Paul Ritter
Research Subjects
Research Interests
Paul Ritter has a total of 4 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Bernhard Beck-Winchatz
DePaul University
2 shared publications - Mark J. Potosnak
Department of Environmental Science and Studies, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
2 shared publications - Aarti Mistry
DePaul University Department of Environmental Science and Studies
1 shared publication - Emily Dawson
St. Mary's School
1 shared publication
Latest Publications
- Open Access
- 1 August 2021
- Published by Iowa State University in Journal of High Altitude Ballooning
- Vol. 1 (1)
Tropospheric Sounding with Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors
The high-altitude balloon (HAB) platform has allowed scientists to measure vertical profiles in the atmosphere at a relatively low cost. The current project combines the HAB platform with low-cost air quality sensors that measure particulate matter (PM). PM is detrimental to human health and can exacerbate asthma. In the atmosphere, PM can affect cloud formation and also radiative transfer, which links emissions of PM to climate change. Therefore, understanding and controlling PM emissions is vital to air quality and climate change. In agricultural regions, several practices produce significant PM emissions. Tilling can release PM in the form of dust, especially under arid conditions. The burning of crop residue is also a common practice practice that releases PM in the form of partially combusted organics (soot). The ultimate goal of this project is to use low-cost PM sensors and HAB to assess PM sources from agricultural regions using citizen scientists. The current presentation evaluates the performance of two different PM sensors over flights conducted during the summer of 2017.
- 1 August 2021
- Published by Iowa State University in Journal of High Altitude Ballooning
- Vol. 1 (1)
Open AccessTropospheric Sounding with Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors
The high-altitude balloon (HAB) platform has allowed scientists to measure vertical profiles in the atmosphere at a relatively low cost. The current project combines the HAB platform with low-cost air quality sensors that measure particulate matter (PM). PM is detrimental to human health and can exacerbate asthma. In the atmosphere, PM can affect cloud formation and also radiative transfer, which links emissions of PM to climate change. Therefore, understanding and controlling PM emissions is vital to air quality and climate change. In agricultural regions, several practices produce significant PM emissions. Tilling can release PM in the form of dust, especially under arid conditions. The burning of crop residue is also a common practice practice that releases PM in the form of partially combusted organics (soot). The ultimate goal of this project is to use low-cost PM sensors and HAB to assess PM sources from agricultural regions using citizen scientists. The current presentation evaluates the performance of two different PM sensors over flights conducted during the summer of 2017.
- 1 January 2016
- Published by Iowa State University
- Vol. 2016 (1)
Low cost HAB platform to measure particulate matter in the troposphere
High altitude balloons (HABs) are an engaging platform for formal and informal STEM education. However, the logistics of launching, chasing and recovering a payload on a 1200 g or 1500 g balloon can be daunting for many novice school groups and citizen scientists, and the cost can be prohibitive. In addition, there are many interesting scientific applications that do not require reaching the stratosphere. In this poster presentation we discuss a novel approach based on small (30 g) balloons that are cheap and easy to handle, and low cost tracking devices that do not require a license. Our scientific goal is to measure air quality in the lower troposphere. Particulate matter (PM) is an air pollutant that varies on small spatial scales and has sources in rural areas like biomass burning and farming practices such as tilling. Our HAB platform incorporates an optical PM sensor, an integrated single board computer that records the PM sensor signal in addition to flight parameters (pressure, location and altitude), and a low cost tracking system. Our goal is for the entire platform to cost less than $500.
- 1 January 2016
- Published by Iowa State University
- Vol. 2016 (1)
Low cost HAB platform to measure particulate matter in the troposphere
High altitude balloons (HABs) are an engaging platform for formal and informal STEM education. However, the logistics of launching, chasing and recovering a payload on a 1200 g or 1500 g balloon can be daunting for many novice school groups and citizen scientists, and the cost can be prohibitive. In addition, there are many interesting scientific applications that do not require reaching the stratosphere. In this poster presentation we discuss a novel approach based on small (30 g) balloons that are cheap and easy to handle, and low cost tracking devices that do not require a license. Our scientific goal is to measure air quality in the lower troposphere. Particulate matter (PM) is an air pollutant that varies on small spatial scales and has sources in rural areas like biomass burning and farming practices such as tilling. Our HAB platform incorporates an optical PM sensor, an integrated single board computer that records the PM sensor signal in addition to flight parameters (pressure, location and altitude), and a low cost tracking system. Our goal is for the entire platform to cost less than $500.