Articles | Volume 14, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7221-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-7221-2021
Research article
 | 
17 Nov 2021
Research article |  | 17 Nov 2021

Unravelling a black box: an open-source methodology for the field calibration of small air quality sensors

Seán Schmitz, Sherry Towers, Guillermo Villena, Alexandre Caseiro, Robert Wegener, Dieter Klemp, Ines Langer, Fred Meier, and Erika von Schneidemesser

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Short summary
The last 2 decades have seen substantial technological advances in the development of low-cost air pollution instruments. This study introduces a seven-step methodology for the field calibration of low-cost sensors with user-friendly guidelines, open-access code, and a discussion of common barriers. Our goal with this work is to push for standardized reporting of methods, make critical data processing steps clear for users, and encourage responsible use in the scientific community and beyond.