Black carbon measurements

Aerosol black carbon (BC) concentration levels in the atmosphere are measured at five different background stations in Finland, with the longest data set from Hyytiälä. The continuous measurements are used to validate the climate model data.

Fig. Black carbon measurement sites and average annual black carbon concentrations in Finland.
Reprinted from Atmospheric Environment, 45, A.-P. Hyvärinen, P. Kolmonen, V.-M. Kerminen, A. Virkkula, A. Leskinen, M. Komppula, J. Hatakka, J. Burkhart, A. Stohl, P. Aalto, M. Kulmala, K.E.J. Lehtinen, Y. Viisanen, H. Lihavainen, Aerosol black carbon at five background measurement sites over Finland, a gateway to the Arctic, 4042-4050, 2011, with permission from Elsevier.

Measurement details

Black carbon measurements in Finland are conducted with two different instruments: the AE 31 aethalometer (Magee Scientific) and the multi-angle absorption photometer (MAAP) (Thermo Scientific).

Measurement details from each station are shown in the table below.