2024 News & Events

Dr. Daniel Murphy receives a NOAA Technology Transfer Award for "developing a novel, self-calibrating instrument for measuring aerosol extinction that has been patented and commercialized."

Dr. Murphy developed a new instrument to measure aerosol extinction. Its unique characteristics allow it to be deployed in almost any situation and for extended periods of time without losing accuracy. After patenting, the technology was licensed and commercialized by Nikira Labs through the NOAA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

Atmospheric aerosols play many important roles in our environment, ranging from having health implications, to affecting weather forecasts and climate. The wide-ranging impacts of aerosols lead to many situations in which having more observations would be highly beneficial to both scientists and society at large.

A core goal of CSL is to better understand atmospheric composition and climate. This invention has given researchers around the U.S. and the world an improved instrument, both in its calibration and its miniature size, with which to better understand the distribution of atmospheric aerosols and their impact on Earth's radiative balance and climate. This invention will also allow for an improved ability to monitor atmospheric visibility, a frequently used metric for quantifying air pollution, because of its close relationship to aerosol extinction. By purchasing the license to this instrument, Nikira Labs added a third instrument to its repertoire and sold 5-10 in the first 6 months of sales.

Daniel Murphy is honored for conceiving, designing, building, demonstrating, and receiving a patent for an aerosol extinction instrument. The instrument includes a 3D-printed, high-finesse cavity measuring 20 cm x 5 cm, weighs less than 20 pounds, and costs less than $50 to produce. The cavity is equipped with a rotating outer shell that allows for routine measurement and calibration. This invention allows for more accurate measurements of aerosol extinction through its novel self-calibration technique and permits more widespread deployment due to its miniaturization.

Dan receives this well-deserved recognition at the NOAA Awards Ceremony on October 24th in Silver Spring, Maryland, and at the NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) Awards Ceremony on December 18th.