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Centre for Atmospheric Science

Instruments

The Centre for Atmospheric Science makes measurements of many atmospheric parameters and uses a wide variety of instruments to do so. Some of the instruments we use are described on these pages and are grouped together in the categories below. Some of these pages are also accessed from the FGAM instrument table.

Portable Radio Sonde Instrument

In Situ Meteorology

Our meteorology instrumentation includes instruments to measure parameters such as wind, temperature, humidity and precipitation. These include sonic anemometers, radiosondes, automatic weather stations and the present weather sensor.

Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer

In Situ Aerosol

Our aerosol instrumentation includes instruments to measure chemical and physical properties of atmospheric aerosol, including aerosol mass spectrometers, differential mobility analyzers and optical instruments.

Airborne Droplet Analyser

In Situ Cloud

Our cloud physics instrumentation includes instruments to measure cloud properties including the key parameters of droplet size distribution, liquid water content and ice crystal size and habit distributions. These instruments are based around optical scattering and imaging techniques.

Turbulent Flow Technique Chemical Ionisation Mass Spectrometer

In Situ Trace Gas

Instrumentation to measure trace gas concentrations and reaction rates for a wide variety of atmospheric species. These instruments include standard air quality monitoring instruments and specialist instruments such as quantum cascade lasers and chemical ionization mass spectrometers.

Brewer Spectrophotometer

Radiation

Our radiation instruments include broadband radiometers, spectral radiometers and spectrophotometers. These instruments allow detailed measurements of solar and terrestrial radiation, with a particular emphasis on UV radiation. Some also have the capability to determine total column ozone and sulfur dioxide.

SAOZ Instrument

Remote Sensing

Our remote sensing instrumentation includes instruments to measure atmospheric parameters such as cloud properties, aerosol, ozone and wind remotely, from ground based or airborne platforms. These instruments are able to measure profiles of such parameters as a function of height above the measurement location and include radars, lidars and sodars.