Atmospheric Node capabilities

Instruments and data available via the BIOGRIP Node for Atmospheric Biogeochemistry from the Welgegund atmospheric research station (operated in collaboration with the Finnish Meteorological Institute and the University of Helsinki, as well as local partners), and the Cape Point Global Atmospheric Watch station of the South African Weather Service (often operated in collaboration with national and international partners) include:

Basic physical parameters

  • direct and reflected photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), direct and reflected global radiation and net radiation

  • standard meteorology parameters (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, ambient pressure)

  • rain volume and rain intensity

  • soil temperature and moisture at different depths

  • cimel sun photometer for the measurement direct-sun radiance

  • standard meteorology parameters (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, ambient pressure)

  • rain volume and rain intensity

Aerosols

  • differential mobility particle sizer (DMPS) for the measurement of aerosol number size distribution (12-840 nm)

  • air ion spectrometer (AIS) for the measurement of aerosol ion number size distribution (0.8-42 nm)

  • PM₁₀ aerosol mass concentration

  • PM₂.₅ aerosol mass concentration

  • multi-angle absorption photometry (MAAP) to determine aerosol absorption coefficient at a single wavelength (637 nm), from which black carbon (BC) concentration is determined

  • three wavelengths (450, 525 and 635 nm) Nephelometer for the measurement of light scattering by aerosols

  • PM₁₀ aerosol mass concentration (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

  • PM₂.₅ aerosol mass concentration (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

  • aerosol light absorption and scattering in 3 wavelengths

Chemical parameters

  • atmospheric trace gasses (i.e. SO₂, NOₓ/NO, O₃ and CO)

  • H₂O and CO₂, as well as sensible and latent heat fluxes measured with closed path infrared gas analyser and micrometeorological data collected with a three-dimensional ultrasonic anemometer

  • SO₂ and NO₂ fluxes measured with dual mid-infrared quantum cascade laser with infrared detector and micrometeorological data collected with a three-dimensional ultrasonic anemometer

  • wet-only rain sampler and off-line analysis

  • total gaseous mercury (TGM)

  • NO/NOₓ ambient measurements (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

  • SO₂ ambient measurements (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

  • O₃ ambient measurements (in conjunction with SAWS Air Quality division)

  • atmospheric greenhouse and reactive gasses (i.e. N₂O, CO₂, CH₄ and CO)

  • wet-only rain sampler and off line analysis

  • total gaseous mercury (TGM)

  • atmospheric ²²²RN activity

  • VOC’s and CFC’s

Campaign data

  • campaign based volatile organic compound (VOC) sample collection onto adsorbent tubes and off-line analysis by thermal desorption, with gas chromatography mass spectrometry (CG-MS)

  • campaign based size resolved aerosol collection on Teflon/quartz filters with cascade impactors. Analyses off-line with comprehensive gas chromatography and time of flight mass spectrometry (CG-CG-MS), and/or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and/or organic and elemental carbon (OC-EC) analyser and/or ion chromatography

  • Dichotomous Partisol sampling (PM₂.₅ and PM₂.₅-₁₀). Analyses off-line with comprehensive gas chromatography and time of flight mass spectrometry (CG-CG-MS), and/or inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and/or organic and elemental carbon (OC-EC) analyser and/or ion chromatography