The “Pallas Cloud Experiments” (PACE’s) are 6-8 weeks long campaigns taking place at the Pallastunturi facility annually or bi-annually, from the beginning of September until November-December. During this period, the region at Pallas has a high fraction of low-level clouds, which reside at the altitude of the main measurement station, Sammaltunturi. This enables comprehensive studies that can be built around direct in situ observations of clouds.
At PAL, the infrastructure and continuous measurements offer a strong capacity that support specialized campaigns. The Sammaltunturi station is equipped with total- and interstitial aerosol inlets which host continuous measurements of aerosol physical and optical properties. The inlets have a provision for additional campaign measurements. The station has continuous measurements of cloud droplet microphysical properties, and comprehensive meteorological measurements are conducted.
In addition to the Sammaltunturi station, Pallas hosts below-cloud infrastructure including for example cloud remote sensing measurements and measurements for radiation balance, cloud base height and boundary layer height.
Most importantly, at Pallas, an airspace up to 2km altitude is reserved for research flights, offering possibilities to utilize e.g. UAV- based measurements and tethered balloon systems. Flying beyond visual line of sight is permitted, making vertical measurements through clouds possible.
The campaigns offer a relatively inexpensive opportunity to gather comprehensive data of sub-Arctic clouds, one of the most uncertain pieces of the global climate change puzzle.
TIME CONSTRAINTS: Early December is a challenging period for moving heavy equipment to/from the station
AVAILABILITY PERIOD: Annually, end of August to beginning of December
