Rapid response volcanic ash detector

摘要

Methods and systems for detecting ambient aerosols are disclosed. An example method can comprise receiving an air sample comprising aerosol particles. A method can comprise determining at least one of concentration of the aerosol particles and size of an aerosol particle from the aerosol particles. A method can also comprise determining a composition of the air sample if at least one of the concentration exceeds a first predetermined threshold and the size exceeds a second predetermined threshold. A method can further comprise providing a notification indicating the presence of volcanic ash based on the determined composition of the aerosol.

主权项

1. A method for detecting ambient aerosols, comprising:
measuring a concentration and a size of ambient aerosols in an air stream; providing a first notification if at least one of the size of the ambient aerosols exceeds a first threshold and the concentration of the ambient aerosols exceeds a second threshold; determining composition information of the ambient aerosols; providing a second notification if the composition information indicates presence of volcanic ash in the air stream; storing electronic data representing the measured concentration of the ambient aerosols in memory as a function of time if the composition information indicates the presence of volcanic ash in the air stream; generating expected concentration of the ambient aerosols in memory as a function of time; comparing the measured concentration of ambient aerosols as a function of time with corresponding respective expected concentration of ambient aerosols as a function of time; and generating a perceptible alarm in response to the measured concentration as a function of time matching within a specified threshold the corresponding respective expected concentration as a function of time.