ATMO-ACCESS

IASC will work with researchers and innovators to develop and test new techniques for measuring atmospheric gases and particles. 

Existing standard operating procedures can be used for comparing the performance of new techniques with established techniques. 

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

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/

Sodankylä: The Finnish Meteorological Institute’s (FMI) Sodankylä facility (67°22’ N, 26°39’ E) hosts programs exploring upper air chemistry and dynamics, atmospheric column and profile measurements, snow/soil hydrology, biosphere-atmosphere interaction and satellite calibration-validation studies. The Sodankylä station contributes to Aeronet, NDACC, TCCON, GRUAN and other networks.  

At Sodankylä infrastructure is available for various atmospheric measurements. The services include:

- support for in situ balloon borne measurements of atmospheric composition. Examples are balloon-borne observations of atmospheric trace gases and aerosol properties. Regular radiosonde profiles are taken twice per 24 hours, at noon and at midnight. It is also possible to increase frequency of automated sonde launches for special observational periods.

- auxiliary ground-based observations are performed by various spectrometers dedicated to atmospheric composition measurements. 

The comprehensive set of aerosol research instrumentations at the site can be used in intercomparisons of aerosol- and in-situ cloud instruments. The site has availability of field calibration equipment and a selection of calibration aerosols to perform field calibrations and intercomparison experiments of standard optical and size segregated aerosol measurements. Technical support for such exercises is also available.

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 Pallastunturi facility offers a designated air space for research flights with e.g. UAV’s and tethered balloon systems. The airspace is horizontally 7km*7km, with 2km ceiling altitude above ground level. Flying beyond visual line of sight is permitted, making vertical measurements through clouds possible.

Physical access is provided to operate user’s own airborne platforms, or utilizing measurements with the FMI’s UAV- fleet. FMI’s measurements encompass ACTRIS aerosol in situ-, and cloud in situ measurements, as well as meteorological parameters.

Operations are supported by continuous measurements of e.g. surface meteorological conditions, cloud base height, boundary layer height and cloud remote sensing observations. The Sammaltunturi station measurements (565 a.s.l.) can be used as reference to airborne observations.

The opportunity is ideal for research on the vertical distribution of atmospheric composition in the sub-Arctic as well as instrument testing.