A Low-cost Continuous-flow Gas Interface for Coupling an Elemental Analyzer with a Micadas AMS: gas flow Mathematical Model and first results

Abstract

ABSTRACTA fully automatic continuous-flow gas injection interface was built to couple an elemental analyzer with a MICADAS accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS) as a low-cost option that does not require an absorber trap for CO2 injection. The complication of the variable ion current during gas injection can be overcome by understanding and controlling the mass flow-dependent ionization yield. The time-varying CO2 concentrations and carbon mass flows are estimated with a mathematical model in order to investigate their relationship with the abundant isotope (12C–) signal. This model is based on a complete CO2 diffusion equation and instantaneous mass flow. It shows a good agreement between model calculations and the measurements. A reversible suppression of the formation of ions occurs, if the carbon mass flow exceeds 2.0–2.3 µg C/min. This result repeats for different injection capillaries and for different carrier volumetric flow rates.