1. The ACTRIS research infrastructure in support to EMEP
J.P. Putaud1 , C. Plass-Duelmer2 and S. Gilge2
1European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability
2Deutscher Wetterdienst, Meteorologisches Observatorium Hohenpeissenberg

2. Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research Infrastructure Network
ACTRIS
Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research Infrastructure Network
Type of funding scheme: Combination of Collaborative Projects and Coordination and Support Actions for Integrating Activities
Work programme topics addressed: FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES
Support to existing research infrastructures/ Integrating Activities
INFRA : Research Infrastructures for Atmospheric Research
1 April 2011 – 31 March 2015
ACTRIS aims at integrating European ground-based stations equipped with advanced atmospheric probing instrumentation for aerosols, clouds and short-lived gas-phase species.
ACTRIS will have the essential role to support building of new knowledge as well as policy issues on climate change, air quality and long-range transport of pollutants.

3. The main objectives of ACTRIS are:
To provide long-term observational data relevant to climate and air quality research on the regional scale produced with standardized or comparable procedures throughout the network
To develop new integration tools to fully exploit the use of multiple atmospheric techniques at ground-based stations, in particular for the calibration/validation/integration of satellite sensors and for the improvement of the parameterizations used in global and regional-scale climate and air quality models
To provide trans-national access to large infrastructures and access to high-quality information and services for the user communities (research, Environmental protection agencies, etc.)
To enhance training of new scientists and new users in the field of atmospheric observation
To promote development of new technologies for atmospheric observation of aerosols, clouds and trace gases through close partnership with EU SMEs

4. ACTRIS as a Long-term Sustainable Research Network
ACTRIS is not a research project but a research infrastructure (long-term vision)
Existing – step further – long term
Maintain the state of the art of the observations
Technological and methodological developments
Fill existing gaps
Integration (observation strategy, synergies, methodology , products and database)
Sustainability for long term observations

5. Map of measurement sites contributing to ACTRIS: 18 are also EMEP stations

6. ACTRIS WPs Management Networking activities Transnational access
NA3: In-situ chemical, physical and optical properties of aerosols
Networking activities
NA4: Trace-gas networking: Volatile Organic Compounds and Nitrogen Oxides
Transnational access
TNA12: Access to AERONET-EUROPE Calibration Service
Service
Joint research activities

7. ACTRIS NA3: aerosol in-situ measurements
Task 1: particle number size distributions (level 2)
Task 2: aerosol optical properties (level 2)
Task 3: sampling and analysis of organic and elemental carbon and organic tracers for source identification (level 2 & 3)
Task 4: Development of measurement protocols for cloud condensation nuclei measurements (not an EMEP variable)
Additionally:
Standardization of inlets and humidity control
Capacity building by aerosol training courses
Station audits on request

8. ACTRIS NA3: aerosol in-situ measurements
Task 1: particle number size distributions (level 2)
- Standardised design for mobility analysers from EUSAAR
- Standardised data inversion algorithm
- Open inter-calibration workshops at the WCCAP (Leipzig)
- Travelling reference instrument and audit on request

9. ACTRIS NA3: aerosol in-situ measurements
Task 2: aerosol optical properties (level 2)
- Standard operating procedures (SOPs) from EUSAAR
- Standardised correction and inversion algorithms
- Open inter-calibration workshops at the WCCAP (Leipzig)
- On-site audit on request

10. ACTRIS NA3: aerosol in-situ measurements
Task 3: sampling and analysis of organic and elemental carbon (level 2) and organic tracers for source identification (level 3)
- SOPs for OC, EC, and CC sampling and analyses
-> standard methods (CEN)
- Yearly inter-laboratory comparisons (JRC) involving EMEP stations and / or laboratories, and contribution to the development of a reference material
- Optimised and standardised methods for the analysis of organic tracers (levoglucosan, etc…)
- Expert workshops

11. ACTRIS NA4: volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides
Objectives
• To integrate and harmonise trace gas measurements in Europe.
• To implement SOPs and common European calibration scales for
VOCs and NOxy in support of EMEP and GAW.
• To create a protocol for merging the information of ground-based in-situ and remote sensing capacities.
• To foster the dissemination of the methods and quality assured data to scientific groups dealing with the analysis and modeling of air pollutants in Europe (support of EC air quality directives and the CLRTAP abatement strategies).

12. ACTRIS NA4: volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides
No common Fully
calibration intercalibrated
Apr 2011
Feb 2012
Apr 2015
10 continuous
10 weekly
8 continuous
6 weekly
4 continuous
4 weekly
NMHCs
3 continuous
10 weekly
1 continuous
3 weekly
1 weekly
OVOCs
2 continuous
5 weekly
1 continuous
2 weekly
terpenes
25 continuous
19 continuous
13 continuous
NOx

13. ACTRIS NA4: volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides
Task 1: VOC measurements (level 2)
Available know-how: NOMHICE, AMOHA, ACCENT, GAW-VOC expert group, EMEP
- Task 4.1.1: Development of SOPs for harmonization of VOC-species measurements in Europe
- April 2014: external review
- October 2014: Final SOPs
- Task 4.1.2: Testing best measurement practices in QA for VOCs
- Nov. 2012: round-robin performed (includes non-ACTRIS labs).
- Nov. 2012: in-situ inter-laboratory comparisons performed (TNA).
C2-C10 VOCs

14. ACTRIS NA4: volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides
Task 2: NOxy measurements (level 1+2)
Available know-how: GAW expert team (GAW Report No. 195)
- Task 4.2.1: Harmonize NOxy –species measurements in Europe
- April 2014: external review
- October 2014: Final SOPs
- Task 4.2.2: Improvement of quality assurance and dissemination of knowledge
- Feb. 2012: round-robin start (includes non-ACTRIS labs).
- Nov. 2012: inter-laboratory comparison in HPB performed (TNA)

15. ACTRIS NA4: volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides
ACTRIS # 1 NO standard
ACTRIS # 2 NO standard
no.
partner
country
site
date of receipt 1
CHMI
Czech Rep.
Kosetice
UBA
Germany
Langen 2
INMG
Cape Verde
University of York
Schauinsland 3
NERC UK
Auchencorth Moss
CNRS
France
Puy de Dome 4
JRC
Italy
Ispra
WCC/FZJ
Juelich 5
SIRTA/Palaiseau
IFT
Melpitz 6
ECN
The Netherlands
Cabauw 7
UHEL
Finnland
Pallas-Sodankylä, GAW-station
EMPA
Switzerland
Rigi 8
FMI
Hyytiälä SMEAR II
Jungfraujoch 9
FORTH
Greece
Finokalia
Mine de Douai
Peyrusse Vieille / La Tardiere 10
BEO
Bulgaria
Beo Moussala
DWD
Hohenpeißenberg 11

16. ACTRIS TNA12: Access to AERONET-EUROPE ground-based automatic sun/sky-photometer (level 2) Calibration Service
- Rationale: To enable AERONET network expansion, alternative calibration centers have been developed in Europe under the leadership of CNRS-LOA in France (Lille), then in Spain by GOA (Valladolid) and by AEMET (Izaña).
- Objective: The main goal of the AERONET-EUROPE Service Activity is to operate this multi-site European infrastructure to provide calibration to European AERONET members.
- Service:
post-field calibration-maintenance then pre-field calibration sequence;
final functional test in LOA or GOA;
calibration update in AERONET database;
request Quality Assurance analysis to GSFC/NASA.
Continuity of observation during calibration phase can be requested to the AERONET-EUROPE service.

17. Conclusions
- ACTRIS covers many variables for which there is no (or several) reference methods
ACTRIS has the mandate to support long term monitoring networks (EMEP, GAW)
ACTRIS services can be accessed by:
Using trans-national access (TNA)
Becoming an associate.
Web site

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