10th International Aerosol Conference
September 2 - September 7, 2018
America's Center Convention Complex
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Abstract View


Automated Raman Spectroscopy of Ambient and Laboratory-generated Aerosols

DAVID DOUGHTY, Steven Hill, US Army Research Lab

     Abstract Number: 1408
     Working Group: Instrumentation

Abstract
We use a semi-continuous aerosol Raman spectrometer to take Raman images of particles in desert and semi-urban environments. Raman spectroscopy can be used to provide single-particle compositional information of crustal dusts, soot, and other types of aerosol particles. We focus here on the techniques to process hyperspectral Raman data, discussing fluorescence removal, cosmic ray detection, background subtraction, and the influence that choices in technique have on clustering and analysis of large quantities of Raman spectra. We also show how use of replicates can aid in automated detection of burned particles. We used machine-learning-based library matching techniques to aid in analysis of Raman spectra. Temporally resolved single-particle Raman spectra included spectra having features characteristic of sodium nitrate, humic like substances/soot, gypsum, and oxalate. Measurements made on the Jornada Experimental Range in New Mexico also exhibited spectral features consistent with as hematite, calcite, gypsum, and quartz.