Measurements of atmospheric NO_3 radicals in Hefei using LED-based long path differential optical absorption spectroscopy

NO_3 radicals accumulate during the night, thereby being the most critical night oxidant. Owing to the low concentration and dramatic variation, the detection of atmospheric NO_3 radicals is still challenging. In this paper, an LED-based Long Path Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy（LPDOAS） instrument is developed for measuring the atmospheric NO_3 radicals. This instrument is composed of a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, a combined emitting and receiving fiber,and a red LED equipped with a thermostat, and has a center wavelength of 660 nm, covering the NO_3 strongest absorption peak（662 nm）. The influence of LED temperature fluctuations is discussed. The temperature of the LED lamp with a home-made thermostat is tested, showing a stability of ±0.1℃. The principle and fitting analyses of LED-LPDOAS are presented. A retrieval example and a time series of NO_3 radical concentrations with good continuity for one night are shown. The detection limit of NO_3 for 2.6-km optical path is about 10 ppt.