| This thesis covers the development of low cost, lightweight instrumentation for vertical profiling measurements of ozone and carbon monoxide in the troposphere. These instruments are designed to fly on small, low-payload airborne platforms such as tethered kites and blimps. Thus, they can be used for making measurements from light aircraft as well. Due to their small size and low cost, they are also suitable for use as disposable sondes on released balloons or in dropsondes.; The design and test results of a simple single-beam ultraviolet photometer for ozone measurements are presented. A novel airflow system and advanced electronics are among the most important changes from earlier reported systems. The current version of the instrument fits into a package 8 x 8 x 40 cm, weighs under 0.5 kg, and consumes approximately 8 watts of power. Independent measurements of ozone are made every six seconds, with a sensitivity of 0.3 ppbv ozone and a precision of 2%.; The design and test results of a simple carbon monoxide detector based on the reducing gas detector principle are also presented. It operates by reacting carbon monoxide with mercuric oxide to produce mercury vapor, which may then be measured via ultraviolet absorption to compute the concentration of carbon monoxide. This instrument has several features which distinguish it from similar carbon monoxide analyzers, all of which contribute to its usefulness on small airborne platforms. It fits a package 10 x 20 x 25 cm, has a mass of 2.0 kg, and consumes an average of 20 watts of power. An independent measurement of carbon monoxide is made every eight seconds, with a sensitivity of 3 ppbv carbon monoxide and a precision of 4%.; The packages these instruments are flown in are described, and other associated instruments in the packages are briefly covered. Two major packages are described: one for kites and blimps, and the other for light aircraft. These packages, while having a similar design architecture, have some significant differences regarding the suite of instruments carried in each.; Finally, the theory of the extreme miniaturization of instruments such as those developed in this thesis will be discussed. Issues relevant to the miniaturization of instruments will be covered, and a case study proposing an ozone microsonde will be presented. |
