Articles | Volume 15, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2061-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2061-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
05 Apr 2022
Research article |
| 05 Apr 2022
| 05 Apr 2022
Simulation and field campaign evaluation of an optical particle counter on a fixed-wing UAV
Centre for Atmospheric and Climate Physics, School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK
Warren Stanley
Centre for Atmospheric and Climate Physics, School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK
Chris Stopford
Centre for Atmospheric and Climate Physics, School of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL10 9AB, UK
David Brus
Atmospheric Composition Research, Finnish Meteorological Institute, P.O. Box 503, 00101, Helsinki, Finland
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Joseph Girdwood, Helen Smith, Warren Stanley, Zbigniew Ulanowski, Chris Stopford, Charles Chemel, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, David Brus, David Campbell, and Robert Mackenzie
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 6613–6630, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6613-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6613-2020, 2020
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We present the design and validation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a bespoke optical particle counter (OPC). This is used to monitor atmospheric particles, which have significant effects on our weather and climate. These effects are hard to characterise properly, partly because they occur in regions that are not commonly accessible to traditional instrumentation. Our new platform gives us the capability to access these regions.
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, Zoé Brasseur, Matthew Boyer, Joel Kuula, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 3959–3971, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3959-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-3959-2025, 2025
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Clouds and aerosol are important for weather and climate. Typically, pure water cloud droplets stay liquid until around −35 °C, unless they come into contact with ice-nucleating particles (INPs). INPs are a rare subset of aerosol particles. Using uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), it is possible to collect aerosol particles and analyse their ice-nucleating ability. This study describes the test and validation of a sampling set-up that can be used to collect aerosol particles onto a filter.
Jürgen Gratzl, David Brus, Konstantinos Doulgeris, Alexander Böhmländer, Ottmar Möhler, and Hinrich Grothe
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 3975–3985, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3975-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-3975-2025, 2025
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Near-real time monitoring of airborne biological particles like fungal spores or pollen grains is of great interest for two main reasons: to improve atmospheric allergen forecasts and to deepen the understanding of how bio-aerosols influence cloud formation. Here, we measured fluorescent bio-aerosols in the Finnish sub-Arctic with a high time resolution. A data set that might improve our understanding of biosphere–cloud interactions and the dynamics of bio-aerosols in the atmosphere.
Jessica Girdwood, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, and Alexander Böhmländer
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-257, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-257, 2025
Preprint under review for ESSD
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In-situ data of cloud microphysics is essential for targeted studies of cloud processes, validating remote sensing, and both assessing and improving the accuracy of weather and climate models. In this work we adopt a novel technique using a small uncrewed aircraft (SUA) and a bespoke sensor to produce vertical profiles of cloud microphysical parameters. The data are publicly available from https://zenodo.org/records/14756233.
Alkistis Papetta, Maria Kezoudi, Holger Baars, Athina Floutsi, Eleni Drakaki, Konrad Kandler, Elena Louca, Theodoros Christoudias, Eleni Marinou, Chris Stopford, Troy Thornberry, Vassilis Amiridis, Jean Sciare, and Franco Marenco
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This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Dust in the atmosphere affects air quality, weather, and climate, but measuring it is challenging. We used drones and ground-based instruments to study how dust particles interact with light and relate this to their mass. Current methods often underestimate large dust particles, leading to errors in dust quantity. Our results show that regional differences in dust must be considered to improve climate models and satellite observations.
John Backman, Krista Luoma, Henri Servomaa, Ville Vakkari, and David Brus
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-284, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-284, 2025
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This work describes the in-situ aerosol measurements at the Arctic Sammaltunturi measurement station in Pallas in northern Finland. This data paper describes the instruments and the data post processing of key aerosol particle measurements that are relevant for cloud properties. Data reported here are part of the Pallas Cloud Experiment in 2022 (PaCE2022).
Sami Daniel Harni, Lasse Johansson, Jarkko Ville Niemi, Ville Silvonen, Juan Andrés Casquero-Vera, Anu Kousa, Krista Luoma, Viet Le, David Brus, Konstantinos Doulgeris, Topi Rönkkö, Hanna Manninen, Tuukka Petäjä, and Hilkka Timonen
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The 3-month measurement campaign at Espoo, Finland, in spring 2023. The measurement campaign studied the effect of the noise barrier on pollutant concentration gradients on one side of a major highway. The studied pollutants included PM10, PM2.5, lung deposited surface area (LDSA), particle number concentration (PNC), NO2, and black carbon (BC). The noise barrier was found to be effective in reducing, especially the concentration of particulate pollutants.
Hannah Meyer, Konrad Kandler, Sylvain Dupont, Jerónimo Escribano, Jessica Girdwood, George Nikolich, Andrés Alastuey, Vicken Etyemezian, Cristina González Flórez, Adolfo González-Romero, Tareq Hussein, Mark Irvine, Peter Knippertz, Ottmar Möhler, Xavier Querol, Chris Stopford, Franziska Vogel, Frederik Weis, Andreas Wieser, Carlos Pérez García-Pando, and Martina Klose
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1531, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1531, 2025
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Mineral dust particles emitted from dry soils are of various sizes, yet the abundance of very large particles is not well understood. Here we measured the dust size distribution from fine to giant particles at an emission source during a field campaign in Jordan (J-WADI) using multiple instruments. Our findings show that large particles make up a significant part of the total dust mass. This knowledge is essential to improve climate models and to predict dust impacts on climate and environment.
Kajal Julaha, Vladimír Ždímal, Saliou Mbengue, David Brus, and Naděžda Zíková
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This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Air pollution affects human health and climate, but most measurements focus on ground-level data. We used drones to measure black carbon and particle concentrations at different heights in urban and rural areas across seasons. Our results show that pollution distribution varies with altitude and season, influenced by weather and emissions. We also found that controlling humidity is crucial for accurate black carbon measurements. These findings help improve air quality monitoring and policies.
Jürgen Gratzl, Alexander Böhmländer, Sanna Pätsi, Clara-E. Pogner, Markus Gorfer, David Brus, Konstantino Matthaios Doulgeris, Florian Wieland, Eija Asmi, Annika Saarto, Ottmar Möhler, Dominik Stolzenburg, and Hinrich Grothe
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We studied particles in the air over one year in the Finnish sub-Arctic to understand how biological particles affect ice formation in clouds. We found that fungal spores are the main contributors to ice formation at warmer temperatures. These particles are released locally and vary with weather. Our results also show that we know very little about which fungi can form ice in the atmosphere, highlighting a major gap in our understanding of how nature influences weather and climate.
Viet Le, Konstantinos Matthaios Doulgeris, Mika Komppula, John Backman, Gholamhossein Bagheri, Eberhard Bodenschatz, and David Brus
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This manuscript presents datasets collected during the Pallas Cloud Experiment in northern Finland during the autumn of 2022. We provide an overview of the payload that measured meteorological, cloud, and aerosol properties, and was deployed on tethered balloon systems across 21 flights. Additionally, we describe the datasets obtained, including details of the instruments on the payload.
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For the balloon-borne detection of particles (diameter 0.4 < Dp < 40 µm), a Universal Cloud and Aerosol Sounding System (UCASS) was used, whose sample flow is determined by GPS-measured ascent rates. In flights, actual UCASS sample flows rarely match the ascent rates. Errors are minimized by real-time detection of the UCASS flows, e.g. by implementing a thermal flow sensor (TFS) within the UCASS. The TFSs were tested in flight, and calibrated at up to 10 m s-1 and at variable angles of attack.
Alexander Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Romy Fösig, Nicole Büttner, Jens Nadolny, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, and Ottmar Möhler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-89, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-89, 2025
Preprint under review for ESSD
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Cloud-aerosol interactions lead to a phase change of water droplets inside the atmosphere. One of these interactions happens due to a small subset of aerosols, ice-nucleating particles (INPs). These INPs lead to the freezing of pure water droplets above −35 °C, which otherwise would stay liquid. This has impacts on the weather and climate. The present data set presents a unique data set with a high temporal resolution.
Alexander Julian Böhmländer, Larissa Lacher, Kristina Höhler, David Brus, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, Jessica Girdwood, Thomas Leisner, and Ottmar Möhler
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-87, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-87, 2025
Revised manuscript under review for ESSD
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Clouds play a key role in weather and climate. Pure liquid water droplets are liquid until about -35 °C without the presence of a small subset of aerosols, ice-nucleating particles (INPs). These INPs lead to primary ice formation and therefore impact the phase of clouds. The dataset described herein provides INP concentration measurements at two altitudes. Connecting this data to synoptic conditions and ambient data might provide a better understanding of INPs in Finnish Lapland.
David Brus, Viet Le, Joel Kuula, and Konstantinos Doulgeris
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-61, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-61, 2025
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
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This manuscript provides datasets collected during Pallas Cloud Experiment campaign in norther Finland during the autumn of 2022. We provided an overview of the custom-built drone backpack for air quality and atmospheric state variables carried on top of the consumer-grade drone (DJI Mavic 2 pro). We described the flight strategies, and provided an overview of the datasets obtained, including a description of the measurement against the reference for data validation.
Jessica Girdwood, Harry Ballington, Chris Stopford, Rob Lewis, and Evelyn Hesse
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 305–317, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-305-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-305-2025, 2025
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Optical particle spectrometers (OPSs) are a class of instruments (commonly used for measurement of particle size distributions) that require calibration. Conventionally, this is performed using a known aerosol source, which has reliability issues. In this paper, we present a technique for OPS calibration which involves placing objects in the instrument that generate a known response. This fibre calibration method was more reliable than a conventional calibration.
Konstantinos Matthaios Doulgeris, Ville Vakkari, Ewan J. O'Connor, Veli-Matti Kerminen, Heikki Lihavainen, and David Brus
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2483–2498, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2483-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2483-2023, 2023
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We investigated how different long-range-transported air masses can affect the microphysical properties of low-level clouds in a clean subarctic environment. A connection was revealed. Higher values of cloud droplet number concentrations were related to continental air masses, whereas the lowest values of number concentrations were related to marine air masses. These were characterized by larger cloud droplets. Clouds in all regions were sensitive to increases in cloud number concentration.
Zoé Brasseur, Dimitri Castarède, Erik S. Thomson, Michael P. Adams, Saskia Drossaart van Dusseldorp, Paavo Heikkilä, Kimmo Korhonen, Janne Lampilahti, Mikhail Paramonov, Julia Schneider, Franziska Vogel, Yusheng Wu, Jonathan P. D. Abbatt, Nina S. Atanasova, Dennis H. Bamford, Barbara Bertozzi, Matthew Boyer, David Brus, Martin I. Daily, Romy Fösig, Ellen Gute, Alexander D. Harrison, Paula Hietala, Kristina Höhler, Zamin A. Kanji, Jorma Keskinen, Larissa Lacher, Markus Lampimäki, Janne Levula, Antti Manninen, Jens Nadolny, Maija Peltola, Grace C. E. Porter, Pyry Poutanen, Ulrike Proske, Tobias Schorr, Nsikanabasi Silas Umo, János Stenszky, Annele Virtanen, Dmitri Moisseev, Markku Kulmala, Benjamin J. Murray, Tuukka Petäjä, Ottmar Möhler, and Jonathan Duplissy
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5117–5145, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5117-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5117-2022, 2022
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The present measurement report introduces the ice nucleation campaign organized in Hyytiälä, Finland, in 2018 (HyICE-2018). We provide an overview of the campaign settings, and we describe the measurement infrastructure and operating procedures used. In addition, we use results from ice nucleation instrument inter-comparison to show that the suite of these instruments deployed during the campaign reports consistent results.
Konstantinos Matthaios Doulgeris, Heikki Lihavainen, Anti-Pekka Hyvärinen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and David Brus
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 637–649, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-637-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-637-2022, 2022
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We produced and summarized data sets obtained from two cloud ground-based spectrometers (CAPS and FSSP-100 ground setups) during 8 years of Pallas Cloud Experiment campaigns conducted in autumn from 2004 until 2019 along with several meteorological variables. The campaigns took place in the Finnish sub-Arctic region in a clear environment in temperatures that were usually below zero. This data set provides a helpful contribution to cloud microphysics processes.
David Brus, Jani Gustafsson, Osku Kemppinen, Gijs de Boer, and Anne Hirsikko
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 2909–2922, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-2909-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-2909-2021, 2021
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This publication summarizes measurements collected and datasets generated by the Finnish Meteorological Institute and Kansas State University teams during the LAPSE-RATE campaign that took place in San Luis Valley, Colorado, during summer 2018. We provide an overview of the rotorcraft and offer insights into the payloads that were used. We describe the teams’ scientific goals, flight strategies, and the datasets, including a description of the measurement validation techniques applied.
David Brus, Jani Gustafsson, Ville Vakkari, Osku Kemppinen, Gijs de Boer, and Anne Hirsikko
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 517–533, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-517-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-517-2021, 2021
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This paper summarizes Finnish Meteorological Institute and Kansas State University unmanned aerial vehicle measurements during the summer 2018 Lower Atmospheric Process Studies at Elevation – a Remotely-piloted Aircraft Team Experiment (LAPSE-RATE) campaign in the San Luis Valley, providing an overview of the rotorcraft deployed, payloads, scientific goals and flight strategies and presenting observations of atmospheric thermodynamics and aerosol and gas parameters in the vertical column.
Marta Wenta, David Brus, Konstantinos Doulgeris, Ville Vakkari, and Agnieszka Herman
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 33–42, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-33-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-33-2021, 2021
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Representations of the atmospheric boundary layer over sea ice are a challenge for numerical weather prediction models. To increase our understanding of the relevant processes, a field campaign was carried out over the sea ice in the Baltic Sea from 27 February to 2 March 2020. Observations included 27 unmanned aerial vehicle flights, four photogrammetry missions, and shore-based automatic weather station and lidar wind measurements. The dataset obtained is used to validate model results.
Gijs de Boer, Adam Houston, Jamey Jacob, Phillip B. Chilson, Suzanne W. Smith, Brian Argrow, Dale Lawrence, Jack Elston, David Brus, Osku Kemppinen, Petra Klein, Julie K. Lundquist, Sean Waugh, Sean C. C. Bailey, Amy Frazier, Michael P. Sama, Christopher Crick, David Schmale III, James Pinto, Elizabeth A. Pillar-Little, Victoria Natalie, and Anders Jensen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 3357–3366, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3357-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3357-2020, 2020
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This paper provides an overview of the Lower Atmospheric Profiling Studies at Elevation – a Remotely-piloted Aircraft Team Experiment (LAPSE-RATE) field campaign, held from 14 to 20 July 2018. This field campaign spanned a 1-week deployment to Colorado's San Luis Valley, involving over 100 students, scientists, engineers, pilots, and outreach coordinators. This overview paper provides insight into the campaign for a special issue focused on the datasets collected during LAPSE-RATE.
Joseph Girdwood, Helen Smith, Warren Stanley, Zbigniew Ulanowski, Chris Stopford, Charles Chemel, Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, David Brus, David Campbell, and Robert Mackenzie
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 6613–6630, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6613-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-6613-2020, 2020
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We present the design and validation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a bespoke optical particle counter (OPC). This is used to monitor atmospheric particles, which have significant effects on our weather and climate. These effects are hard to characterise properly, partly because they occur in regions that are not commonly accessible to traditional instrumentation. Our new platform gives us the capability to access these regions.
Douglas Morrison, Ian Crawford, Nicholas Marsden, Michael Flynn, Katie Read, Luis Neves, Virginia Foot, Paul Kaye, Warren Stanley, Hugh Coe, David Topping, and Martin Gallagher
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 14473–14490, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14473-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-14473-2020, 2020
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We provide conservative estimates of the concentrations of bacteria within transatlantic dust clouds, originating from the African continent. We observe significant seasonal differences in the overall concentrations of particles but no seasonal variation in the ratio between bacteria and dust. With bacteria contributing to ice formation at warmer temperatures than dust, our observations should improve the accuracy of climate models.
Konstantinos-Matthaios Doulgeris, Mika Komppula, Sami Romakkaniemi, Antti-Pekka Hyvärinen, Veli-Matti Kerminen, and David Brus
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 13, 5129–5147, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5129-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-13-5129-2020, 2020
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We intercompared three cloud spectrometers ground setups in conditions with frequently occurring supercooled clouds. The measurements were conducted during the Pallas Cloud Experiment (PaCE) in 2013, in the Finnish sub-Arctic region at Sammaltunturi station. The main meteorological parameters influencing the spectrometers' performance was the wind direction. Final recommendations and our view on the main limitations of each spectrometer ground setup are presented.
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Short summary
UAVs have great potential to be used for airborne measurements of cloud and aerosol properties, which are of particular importance due to the largely uncharacterised nature of such phenomena. However, since UAVs are a new tool in atmospheric physics expensive platform validation and characterisation of UAV-instrument combinations needs to be performed. This paper presents an evaluation of a fixed-wing UAV in combination with an instrument that measures cloud droplet diameter.
UAVs have great potential to be used for airborne measurements of cloud and aerosol properties,...
