Calibration stability of the SGP ACSM and total mass comparison with SMPS and UHSAS, and APS measurements

 

Authors

Thomas B. Watson — Brookhaven National Laboratory
Chongai Kuang — Brookhaven National Laboratory
Robert Lesley Bullard — Brookhaven National Laboratory
Stephen R. Springston — Brookhaven National Laboratory

Category

General topics – Aerosols

Description

The Aerosol Chemical Species Monitor (ACSM) at the ARM Southern Great Plains (SGP) site is an instrument used to make continuous measurements of the composition of non-refractory aerosol particles using a quadrupole mass spectrometer. The ACSM measures particulate sulfate, nitrate, chloride, ammonium, and organic species with half-hour time resolution. The SGP ACSM has been calibrated quarterly starting in July, 2015. The calibration stability of the instrument over the over a year and half and five calibrations will be examined. AMF7 was completed and installed at SGP in November, 2016. In addition to an ACSM, the new installation contains an SPMS, an APS, and a UHSAS. The comparisons with aerosol mass calculated from the SMPS and UHSAS size spectra are important to validate the ACSM mass loading data.