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Active TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 3)
The chemical composition of aerosol particles is of fundamental importance for understanding the behavior of planetary atmospheres. A critical need for any mass spectrometer (MS)-based analytical approach is to collect and transmit aerosol particles of interest to the sample intake module with a high transmission rate without clogging. Here, we propose the development of a new instrument for aerosol separation utilizing acoustic fields for use in planned NASA planetary missions (e.g., Venus), eliminating common failure points found in current MS systems. We will develop the prototype aerosol separator (TRL 2) via a systematic design, build, test methodology to advance the concept to TRL 5 (anticipated). This system will be broadly valuable for NASA interplanetary probe deployments and is compatible with validated, probe-relevant MS systems, such as NASA Jet Propulsion Lab’s quadrupole ion trap MS (QIT-MS) presently operated onboard the International Space Station (ISS). As a challenging case, we will demostrate performance relevant to analyzing the acidic type of aerosols found in the hazes and clouds of Venus’ stratosphere; however, our system is also applicable for aerial and surface missions to Titan and Mars, Saturn, and shallow probe missions to the ice giants.
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