Tasting carbon with WAFT'ed light: New instrument analyzes tiny samples at low pressure and temperature
Monday, April 9, 2012 - 06:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org) -- When delving into the nuances of carbon dioxide, a new instrument designed by scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory "sips" the sample and reveals information about the source of the different carbon dioxide molecules. Using lasers and a technique dubbed WAFTing, the instrument measures the ratio of different types or isotopes of carbon in tiny samples. Called a capillary absorption spectrometer, the instrument is as precise as existing technologies that require 10,000 times more sample.