Soot sensor and method for sensing soot

A soot sensing system, comprising:

• a soot sensor having a sensing element, the sensing element comprising:
• a pair of peripheral edge sensing electrodes spaced from each other and each having a portion disposed on a peripheral edge of a non-conductive substrate of the sensing element;
• a first pair of side sensing electrodes spaced from each other and disposed on a first side of the sensing element, the first side having a first area partially bounded by the peripheral edge, wherein a resistance between the pair of peripheral edge sensing electrodes decreases as soot accumulates on portions of the pair of peripheral edge sensing electrodes and a resistance between the first pair of side sensing electrodes decreases as soot accumulates on portions of the first pair of side sensing electrodes, such that an electrical parameter between the pair of peripheral edge sensing electrodes and the first pair of side sensing electrodes is indicative of an amount of soot disposed on the sensing element;
• and
• a measuring circuit electrically coupled to the pair of peripheral edge sensing electrodes and the first pair of side sensing electrodes of the soot sensor, the measuring circuit configured to generate a signal indicative of the electrical parameter.