Photoacoustic optical frequency comb spectroscopy of radioactive methane in the mid-infrared region

Juho Karhu, Teemu Tomberg, Francisco Senna Vieira, Guillaume Genoud, Vesa Hänninen, Markku Vainio, Markus Metsälä, Tuomas Hieta, Steven Bell, Lauri Halonen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionScientificpeer-review

Abstract

The standard method for sensitive measurements of long-lived radioactive isotopes, such as 14C, is accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The AMS facilities are indispensable for applications like radiocarbon dating, but too expensive and massive for in-situ measurements. Laser spectroscopy, on the other hand, is a promising solution for isotope-selective detection of gas-phase compounds in applications that require low-cost instrumentation and on-site measurement capability. The recent work on laser spectroscopy of 14CO2 has led to impressive detection limits below the natural 14C abundance [1,2], which encourages us to develop similar techniques also for other radiocarbon compounds. Here, we report the first spectroscopic study of radioactive methane, 14CH4. Our work is motivated by a number of important applications, such as determining the biofraction of methane fuel mixtures and in-situ monitoring of radioactive gas emissions at decommissioning sites of light water nuclear reactors. © 2019 IEEE
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationOptics InfoBase Conference Papers : Volume Part F140-CLEO_Europe 2019
PublisherOSA Publishing
Publication date2019
Article number2019-ch_p_14
ISBN (Print)9781557528209
Publication statusPublished - 2019
MoE publication typeA4 Article in conference proceedings
EventThe 2019 Conference on Lasers & Electro-Optics / Europe and the European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO®/Europe-EQEC) - München, Germany
Duration: 23 Jun 201927 Jun 2019

Fields of Science

  • 116 Chemical sciences

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