ACTRIS Marketplace

USRL focuses on cost-effective UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) atmospheric applications (vertical profiling, 3D mapping, plume tracking) with miniaturized and lightweight atmospheric sensors fulfilling ACTRIS QA/QC and SOPs (e.g. Aerosol Number Size Concentration, Black Carbon Concentration). It comprises laboratories (150m²) with weather chamber for sensor qualification, specialised mechanical/electronic workshops, as well as a private airfield and permanent airspace (with max ceiling of 3km altitude) located nearby the Cyprus Atmospheric Observatory (ACTRIS National Facility candidate, https://cao.cyi.ac.cy/). USRL is operated by a team of 13 staff of experienced engineers (electronic, software, system, communication, mechanic /material), professional pilots (flying commercial airliners), and experienced researchers in atmospheric sciences. USRL includes a large fleet of customized UAVs (fixed and rotary wings) with different payload capacity (up to 10kg) and miniature air sensors.

Services currently offered by the facility: USRL provides 1) research support in performing intensive field campaigns (profiling, 3D mapping) of UAV-sensor systems, 2) technical support through customized integration of lightweight sensors into UAVs (multi-copter, fixed wing), 3) innovation support through the optimization of lightweight instrumentation for their specific use onboard UAVs, 4) quality UAV training of new users (pilots and scientists). 

USRL has been successfully used in the past for in-situ validation of LIDAR retrieval algorithms (Mamali et al., 2018; Marinou et al., 2019), Ice Nuclei measurements in the cloud region (Schrod et al., 2017), on-flight validation of lightweight absorption sensors (Pikridas et al., 2019), or for the characterisation (weather chamber) of miniaturized aerosol sensors (Bezantakos et al., 2018). USRL was candidate (as TNA provider) for the 3rd TNA call of ENVRI+, and has been successfully used many large international field campaigns (EU-FP7 BACCHUS in Cyprus; H2020-ACTRIS2 in Greece and Finland; AESA-ASKOS in Cape Verde) and for the provision of services to public/private collaborators (e.g. NOA, Greece; CEA, France). Potential new users: ISARRA Community (International Society for Atmospheric Research using Remotely piloted Aircraft; http://www.isarra.org/); >250 members, EU Research Infrastructure (ICOS, EUFAR) partners from the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East region, governmental Units for Environmental monitoring, Security and civil protection. Support/training for SMEs developing UAV-sensor technology in compliance with EU directives (i.e. UAV-based stack emissions), for instrument testing and optimization, and training for UAV flight operation.

Novel remote access capabilities added: integration, testing and flights of new atmospheric sensors in USRL drones, performance of research (field) campaigns and UAV-sensor optimization with remote guidance by the end user.  

The service consists of:
- Provision of data from simulation chamber experiments,
- possibility to perform 6hr experiments in the simulation chamber, 
- technical service to use own instruments,
- training for planning, evaluation and interpretation of experiments. 
- Hands-on training sessions with state of the art instrumentation connected to PACS-C2 
- Training on how to perform chamber experiments by experienced scientists.

PSI has a full suite of state of the art instrumentation. Depending on the objectives of the campaign, the chambers can be equipped with the following instruments for gas phase characterization: a proton-transfer reaction time of flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS), a chemical ionization atmospheric pressure interface time of flight MS (CI-APi-TOF), as well as the standard NOx and ozone monitors; for NO there is also a high sensitivity instrument (detection limit 5 ppt) available, important for experiments a low NOx conditions. For the characterization of the particle phase the following instrumentation is available: condensation particle counters with different lower cut-off sizes (3 and 10 nm), a particle size magnifier (PSM for even smaller particles, scanning mobility particle sizers (SMPS) for the size distribution (two different size ranges available with a nano and a standard SMPS), a high resolution time of flight aerosol mass spectrometer (TOF-AMS), extractive electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (EESI-ToF), an instrument for on-line determination or reactive oxygen species (ROS) and peroxides. For black carbon measurements, a single particle soot photometer (SP2) and an aethalometer are available. 

PACS-C2 also focuses on studies on primary emissions and has many sources of primary emissions available (e.g residential wood burning, coal combustion, open burning emissions, vehicular idle emissions). 

The service consists of:
- Investigation of atmospheric processes in the gas- and particle phase
- Provision of data from simulation chamber experiments,
- possibility to perform several day-long experiments in the simulation chamber, 
- technical service to use own instruments,
- training for planning, evaluation and interpretation of experiments. 
- Testing and validating instruments.

Availability period: Typically between April and September (photo-chemistry experiments)

Estimated duration: None, although access has to be coordinated with other activities in laboratory

The CESAR location in Cabauw is characterised by a 213 m high observation tower and surrounding observation field, located 50 km far from the North Sea. The site is ideal for atmospheric research on relations between the atmospheric boundary layer, land surface, weather, climate and atmospheric composition. The site is representative for long-term atmospheric studies because surroundings do not differ significantly from those in 1972 when the site was commissioned. 
Cabauw is one of very few observatories around the world that monitors such a wide scope of relevant processes in atmospheric chemistry and physics, hydrology, meteorology, climate, and atmospheric chemistry.
The observational programme includes the following topics:
-        Operational meteorological station
-        Operational air quality monitoring station
-        In-situ observations of meteorological parameters, including extensive land-atmosphere interaction.
-        Energy balance observations including flux measurements.
-        Radiation observations, including a Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) installation and hemispherical cloud cover observations.
-        A suite of aerosol remote sensing instruments, including a high-performance multi-wavelength Raman lidar for aerosols, clouds and water vapour, a ceilometer and a UV-depolarisation lidar.
-        A suite of (scanning) cloud remote sensing instruments, including 3/35/94 GHz cloud radars, microwave radiometers
-        Precipitation observations including a scanning drizzle radar, micro rain radar and disdrometers.
-        Wind profile observations along the tower up to 200 m and a scanning Doppler wind lidar
-        Greenhouse gas observations at four different levels in the tower between 20 m and 180 m.
-        In-situ aerosol observations, including scattering and absorbing aerosol properties, as well as chemical speciation and isotope analysis.
-        Atmospheric composition measurements using in-situ observations and UV-VIS remote sensing.
In addition, the specific flight-restricted area over the station offers the possibility for drones, and tethered balloon flights.
The Cabauw site offers access for research projects, measurement campaigns, intercomparisons, and test facility for new instruments, as well as training. 
 

Long-time observation of Physical and chemical properties of aerosols combining online and offline measurements. Ground-based measurements can be completed with vertical measurements (ceilometer, LIDAR, …). 
In addition, the specific flight-restricted area over the station offers the possibility for UAVs, drones, and tethered balloon flights. 
The research site Melpitz can be used for research projects, measurement campaigns, intercomparison, and test facility for new instruments. 
 

Deployment of a mobile aerosol lidar for short-term campaigns and/or direct comparisons with similar instruments. The instrument operates at 1064, 532 and 355 nm wavelengths, with polarization at 532 nm and nighttime extinction capabilities at 532 and 355 nm. It can be operated inside a van (provided by RADO on request) or accommodated in the user’s laboratory (specific conditions to be discussed in advance).
The service includes:
·       Deployment and installation of the instrument at the user’s premises
·       Calibration, and operation of the instrument
·       Provision of the raw measurements
·       Provision of the processed data 

Weather forecast for Mt. Hoher Sonnblick: From permanently updated very short range forecasts (Nowcasts) over day-to-day forecasts to long-term and trends over weeks

Climate scenarios and climate change information for Sonnblick, for different altitude levels by the year 2100

Individual consulting on meteorological topics of any kind associated with Mt. Hoher Sonnblick (in particular weather briefings)

Availability period: All year round 24/7

Access to avalanche warning system and individual consulting on avalanche topics associated with Sonnblick

Continuous real-time measurements of plant pollen in the background sub-Arctic atmosphere. The measurements are conducted with in-situ observations (using the Swissens Poleno Jupiter automatic pollen analyzer).

The technical solution for measurement in extreme high levels. Possibility to test specialized instrumentation in demanding conditions (shocks, vibrations, vertical gradients) of a 250 m high tall tower. The instrumentation can be placed on individual measuring platforms (8 m, 50 m, 125 m, 230 m), the instrument dimensions are limited by platform size and lift capacity.

Testing of the instrumentation by the unmanned aerial system (UAS). Possibility to use own UAS (necessary to comply with the legal regulations and laws of the Czech Republic, including insurance) within the specific conditions close to the tall tower. There is an option to compare/calibrate measurement parameters with regular tall tower data sets (meteorology, greenhouse gases, physical and chemical properties of aerosols, cloud mapping, etc.).

Opportunity to use the NAOK´s infrastructure fenced and secured area - sampling platforms, power supply, concrete platforms for sampling.

Providing results from online measurements –NO-NOX-NO2, SO2, PM10, PM2.5, CO, physical and chemical properties of aerosol particles.

Results availability from offline measurements - PM10, PM2.5, PM1, chemical composition - cations (PM2.5), anions (TSP), EC/OC (PM2.5), PAHs, heavy metals (PM10, PM2.5).

Accommodation directly at NAOK in rooms with private bathrooms (12 double rooms) with the possibility of local non-vegetarian food :o), use of seminar room with the capacity of 20 people, availability of small kitchen with limited equipment.

More information about measurement is here: https://actris.cz/web/data-and-measurement/

The service consists of:

• Physical access to the IASC facility

• possibility to perform 6 hr experiments in the simulation chamber

• technical service to use own instruments

• training for planning, evaluation and interpretation of experiments.

• Hands-on training sessions with state of the art instrumentation connected to IASC

• Training on how to design and perform chamber experiments by experienced scientists

• Remote access to the IASC facility and provision of data from simulation chamber experiments.

IASC is a custom-built atmospheric simulation chamber specially designed for investigating atmospheric processes, as well as testing and developing new atmospheric measurement techniques. The chamber is a 27 m3 cuboid (4.5 m long × 3 m wide × 2 m high) made of FEP Teflon foil, supported in a frame and surrounded by an air-conditioned housing. Several banks of lamps provide UV-A and UV-B radiation to enable studies of atmospheric photochemistry. The chamber is fitted with a gas flow control system for filling/flushing the chamber with purified dry air and numerous ports for adding/sampling gases and particles. A specially designed access door also allows items (e.g. sensors or devices, samples or test materials) to be positioned inside the chamber.

The facility is equipped with a comprehensive range of instruments:

• Highly sensitive time of flight chemical ionisation mass spectrometer (ToF-CIMS, Aerodyne) for monitoring volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other gases at atmospherically relevant concentrations. The instrument is also equipped with a Filter Inlet for Gases and  AEROsols (FIGAERO) to allow collection and analysis of species in the particulate phase.

• Unique custom-built spectroscopy system for in situ measurements of gases, radicals and properties of particles. Current capabilities are based on cavity enhanced spectroscopies and include HONO, NO2, glyoxal and NO3 radicals, as well as total extinction in the near UV. The system is customisable and can be adapted to measure a range of species over different parts of the spectrum.

• Continuous online measurements of gases (CO2, NOx, O3, SO2) and particles (scanning mobility particle sizer). Air pressure, temperature, and relative humidity are also routinely recorded.

  TIME CONSTRAINTS: None, although access has to be coordinated with other activities in laboratory