The ATC Data Unit
The ATC Data Unit is part of the Atmospheric Thematic Center of ICOS. The main tasks of the ATC Data Unit are:
- to ensure that data are traceable to the international primary standard for GHG, maintained in NOAA CMDL, Boulder, Colorado, USA,
- the supervision, from the raw measurement to the L2 validated product delivered to Carbon Portal, of the whole processing chain,
- to ensure communication with ICOS Carbon Portal for metadata and data, to process atmospheric data in NRT mode (24h),
- to develop and maintain all instrument processing chain from instruments in ICOS stations,
- to develop and maintain in house software to centrally process and quality control the data from the atmospheric ICOS networks,
- to distribute via ATC website NRT monitoring products for PIs data and instrumental check,
- to be the European training centre for ICOS atmospheric measurements, quality control and quality assessment.
MLAB Metrology Laboratory
The main tasks of the ATC Metrology Laboratory are:
- Testing all the greenhouse gases (GHG) instruments before deployment within the ICOS Atmospheric network, producing a test report and a certificate of compliance.
- Development of meaningful tests (e.g water vapor correction).
- Carrying out a technology watch.
- Elaborating the measurement/calibration protocols.
- Studying the possible artifacts (sampling system, analyzer…).
- Providing network support and spare instruments when necessary.
- Development of new sensors through R&D programs at national and international level.
- Participating at the European training centre for ICOS atmospheric measurements with the Data Unit.
Mobile lab
ICOS ATC Mobile Laboratory is one of the units of the ICOS RI Atmospheric Thematic Centre. The main task is to conduct quality control (QC) by parallel measurements at atmospheric stations (AS). Aim is to improve measurement compatibility and development of competent quality assurance (QA) of the ICOS atmospheric station network that ensures credibility of the measurements. Mobile Lab is hosted by the Finnish Meteorological Institute in Helsinki.
Mobile Lab has a van, which is equipped with state-of the-art analysers and standard gases, which are traceable to World Meteorological Organization Central Calibration Laboratory and ICOS Central Analytical Laboratory. Atmospheric Station visit lasts 1-2 months. During the visit standard gases of the station are cross-checked and parallel monitoring of ambient air are conducted to validate quality of the greenhouse gas monitoring of the station (from from left to right): Measurement of standard cylinders and ambient air by CRDS analysers at Hohenpeissenberg observatory, FTIR for greenhouse gas measurements at Hohenpeissenberg observatory and demonstration of the Mobile Lab at the 3rd ICOS/InGOS Summer School “Challenges in measurements of greenhouse gases and their interpretation” at Hyytiälä in May 2015.