Articles | Volume 19, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-965-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-965-2026
Research article
 | 
10 Feb 2026
Research article |  | 10 Feb 2026

Laboratory and field assessment of mid-infrared absorption (MIRA) instrument performance for methane and ethane dry mole fractions

Yunsong Liu, Natasha L. Miles, Scott J. Richardson, Zachary R. Barkley, David O. Miller, Jonathan Kofler, Philip Handley, Stephen DeVogel, and Kenneth J. Davis

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Cited articles

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Short summary
This manuscript details laboratory and field-based testing of a tower-based methane and ethane measurement system to address the challenge of separating methane sources in oil and gas basins. We describe methods for managing water vapor, calibration, and estimating the various components of measurement uncertainty. With appropriate engineering and calibration, the instrument shows the capability to measure CH4 and C2H6 with sufficient stability to distinguish regional methane emission sources.
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