WS-CRDS Analyzer for CH4 and H2O - Model G1202

  • Simultaneous, precise measurement of CH4 and H2O
  • PPB sensitivity, precision & accuracy with virtually no drift
  • Fast, continuous, real time measurements without interference
  • Large dynamic range with high linearity
  • Field and laboratory deployable with no consumables
  • Installed and operational in minutes
  • Rugged and insensitive to changes in ambient temperature

The importance of measuring methane in the atmosphere and in industrial emissions streams is now widely recognized because it is a very effective absorber of thermal radiation and therefore a strong contributor to overall greenhouse gas effects. The greenhouse effects of water vapor are still often overlooked, partly because it's a weaker absorber of thermal radiation, but mainly because its level is primarily a secondary industrial effect: climate changes, not direct industrial processes, are generally thought to be the biggest factor in determining water vapor levels. This complex relationship between primary greenhouse gases (like CH4) and water vapor requires further studies. The rugged, self-contained Picarro G1202 analyzer supports such efforts, by providing extremely precise and simultaneous measurements of both these key species at their ambient levels. No dilution, concentration or other sample prep is required. So the G1202 can be operated as a remote, unattended monitoring station or used equally well as a laboratory reference instrument on captured samples and ancient ice-core samples for example. As regulations and protocols are established for greenhouse gases, the ability of the same instrument to perform lab and field measurements can be a key benefit.

Because the G1202 analyzer is based on WS-CRDS technology there is no crosstalk between the CH4 and H2O detection channels and both of these channels are unaffected by changes in other gas species, including CO2. Also, data are immune to changes in ambient temperature and pressure. And the G1202 can operate for months between calibrations.

Related Documentation

Precision and stability of the Picarro analyzer over a month of operation without calibration.

CH4 measurements from an 18-day field trial of a Picarro G1202 analyzer at Oregon State University. Atmospheric levels of CH4, and H2O were continuously monitored while calibration gases were measured twice daily. Without recalibrating, the analyzer performance over 18 days of operation in the field yielded a precision of 0.5 ppbv in 5 seconds and a drift of < 0.8 ppbv (peak to peak) per day.