteed specification of 0.1 per mil at 380 parts per million.
Per Meg, Anyone? Picarro's New Isotopic Water Analyzer Achieves Per Meg Precision
August 23, 2011 - 12:05pm — Gregor Hsiao

When I joined Picarro at the start of September in 2009, Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy technology for isotope analysis had only just been created. In short order CRDS was validated by researchers whose laboratories specialized in using isotope ratio mass spectrometers (IRMS), devices which were previously considered the state of the art.
A deeper look into Picarro's technology -- and California cuisine!
August 22, 2011 - 11:48am — Aaron Van Pelt

Editor’s note: This post comes to us from Benoit Wastine from the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE/IPSL) CEA-CNRS-UVSQ in France. http://www.lsce.ipsl.fr/en/
The Supply Chain’s Paternity Test: Authentication Versus Origination as Fraud Detection Tool?
August 19, 2011 - 9:12am — Robert Panetta

A general topic that has been discussed on this blog is “truth in labeling”. In the case of food, falsifying a label can mean lying about where it came from for prestige (Prosciutto carefully crafted in Parma carries a much higher market value than a piece of Bulgarian salted pork), politics (sure, profits from cocoa in nation “X” are being used to support a genocide, but it’s far cheaper than actually supplying it from stable nation “Y), or lying about a process (profit margins can be significantly increased if you cut that Macadamia Nut honey with some corn syrup).
Nerdgasm! Building Cool Scientific Instruments, and the Joys of Innovation
August 11, 2011 - 1:01am — Robert Panetta

Prior to Picarro, I was on the academic path. I completed my PhD under the supervision of a brilliant scientist, then scored a post-doc position with a highly regarded researcher doing cutting-edge work that gained attention from the press (and also happened to be in Hawaii). But I rapidly discovered that I was not too gaga about the academic life. The grant writing process and being stranded on a proverbial island to do your work alone were not for me.
Introducing Simultaneous High-Precision C+D Analysis in One Integrated System: Deuterium and Carbon Isotope Analysis Made Simple
August 9, 2011 - 12:00am — Nabil Saad

I've written a bit about using Picarro's Combustion Module for novel application methods and I wanted to let you know about a brand new product we are releasing - This is a CRDS analyzer that simultaneously measures stable isotope ratios of both carbon and its bound hydrogen directly from a combustion front-end. We're confident this new system is a significant advancement in capabilities for isotope measurements.
Introducing In-Line Organics Removal From Isotopic Water Samples: New Micro-Pyrolysis Technology ^TM from Picarro
July 27, 2011 - 11:54am — Gregor Hsiao

In conversations with stable isotope researchers around the world a recurrent theme has been the problems caused by organics compounds in water samples, ranging from plant water extracts to alcoholic beverages. For laser-based spectroscopic analyzers like Picarro, certain organic compounds, mostly alcohols, have caused spectral interference which distorted the reported isotope ratio. We took the first step towards solving the problem last year with our ChemCorrect^TM software, which flags, identifies and quantifies organic contamination.
Roof Gardens, Fluxes, Heat Islands and Water Quality: LDEO's NYC Project on the Impact of Green Roofs
July 21, 2011 - 2:19pm — Gloria Jacobson

In a week when heat waves are sweeping the country, a post about green roofs seems appropriate. Environmentalists have long espoused putting plants on top of buildings as a way to improve air quality in cities and reduce the urban island heat effect. Sounds nice, but what are the real impacts of green roofs? Will they reduce runoff water into storm drains? Will they clean the runoff water? Will they cool the city? And will green roofs absorb or emit methane and other greenhouse gases.
Notes from the field: Picarro visit to the North Greenland Eemian Ice Core Drilling camp (NEEM)
July 19, 2011 - 8:09pm — Aaron Van Pelt

As I write this, I’m sitting on a ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules cargo plane from the New York Air National Guard’s 109^th Airlift Wing, flying over Greenland, having just taken off from the NEEM camp at 77°N latitude where the sun is up 24 hours a day.
Wing Pods, UAVs and NASA = Very Cool, Very Innovative Science
July 15, 2011 - 4:34pm — Alex Salkever

I've got two simple yet evocative phrases for you. Wing pods. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Excited? We are. During late June, a team of top scientists from the NASA Ames Research Center deployed three Picarro analyzers as part of the The Railroad Valley Vicarious Calibration Campaign, a collaboration between the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif. One of the analyzers was deployed in a wing pod of an Alpha jet which flew up to altitudes of 25,000 feet. Another was deployed in the nose cone of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.
A Note from CEO Michael Woelk: Red Herring Award, Coca-Cola and CRDS, Four New Analyzers and Natural Gas Leaks
July 6, 2011 - 11:33am — Michael Woelk

Welcome to my quarterly letter on the state of Picarro! This was another exciting quarter for us. We were selected to the Red Herring 100 North America list, an award going to the most promising technology companies in the region. We moved to a marvelous new 56,000 square-foot R&D and manufacturing facility in Santa Clara. We launched four new products, further extending our technology innovation.
Picarro Op-Ed in Point Carbon: Reuters Two Weeks Ago
July 5, 2011 - 7:34am — Alex Salkever

We've been running flat out at Picarro, so the blogging has been slowish. I wanted to share our latest op-ed from the media. This was published in Point Carbon, an influential news and newsletter site owned by Reuters focused on the carbon economy. Our CEO Mike Woelk wrote this. Comments are welcome.
Guest Commentary: Getting a Grip on Methane
What’s a climate “model” and where does it come from?
June 22, 2011 - 3:08pm — Robert Panetta

Climate scientists can be divided into two large interactive groups: Experimentalists, who go out into the world and collect climate data (e.g., levels of carbon dioxide, methane concentration, seasonal temperature, snowfall rates, etc.); and Modelers, those who build computer simulations based on that data (called “climate models” by those in the know) to estimate how climate variables affect one another (e.g., does increasing CO₂ increase temperature enough to melt polar ice caps that will raise sea levels so high that Miami will be the next Atlantis?).
We Won! Picarro Named to Red Herring 100 Award List for North America in the CleanTech Category:
June 20, 2011 - 1:45pm — Alex Salkever

Pop the champagne corks in Santa Clara! We just were named one of the awardees for the annual Red Herring 100 list for North America. Red Herring, which has been chronicling technology innovation in the U.S. and World for 30 years now, is a publication and company we respect and it is particularly exciting for us to win an award from their editors lauding us for technology excellence. Hundreds of other leading technology companies entered.
How do you know rising carbon dioxide levels are from human activities?
June 16, 2011 - 2:34pm — Robert Panetta

The greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a product of human activities that use carbon-based fuels, such as home heating, cars, and manufacturing plants, to name a few. But CO₂ also has many natural sources, such as soil, volcanoes and all living things that breathe. So a necessary question that should be asked by climate and citizen scientists alike is, “How do you know increases in CO₂ are from human activity?”
Origins of E.coli - Why RFID Fails and Why We Need Molecular Tracking with Isotopes
June 5, 2011 - 10:23pm — Iain Green

We just launched a new Food Tracebility and Food Safety mini-site and our timing sadly coincided with a tragedy in this arena. As the unfolding details of the horrible E.coli outbreak in Europe have highlighted, everything is wrong with current food traceability legislation, testing and understanding.
Picarro Aboard the Hesperides: Measuring Isotopic Carbon on a Historic Spanish Circumnavigation
June 2, 2011 - 11:50pm — Alex Salkever

The Malaspina Expedition may set the record for the most well-travelled Picarro analyzer. And we can't wait to see the science that emerges from this fascinating voyage. Here's the story. The research voyage marks the 200 Year Anniversary of the death of Alessandro Malaspina in 1810. Malaspina directed the first Spanish scientific expedition to circumnavigate the Earth.
Tracing Meat to the Source for Safety's Sake: Isotope Signatures Beat RFID or Any Labels
May 26, 2011 - 10:21am — Iain Green

Rarely does a month go by without another major meat recall. In this case, the meat in question was shipped from Italy to Canada and contained dangerous levels of Lysteria bacteria. And it was cooked, not raw, meat. We hope that no one gets sick.
Field Report: Measuring Carbon Fluxes with a 1500 Feet Tower and Avoiding Annoying Wildlife
May 25, 2011 - 3:23pm — Gloria Jacobson

One of the most interesting things we product managers get to do at Picarro is spend time in the field with customers learning how they use our analyzers. This way, we get to experience firsthand the challenges of doing science outdoors in remote locations - challenges like dealing with unpleasant wildlife (for example). Studying fluxes of greenhouse gases in the environment is definitely one of the areas where the full outdoor research experience is mandatory.
Grass-Fed, Corn-Fed and Where Do They Come From? Cows and Picarro
May 22, 2011 - 11:20pm — Alex Salkever

We have over time gotten a fair number of queries related to whether our CRDS analyzers can be used to determine whether an animal is corn-fed or grass-fed, and where that animal comes from. Consumers, restaurateurs, and food companies increasingly care a lot about what goes into the mouths of the meat they sell and whether that meat is local or from Brazil or Texas or wherever. Which is why we welcome the opportunity to discuss how stable isotopes can both determine if a cow has been grass-fed or corn-fed and, further, where that meat comes from.

Latest from the Picarro Blog

Solutions

Technology

Resources

Connect with Us