Ozone - Whitworth review

2020 Group
We found that the AAAAAAAA nm wavelength is absorbed primarily by ozone, and not by NO2 and other atmospheric gasses. We may suggest adding a temperature sensor to the pod, as to be able to directly deal with temperature data-- as multiple groups have experienced issues surrounding their equipment's response to temperature changes, and have had to speculate in certain respects. A control chamber, as featured in the 2018 group, would be very helpful in this respect and in others.

2019 Group
This group used a AS7265x digital sensor, which is more sophisticated than the analogue photo-diodes that other groups used. The more sophisticated sensor reports the amounts of specific wavelengths which are sensed. This sensor is more complicated and more expensive, however. This group's main issues had to do with the organization of their physical components. Their light sensor came unconnected, and thus they didn't get any data during flight. Their pod resembled a jumble of wires, and this led to some issues. The 2019 group noted that time-management is critical, as they were unable to complete their validation and calibration steps as they would have desired, which could have solved a number of issues.

2018 Group
This group was very successful. They had two main errors. They weren't able to calibrate their light sensor ideally. They experienced the interference of Nitrogen Dioxide in their results. This rendered their data inconclusive. If they would have had a 650nm LED (which has low absorption from both gasses) then they would have had a control to compare their data to. This group utilized a control chamber. This tube contained air that could have been compared to the air at ground level. Inside was a copy of their set of LED's and photo-diode. This enabled them to conclude that there was some variation in the voltages of the photo-diode with respect to the changing temperatures. This data could help any group to achieve more accurate conclusions and to decrease uncertainties.

They note A group continuing our research would be strongly advised to use the Launch Computers for the circuit because of the stable platform it provides for the experiment and its reliability. Also, the launch computer provides an efficient way to make sure that all systems are working before launch.

This group uses ceramic resistors because of the properties of ceramic material in respect to temperature changes.

2017 Group
This group had success in accomplishing most of what they sought out to do, except they experienced calibration issues. This group pioneered the idea of a separate control chamber for the purpose of temperature vs. voltage changes. This group noted that the wooden top of the ozone test chamber, along with leak-points, rendered the test-chamber unable to produce desired results.

This group recommends completely rebuilding the ozone test chamber, as they are certain that there are un-pinpointed leaks. The group also recommends using a higher-powered green LED, or another wavelength LED. Finally, they note this-- During testing we noticed that the longer the LEDs were on for, as well as other aspects of the circuit, the higher the readings we were receiving from the sphere. For future testing we would recommend attempting to correlate the temperature inside the box/of the circuit to changes in readings from the integrating sphere

2016 Group
This group stresses to add structural stability to all components of the pod. This stability issue has been a problem for multiple groups.

2014 Group
This group pioneered the currently popular air-exchange system. They experienced structural stability issues, like other groups.

2013 Group
This group notes Lesson learned: Design and validate the circuit far in advance. Allow ample time for precise, clean circuit construction.

The group saw much noise in their data due to low-quality workmanship in the intricacies of the soldering, assembly, etc. of their circuit.

This group's pod featured an air-input fan, but didn't feature the air-output fan that would later be pioneered by the 2014 group. This caused their ozone concentration to steadily increase, due to the fact that ozone could enter, and not easily leave, the pod.

The group notes Lesson learned: Calibration is essential in order to achieve any meaningful experimental results. Additionally, it is important to carefully plan calibration efforts and to implement appropriate lab safety techniques.

The group existed before the ozone test chamber did, and thus did not have a means to test their gear with known ozone concentrations.

2010 Group
It appears that this group pioneered the idea of using an integrating sphere, and they created it using two wiffle-ball halves.

This group included ozone-specific MQ-131 gas sensors in addition to a light sensor. The amounts and types of data they were able to gather due to this addition helped them allot in analyzing their data and having successful results. The group included a second gas sensor, which was valuable to them because the other gas sensor malfunctioned. The gas sensors had very simple means of interpreting data, compared to the light sensor. As evident by the AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA This type of sensor also dodges some of the variables of disturbance that are present with other sensors-- such as interference of other gasses in light absorption. If this group would have included a control chamber, similar to the one that the 2018 group used, then they could have overcame the obstacle of voltage changes due to temperature changes, which was evident in their gas sensors--and which would have been evident in their light sensor (as suggested by the findings of the 2018 group).

2008 Group
This was the original ozone group!

This group used an ozone sensor, three UV sensors, and a temperature sensor.

The group achieved primitive data, and had primitive design compared to latter groups.