Multipass optical absorption spectroscopy: a fast-scanning laser spectrometer for the in situ determination of atmospheric trace-gas components, in particular OH.

The optical design of an absorption spectrometer for in situ measurements of atmospheric trace gases is reported. The light source is a rapidly tuned and power-stabilized dye-ring laser, which is frequency doubled by an intracavity BBO crystal. The second harmonic and the fundamental are used simultaneously for measurement of OH, SO(2), CH(2)O, and naphthalene in the UV and of NO(2) in the visible. The 1.2-km absorption path is folded within a 6-m White-cell-type multiple-reflection system with an open-path setup. The absorption sensitivity of the spectrometer is better than 1 part in 10(-5) under tropospheric conditions (integration time 1 min., signal-to-noise ratio 1).