El Arenosillo Atmospheric Sounding Station
El INTA INTA participates as “Observational Platform” in the Aerosol In-situ component (CAIS), with its El Arenosillo station.
The National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), through the Atmospheric Research and Instrumentation Area (AIIA), is dedicated to physicochemical experimental research and observational activities in the field of the planetary atmosphere. In the context of ACTRIS, AIIA operates the El Arenosillo Atmospheric Sounding Station (ESAt-El Arenosillo) in the southwestern Iberian Peninsula (37.18N, 6.78W, 40 m asl). ESAt-El Arenosillo is an experienced, multi-instrumented atmospheric observatory located in the southwestern sector of Spain, in the protected rural environment of the Doñana National Park (Mazagón, Huelva). ESAt-El Arenosillo combines complementary facilities with a high degree of specialization, providing an ideal capability for a wide range of studies related to atmospheric particles and gases in the framework of GAW, ACTRIS and ICOS. It operates under atmospheric monitoring programs such as NASA/AERONET, NASA/MPLNet, NOAA/FAN, EUBREWNET among others, and is an attractive transnational access point through EU projects such as ATMO-ACCESS and IRISCC.
At ESAt-El Arenosillo, synergistic studies are favored using a variety of instrumentation ranging from passive and active remote sensing to a variety of in-situ methodologies. In addition to the ground-based platform for solar radiation, particulate and atmospheric reactive trace gas and meteorology research, a 100 m tower is equipped with meteorological and greenhouse trace gas sensors at 10, 50 and 100 m. Additionally, several unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are available for vertical characterization of atmospheric composition and in particular, if of interest, including several payloads for in-situ characterization of atmospheric particles. ESAt-El Arenosillo also has the capability to perform radio and ozone sounding.
Under ACTRIS, the surface aerosol monitoring program with in-situ technologies focuses mainly on the study of the optical and microphysical properties of atmospheric particles. The observation program covers as mandatory in-situ ACTRIS variables: total particle number concentration with diameter greater than 10 nm, particle number size distribution (between 10 and 800 nm), particle scattering, backscattering and absorption coefficients at multiple wavelengths, and as additional in-situ ACTRIS variables: total particle number concentration with diameter less than 10 nm, and particle number size distribution (between 0.8 and 10 µm). In addition, an in-situ observation program of the enhancement factor of scattering and backscattering by atmospheric water vapor is in place.
Responsables
Margarita Yela y Mar Sorribas