ACTRIS: Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure

Presentation

ACTRIS is a European Research Infrastructure (ERIC) dedicated to observing and understanding the atmospheric composition of short-lived species (reactive gases, aerosols and clouds). It relies on a large number of measurement observatories (stations, simulation chambers and mobile platforms) and associated centres of expertise to provide high-quality long-term data and services to the air quality and climate communities.

The ACTRIS-FR national infrastructure brings together 23 research organisations. It has been on the Ministry’s roadmap since 2016 and brings French expertise as a significant contribution to ACTRIS ERIC operations.

The CAE team in ACTRIS

LSCE hosts and operates (with its partner INERIS) the in-situ observatory of the SIRTA instrumented site, whose remote sensing component is located 4.5 km away on the École Polytechnique campus. SIRTA is an instrumented site accredited at national level (CNRS-INSU) and in the process of being accredited at European level (ACTRIS) for essential aerosol and reactive gas variables. Around twenty parameters, some of which have been measured since 2012, are measured at the LSCE: reactive gases (NOx, VOC, O3, NH3), aerosols (mass concentrations, number, size distribution, chemical composition, absorption, diffusion, extinction, filter samples) and bio-aerosols (pollen, fungal spores and bacteria).

The LSCE also hosts and operates (with its partners at INERIS and LAMP) the European centre of expertise for on-line measurement of the chemical composition of fine aerosols (Aerosol Composition Monitor Calibration Centre – ACMCC). In this capacity, and in order to guarantee the quality of the data and their intercomparability on a large geographical scale, the ACMCC is responsible for defining each stage of the measurement: drafting of guides to good metrological practice (sampling, instrumentation, calibration) and data processing, technological and metrological monitoring, development of data submission tools, training workshops. The ACMCC also organises annual intercomparison, calibration and instrument performance evaluation exercises (involving up to fifteen instruments). Finally, the ACMCC is developing new, innovative services with high added value (e.g. deconvolution of pollution sources), particularly in real time.

The ACMCC is currently co-located with the SIRTA in-situ site, but will soon have a new dedicated LSCE building (planned for 2025-2026).

ACTRIS contacts at LSCE: Valérie Gros & Jean-Eudes Petit

ACMCC contact: Jean-Eudes Petit