ACTRIS Marketplace

The ambient cloud in situ measurement campaign is a cross-comparison of cloud in situ measurement instruments with respect to the variables liquid water content and droplet effective diameter. The campaigns focus on the measurement instruments recommended in ACTRIS, such as the PVM. The campaign is organized every two years, with a measurement phase of 3-5 days at Mt. Hohen Sonnblick. During this time the participants are trained in ACTRIS routines and the standards are further developed. A joint report finally summarizes the results. The participants receive a certificate.

Trainees are introduced to the operation of the specific instrument (PVM). Topics are: Installation, operation, maintenance, data processing, access to ACTRIS data, etc. The training is for staff of cloud in situ NFs, but also for students and young scientists. The aim is to communicate the handling of the instrument according to the ACTRIS criteria.

Workshop for intercomparison and testing of INP instruments.

Calibration of INP instruments

Measurement and technological services related to cloud and fog properties.

Documents describing operation procedures that ACTRIS National Facility operators must follow to obtain an ACTRIS Cloud Remote Sensing label. These Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are defined to ensure the correct deployment of instruments and the optimal settings to perform routine measurements at ACTRIS National Facilities.

Measurement and technological services related to cloud and fog properties.

Standard procedures for quality assurance developed and provided to NFs to ensure that instrument operators have the means to monitor measurement quality and can take corrective actions when measurement quality changes. A list of housekeeping data and QA/QC flags will be developed to identify measurements that are not compliant with requirements for Doppler Cloud Radars, MicroWave Radiometers, and Doppler Wind Lidars.

Research and technological services related to cloud and fog properties.

The CCRES is offering development and delivery of tested and traceable procedures for specific calibration of DCRs and MWRs,  possibly including multiple techniques: absolute calibration based on calibrated targets, relative calibration using calibration transfer from a reference instrument, absolute calibration using geophysical targets with known characteristics...

Technological services related to cloud and fog properties.

Provision of software tools and visualization tools to check the instrument performance and possible calibration trends. This includes In-house check-up tools that operators at NF can execute to analyze the housekeeping parameters automatically stored by the instrument in order to monitor the instrument performance and stability.

Measurement, Data, and Technological services related to cloud and fog properties.

Data evaluation procedures and plausibility tests developed to evaluate the quality of geophysical parameter retrievals and qualify data before it enters the ACTRIS database. Doppler cloud radar and microwave radiometer data should be sent by NFs to the ACTRIS  Cloud Remote Sensing Data Centre. The DC should then be responsible for processing data to produce retrievals of relevant Cloud geophysical properties. Data evaluation, based on various tests should then be implemented to qualify the retrieved data. Methods to test retrieved are established by the TC (e.g. evaluating plausible range, internal consistency,  multi-instrument intercomparisons, …) and data evaluation procedures is developed and provided to the DC for implementation. This software is developed as open-access software.

Technological services related to cloud and fog properties.
Provision of network-wide accurate calibration of the instruments installed in ACTRIS NFs following harmonized protocols and tools to put all measurements on a common absolute scale. The calibration service could be provided at the TC facility or at NFs, depending on the feasibility. It offers low-uncertainty reference calibration according to robust calibration techniques.

Organization of training events of operators and scientists to fulfill different requirements: calibration procedures or techniques, training of new operators, support for implementing standard operating procedures, data quality control procedures. It will have a limited number (10-20) of participants and will be organized at the different CCRES units depending on the topics. NF operators are encouraged to participate regularly (once every 2 years). External users are likely to come from national weather services, possibly in the framework of the European E-PROFILE program for MWRs and DLs, and operators involved in airport traffic safety. Training is provided in the form of physical access and virtual-access training is also envisaged.

Consultancy on Doppler cloud radars and microwave radiometers to the NFs that would like to have new observational or exploratory platforms, and new instruments. Based on its experience, the TC provides consultancy during visits,  discussions, workshops and supports to the manufacturers. The TC is proposing :
• A service for instrument location definition and site selection support;
• A draft of technical requirements and standard operational support;
• A methodology to analyze instrument performance and selection.

Provision of space and infrastructure to test new instruments. Performance,  accuracy, stability and calibration procedures can be assessed by comparing them to established and well-characterized instruments. This service is proposed to NFs and ACTRIS users.

The access to the centralized processing system allows the users to retrieve aerosol optical properties profiles using the same processing chain implemented within ACTRIS.