VISOR | Versatile water vapour isotope calibration device (VISOR) for laboratory and field use

Summary
Climatic change will have large impacts on the global water cycle, and thus on hazardous weather and the availability of water to society. Earth observation from the ground and space is necessary to detect how and where the water cycle changes. The stable isotope composition of water vapour and precipitation is a sensitive indicator of ongoing and future water cycle changes. Continuous, ground-based observation of water vapour isotopes has recently become possible by the more widespread use of infrared laser spectroscopy. However, there is currently a lack of solutions that would allow to fully and easily characterize these analyzers and the corresponding air inlet system with regard to several important measurement artefacts that degrade data quality. Within the ERC CoG project ISLAS, we have developed a prototype of the VISOR device that would fill this gap, based on a technology that has so far rarely been used for this purpose. Possessing a substantial range of flexibility, the VISOR device furthermore has the potential to reduce measurement time and thus the cost of routine liquid water isotope measurements in laboratory measurements. Exploring the innovation potential of the VISOR device may therefore enable a breakthrough in two application sectors: 1) scaling up networks for water vapour isotope Earth observation globally, thus enabling better climate hazard preparedness, and 2) become a first choice for laboratories that measure water isotopes for research, forensic analysis, or the control of food origin.
Unfold all
/
Fold all
More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101100894
Start date: 01-11-2022
End date: 30-04-2024
Total budget - Public funding: - 150 000,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

Climatic change will have large impacts on the global water cycle, and thus on hazardous weather and the availability of water to society. Earth observation from the ground and space is necessary to detect how and where the water cycle changes. The stable isotope composition of water vapour and precipitation is a sensitive indicator of ongoing and future water cycle changes. Continuous, ground-based observation of water vapour isotopes has recently become possible by the more widespread use of infrared laser spectroscopy. However, there is currently a lack of solutions that would allow to fully and easily characterize these analyzers and the corresponding air inlet system with regard to several important measurement artefacts that degrade data quality. Within the ERC CoG project ISLAS, we have developed a prototype of the VISOR device that would fill this gap, based on a technology that has so far rarely been used for this purpose. Possessing a substantial range of flexibility, the VISOR device furthermore has the potential to reduce measurement time and thus the cost of routine liquid water isotope measurements in laboratory measurements. Exploring the innovation potential of the VISOR device may therefore enable a breakthrough in two application sectors: 1) scaling up networks for water vapour isotope Earth observation globally, thus enabling better climate hazard preparedness, and 2) become a first choice for laboratories that measure water isotopes for research, forensic analysis, or the control of food origin.

Status

SIGNED

Call topic

ERC-2022-POC2

Update Date

09-02-2023
Images
No images available.
Geographical location(s)
Structured mapping
Unfold all
/
Fold all
Horizon Europe
HORIZON.1 Excellent Science
HORIZON.1.1 European Research Council (ERC)
HORIZON.1.1.0 Cross-cutting call topics
ERC-2022-POC2 ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS2
HORIZON.1.1.1 Frontier science
ERC-2022-POC2 ERC PROOF OF CONCEPT GRANTS2