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A low‐cost automated trap to measure bubbling gas fluxes
Author(s) -
Varadharajan Charuleka,
Hermosillo Richard,
Hemond Harold F.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography: methods
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.898
H-Index - 72
ISSN - 1541-5856
DOI - 10.4319/lom.2010.8.363
Subject(s) - trap (plumbing) , environmental science , data logger , measure (data warehouse) , power (physics) , temporal resolution , electrical engineering , materials science , computer science , physics , engineering , optics , environmental engineering , database , quantum mechanics , operating system
We describe a trap that can be used for automated, high temporal resolution measurement of ebullition fluxes in aquatic environments. The trap comprises a submerged cone connected to a transparent PVC pipe that serves as a collection chamber. A differential pressure sensor at the top of the pipe measures the pressure caused by gas accumulation in the chamber. The sensor circuit consists of low‐power electronics and can function for longer than 6 months on two high‐capacity AA lithium batteries. The circuit, batteries, and a commercial data logger that records the measurements are enclosed in a custom‐made, 10‐cm diameter waterproof housing. The trap is designed to be fabricated economically and easily so that many units can be deployed for greater spatial coverage. We have used several of these automated traps to measure bubbling fluxes at a lake, and have collected data continuously at a resolution of 5 or 10 min over 6 months.