Volcanic Ash Nephelometer Probe

Advanced dropsondes that could effectively be guided through atmospheric regions of interest such as volcanic plumes may enable unprecedented observations of important atmospheric phenomena. IDI proposes to develop a flight ready optical sensor to provide cloud properties and hazardous volcanic ash and icing information within commercial airspace. The probe will initially be developed for a dropsonde but eventually be integrated into the unmanned SCAN EAGLE UAV. The innovation is a new capability for making in-situ measurement of cloud particulates to improve pilot awareness of hazardous operating conditions, such as those recently experienced by aircraft engines operating near volcanic plumes in the North Atlantic near Iceland. . During a Phase I program IDI developed a miniature Nephelometer sensor prototype and demonstrated the ability to measure small ash and water particulates as well as provide discrimination between them. Phase II will integrate the Nephelometer and a commercial SO2 sensor into a radiosonde package for a tethered field test at the NASA Wallops test facility and finally deployed near an active volcano in central America. The probe packaging will designed such that it is upwardly compatible in size and weight with the SCAN EAGLE UAV payload as well as other payload recovery vehicles.

NASA has immediate need for a high atmospheric particulate probe for its ongoing earth sciences and atmospheric research programs. More recently NASA has been chartered to do high altitude atmospheric research with UAS (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). As part of this program NASA will be employing dropsondes deployed from high altitude UAV¿s to measure dangerous and toxic particulates from volcanic ash. The proposed low cost optical Nephelometric probe will be an ideal low cost expendable probe that can acquire particulate size and density measurements of upper atmosphere volcanic ash.

Each day over 900 Radiosondes are launched worldwide. Radiosondes launched with cloud property measurement capability would provide users invaluable airborne particulate and icing information not currently available. The proposed infrared sensor would have a unique and potentially lucrative market niche because of its affordability. The principle product will have a moderately high volume application which will be used primarily for aircraft icing avoidance.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.