Analysis and demonstration of atmospheric methane monitoring by mid-infrared open-path chirped laser dispersion spectroscopy.

Atmospheric methane concentration levels were detected using a custom built laser dispersion spectrometer in a long open-path beam configuration. The instrument is driven by a chirped distributed feedback mid-infrared quantum cascade laser centered at ~1283.46 cm^-1 and covers intense rotational-vibrational transitions from the fundamental ν₄ band of methane. A full forward model simulating molecular absorption and dispersion profiles, as well as instrumental noise, is demonstrated. The instrument's analytical model is validated and used for quantitative instrumental optimization. The temporal evolution of atmospheric methane mixing ratios is retrieved using a fitting algorithm based on the model. Full error propagation analysis on precision gives a normalized sensitivity of ~3 ppm.m.Hz^-0.5 for atmospheric methane.