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Spinoff story

Pollution Detection Devices

A real-world story of NASA technology finding a life beyond the mission.

About this technology

Overview

Barringer Research, Inc.'s COSPEC IVB (correlation spectrometer) can sense from a considerable distance emissions from a volcanic eruption. Remote sensor is capable of measuring sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. An associated product, GASPEC, a compression of Non-dispersive Gas Filter Spectrometer, is an infrared/ultraviolet gas analyzer which can be used as either a ground based detector or in aircraft/spacecraft applications. Extremely sensitive, it is useful in air pollution investigations for detecting a variety of trace elements, vapors, which exist in the atmosphere in small amounts.