Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

September 2022

Layout of the NO Detection System

Induced Fluorescence NO Detector and Method

US Patent 11,415,859 – Exclusive and Non-Exclusive Patent Licenses Available Background Nitric oxide (NO) is important to radical chemistry in Earth’s atmosphere. In the troposphere the catalytic reaction of NO with the hydroperoxy and organic peroxy radicals NO+RO2/HO2 →NO2 +RO/HO is frequently the rate-limiting step for the production of tropospheric ozone (O3), and causes the buildup of O3 from anthropogenic emissions of NO. Oxidation of NO also results in the formation of nitric acid, and consequently nitrate aerosols and nitrogen deposition. Current research in atmospheric science seek to  understand radical chemistry cycling in low NO regimes. The ability to measure atmospheric NO at very low mixing ratios and with low uncertainty will be crucial to address questions in atmospheric chemistry research and in other fields of research for the foreseeable future. For example, measurement of NO in exhaled human breath is also an important diagnostic of various medical conditions including asthma. Summary of the Invention NOAA has developed a device and method to measure nitric oxide (NO) in the atmosphere with laser induced fluorescence using a fiber laser source to excite NO near 215 nm (A(v’=1) <- X(v’’=0) electronic transition). The technique can distinguish NO isotopologues (14N16O, 15N16O, 14N18O) and can be used to measure the isotope ratios. Nitrogen dioxide can be measured by photolyzing it and measuring the nitric oxide product. The technique uses a light source of sufficient power in the wavelength range of 300-410 nm, and illuminates the sampled gas either in the sampling inlet or in the fluorescence detection cell. The invention can be used to measure NO with very high precision (low part per trillion mixing ratios). Licensing Information NOAA is seeking qualified licensees to manufacture and sell this technology, which has been Patented in the United States.  Interested parties should contact the NOAA TPO at noaa.t2@noaa.gov for more information. 

"Demo Day 2022" in capital letters with other event info, wave graphic, and NOAA logo

NOAA SBIR Technology Showcase will be held in October

NOAA Small Business Innovation Research awardees will present their innovative research & development projects The NOAA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program will host the NOAA SBIR Commercialization Assistance Workshop on October 26-27, 2022. This year’s event offers both in-person (Washington, DC) and virtual options for participation. Each year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awards approximately $10M to U.S. small businesses to develop innovative new technologies through the SBIR Program. The primary goal of the NOAA SBIR Program is to empower small businesses to develop and commercialize technologies that are related to NOAA’s mission. As part of the program, small businesses are encouraged to take part in NOAA’s 2-year Commercialization Assistance Program, which is run through the Larta Institute. The culmination of this program is the Commercialization Assistance Workshop, or “Demo Day,” when companies will showcase their technologies and hone their business pitches. This year’s NOAA SBIR Commercialization Assistance Workshop themes include:  Fisheries and Conservation Technology Ocean Technology (Observation, Visualization, Modeling) Weather/Environment Technology (Observation, Visualization, Modeling, Forecasting) Those who are interested in attending this year’s NOAA SBIR Commercialization Assistance Workshop can register here. General attendees will have the opportunity to learn about NOAA SBIR-funded technologies and network with members of the innovation ecosystem.  We Need Judges and Expert Advisors!  We are also seeking attendees who are interested in serving as Pitch Session Judges on October 26. Judges will provide feedback for all participating small businesses and help select two companies to advance to the in-depth Feedback Sessions on October 27. Finally, we are also seeking Expert Advisors to provide in-depth feedback to selected companies on October 27. If you are interested in serving as a Judge or Expert Advisor, please RSVP with this form.   Thank you for supporting the NOAA innovation community! Note: Any reference obtained from this website to a specific company, product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by NOAA. Published on September 2, 2022 Media contact: suzi.webster@noaa.gov