Sniffer car at BIOFLUX project in Ireland
Last spring we were invited to participate in BIOFLUX
project 10.9. - 4.10.2003 by National University of
Ireland Galway. Satu Piipponen, Liisa Pirjola and
Timo Lehtonen participated measurements.
Purpose of BIOFLUX project was to work out forming
and growth of nature origin aerosolparticles with field
measurements and modelling. Versatile gas and
particle measurements were done at Mace Head
measurement station and surrounding areas. Forming
of particles was also measured from seaweed
Sniffer car at beach
chamber. While driving the sniffer car to Ireland and
back to Helsinki we measured traffic particle consentration at German, Holland, England,
Ireland, Denmark and Sweden motorways. Research groups from Colorado USA and
Dortmund Germany also participated to BIOFLUX project.
We drove from Germany to Holland where we toke ferry
to England. There we drove from Hull to Liverpool and
toke ferry to Ireland. From Dublin we drove to Carna.
Mace Head measurement station is located near Carna.
In Ireland we participated particle measurements driving
alongside coastline. We followed changes in particle
consentration and size distribution in air mass coming
from the sea during low and high tide in seaweed areas.
Measurements near the bridge in
Muighinis
We arrived to Ireland on friday 12th of September. Next day we
started measurements. On monday research groups from
Colorado USA and Dortmund Germany arrived. Starting
meeting and dinner of the project was kept.
Young Jun Yoon , Darius Ceburnis and Karine Sellegri from
University of Galway measured natur origin nanoaerosol
particles from enviroment and seaweed chamber. They
installed SMPS and CPC measurement devices in our car.
SMPS and CPC measures particle size distribution. With CPC
is possible to detect particles larger than 3 nm.
From left Andrew Turnipseed, Alex
Guenther, Jim Greenberg and Liisa
Pirjola at Mace Head
Research group from Colorado was from Atmospheric
Chemistry Division, National Center for Atmospheric research
institute in that group was Alex Guenther, James Greenberg and
Andrew Turnipseed. They made measurements with devices
that was attached to large heliumball. Heliumball was lifted as
high as 800 meters. Measurement devices collected gas
samples. From gas samples they will analyse ionide
concentration.
Heliumball in air with
measurement devices
Research group from Germany was from ISAS – Dortmund institute in that group was
Hongwei Chen, Rolf Bandur and Anke Grundmann. They collected particle samples from
seaweed areas during lowtide. From samples they will analyse ionide concentration.
During the project we made measurements by driving different routes near Carna and
standing still near seaweed areas. Measurement places were Mace Head measurement
station, Marine Research Institute in Carna and Muighinis bridge area. We made also
measurements from seaweed chamber, it was large plastic aquarium full of seaweed.
Objective was to find out does seaweed product particles.
From left Hongwei Chen, Young Jun
Yoon and Timo Lehtonen filling the
chamber
Measuring from seaweed chamber
We also made measurements when driving back to Finland. On return trip we drove
through Ireland, England, Holland, Germany, and through Denmark to Malmö in Sweden.
From Malmö we drove to Stocholm and toke ferry to Helsinki. This way we got ingormation
about small particle emissions in Middle Europe and Nordic countries.
BIOFLUX-project went well. Usually rainy weather changed sunny in few days and we got
many good measurement days. Between measurements we went to see some sights and
beautiful sceneries. Working with other research groups was interesting and we got many
new friends.
Measurement results will be published later in international science magazines. Taking
part to the project was part of STADIA’s scientific networking program. We got experience
from many different measurement methods and found out that Sniffer car works well in
difficult circumstances.
Satu Piipponen
Project Engineer
Sniffer project