ACTRIS Marketplace

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

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

MAC will work with innovators in both the public and private sector to test the performance of: 

i) products influenced by atmospheric composition and properties. Product performance reports can be prepared under controlled atmospheric conditions

and 

ii) near-to-market sensors and instruments for measuring atmospheric gases and particles. Existing standard operating procedures can be used for comparing the performance of new products with established measurement methods.

AMP provides ground-based and airborne (hot-air balloon) atmospheric monitoring services, supporting scientific experiments and the testing of measurement devices, including: measuring particle sizes suspended in air within the 0.3–10 µm range; determining the concentration of collected particle fractions; measuring air temperature, pressure, and humidity; measuring ozone and soot concentrations; measuring the concentrations of atmospheric gasses such as CO₂, NO, NO₂, NH₃, SO₂, benzene, formaldehyde, and total volatile organic compounds (VOCs); collecting pollutant samples for chemical, biochemical, and crystallographic analyses in stationary laboratories; collecting and analyzing nanoparticles in the 10–300 nm range; and collecting and analyzing flora pollen, fungal spores, zooplankton, and microorganisms.

AMP enables the examination of collected air pollutant samples, especially their morphology, chemical and phase composition, in order to determine their source.

Calibration and operational checks for CPCs.

CPC calibration includes:

• the check of the main operational parameters (flows, temperatures, laser current, etc.),

• measurement of CPC counting efficiency (3-40 nm),

• check/adjustment of CPC cut-off diameter (10 nm for ACTRIS),

• measurement of CPC output linearity (1 000 - 50 000 #/ccm).

Training of operators for correct set-up and operation and basic maintenance of the CPCs. 

PACC is a new unit of CAIS-ECAC, but the hosting laboratory at ICPF CAS has a long lasting history in these measurements and is fully harmonized with WCCAP (TROPOS, Leipzig, Germany). 

Calibration and operational checks for MPSSs.

MPSS calibration includes:

• the check of the main status parameters (flows, HV, etc.),

• check of the recommended set-up (bipolar charger, sensors - RH/T&p in aerosol and sheath flow, positive polarity HV supply, flow ratio, etc.),

• sizing check (NIST latex particles 203 nm),

• plumbing time check (up- and down-scan),

• check/adjustment of the sheath flow,

• comparison of the particle number size distribution against reference instruments (MPSS and total count CPC) on atmospheric aerosol.

Training of operators for correct set-up and operation and basic maintenance of the MPSSs. 

PACC is a new unit of CAIS-ECAC, but the hosting laboratory at ICPF CAS has a long lasting history in these measurements and is fully harmonized with WCCAP (TROPOS, Leipzig, Germany).

Estimation of size resolved losses (penetration efficiency) of any parts of the sampling line.

The measurement set-up allows for:

• monodisperse testing aerosol (20-400 nm, salt solutions - usually ammonium sulphate, etc.),

• penetration estimation up to 99.99999%,

• built-in correction for the detector (CPC) inconsistency,

• automated and fully controlled measurement process.

PACC is a new unit of CAIS-ECAC, but the hosting laboratory at ICPF CAS has a long lasting history in these measurements including testing of filtration efficiency of over 250 different types of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) during COVID pandemic. 

Offer of technical audits for the measurements stations and measurements set-up

Compliance with ACTRIS standards (based on CEN/TS/best practice/decades of experience):

• sampling inlets,

• sampling lines,

• aerosol conditioning (drying),

• correct operation (parameters) of microphysical instruments.

Recommendations for improvements and possible arrangements in order to comply with standard operating procedures. 

PACC is a new unit of CAIS-ECAC, but the hosting laboratory at ICPF CAS has a long lasting history in aerosol measurements and in the last 3 years being also responsible for technical audits of ACTRIS AIS NFs. 

The course is open to ACTRIS related people (NF technicians, Advanced master students, Ph.D. students and early career scientists) and also to external (non-ACTRIS) users.

The course offers fundamental knowledge in aerosol sampling & conditioning as well as methods for aerosol in-situ measurements of physical and chemical aerosol variables (covering the whole variety of ACTRIS aerosol in-situ variables). The course includes a visit to the National Atmospheric Observatory Kosetice (NAOK) and hands-on training for some aerosol instruments.

Detailed information can be found at:

https://www.actris-ecac.eu/summer-school-2025.php

The service includes:

• accommodation at NAOK.

• all meals.

• transportation from Prague to NAOK and back.

   

  AVAILABILITY PERIOD: One weeks, once per year

Measurement guidelines for NFs for instruments dealing with online aerosol chemical speciation (for observational and exploratory platforms)

LOCATION

1) Italy, Mt. Cimone (Modena)

The "O. Vittori" observatory at Mt. Cimone (44°12' N, 10°42' E, 2165 m a.s.l.), is a research facility managed by the National Research Council of Italy (CNR) and hosted by the Italian Air Force (CAMM). 

See https://atmo-access.isac.cnr.it/monte_cimone

2) Italy, Bologna

The CMN-PV facility at Bologna is located on the roof of the CNR-ISAC HQs (25 m a.g.l.) within the CNR campus (Via Gobetti 101) at the city suburbs.

See https://atmo-access.isac.cnr.it/bologna

Calibration of chemioluminescence NOx analyzers with NO dilution and GPT. Equipment: zero air generator (Thermo 1160), dilution system (Thermo146i with range of dilution flow (0-5 SLPM), range of span flow (0-100 sccm), 5 ppm certified NO standards in N₂. Air-conditioning systems are available at the laboratories where instruments are located together with devices for protection by power surges and lightning.

This service includes:

• Administrative support for helping the users with shipping of materials (before and after the campaign).

• Administrative support for the fulfilment of the internal procedures related with the provision of access.

• Storing of the equipment at the CNR-ISAC headquarters before and after the access.

• Technical support at the infrastructure by senior technicians, including support during installation of equipment and execution of measurements.

• Interaction with senior atmospheric scientists for data interpretation and optimal definition of experiment strategy.

• Access to chemistry laboratories and instrumental workshops at CNR-ISAC HQs. 

• For Mt. Cimone: shipping to the infrastructure from Bologna (not dangerous goods) for equipment with total volume < 2 m³ (max: 350 kg) except during snow season. The transport of dangerous goods or larger/heavier materials which need special vehicles is NOT included in the offered services.

• For Mt. Cimone: daily transportation of max 2 people to the infrastructure (during the snow season this cannot be fully guaranteed).

TIME CONSTRAINTS: 

For Mt. Cimone: multi-day stay of external users at the “O. Vittori” observatory must be discussed and planned with CNR-ISAC. External users are allowed to access the “O. Vittori” observatory only under CNR-ISAC personnel supervision. 

For Bologna: access to the CNR Campus is typically not allowed during the weekend and over 20:00 – 7:00 local time. External users are allowed to access the CNR-ISAC HQs only with the presence of CNR personnel.

AVAILABILITY PERIOD: All year round, but accessibility cannot be fully guaranteed during the snow season for accesses at Mt. Cimone