Mission of the TC
The mission of the Centre for Reactive Trace Gases Remote Sensing (CREGARS) is to facilitate the generation of highest-standard reference data of several key trace gases using ground-based remote sensing techniques.
As such it offers operational support to ACTRIS National Facilities operating FTIR (Fourier-Transform Infrared), UVVIS (UV_visible) spectrometers or Ozone Dial (Differential Absorption) LIDARS.
Additionally, CREGARS offers specialised services similar to the support offered operationally to ACTRIS beneficiaries, for the above instruments and related ACTRIS variables, to ACTRIS users of various types (academia, research organisations, business, industry and public services) that are part of the global Reactive Trace Gases Remote Sensing (RTGRS) community.
The services provided by the CREGARS facility are split according to the measurement technology and all relevant information regarding standard operating procedures, central processing output, training material etc. can be found on the dedicated CREGARS documents pages:
Each component also has a dedicated webpage tied to its processing and data interface:
CREGARS-LIDAR
List of services
Operation support
|
Category |
Operation support |
Dedicated support per instrument |
Frequency |
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Links with associated communities
|
Annual workshop (virtual or physical) on retrieval strategies and operation guidelines (SOP) |
Workshop related to FTIR instruments Workshop related to UVVIS instruments Workshop related to O3DIALs |
1x/year |
Invitation will be sent |
|
Training and consultancy |
Training of instrument operators and scientists |
Training of FTIR operators |
N/A |
Virtual via Website |
|
Training of FTIR scientists/ data providers using SFIT4 |
1x/year |
physical training; invitation will be sent |
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FTIR training material |
1 update/year |
Virtual via Website |
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Training of UVVIS operators/scientists |
10/year |
physical training; Invitation will be sent |
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Dedicated to O3DIAL operators/scientists |
1/year |
physical |
|
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Measurement and data procedures and tools
|
Provision of measurement guidelines |
FTIR: ILS measurements |
~ 1 update every 5 year |
Virtual via Website |
|
UVVIS: procedures for instrument characterization & data acquisition and QA/QC |
~ 1 update every 2 years |
Virtual via Website |
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UVVIS: guidelines and S/W tools to monitor instrument performance |
~ 1 update every 2 years |
Virtual via Website |
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O3DIAL: procedures for lidar alignment |
|
Virtual via Website |
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Provision of data processing tools and guidelines |
FTIR: retrieval strategies & control files |
~ 1 update every 2 year |
Virtual via website |
|
|
FTIR central data processing |
At least 1x/month |
Remote |
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UVVIS: retrieval strategies & control files |
~ 1 update per year |
Virtual via Website |
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UVVIS central data processing |
Near real time |
|
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O3DIAL: standardized O3 retrieval S/W |
|
Virtual |
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O3DIAL: automatic NRT data processing guidelines |
|
Virtual |
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Measurement and data quality monitoring |
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FTIR: verification of cell measurements against calibrated N2O cell |
Every 2 years |
Virtual |
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UVVIS: audit of instrument performance/ calibration |
As need arises |
Physical access upon request |
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UVVIS: QA/QC report to data providers |
Monthly + long-term stability |
virtual |
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UVVIS: laboratory verifications of performances and calibration |
As need arises |
physical@ MUI |
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UVVIS: remote verification of calibration stability based on field data |
1x/month |
Remote |
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UVVIS: organization of intercomparison campaign |
Every 3 years |
Invitation for physical access will be sent |
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O3DIAL: quality check of lidar signals |
1x/year |
physical |
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O3DIAL: assistance in implementation of intercomparison campaign at NF |
Upon request ? |
remote |
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NF labelling and evaluation |
Evaluation of labelling application |
|
Upon request |
remote |
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Audit of NF |
|
According to capacity |
remote |
Services to users
|
Category |
Operation support |
Instrument |
|
|
Links with associated communities
|
Annual workshop (virtual or physical) on retrieval strategies and operation guidelines (SOP) |
Workshop related to FTIR instruments Workshop related to UVVIS instruments Workshop related to O3DIALs |
Announcements will be posted on Website |
|
Training and consultancy |
Training of instrument operators and scientists |
Training of FTIR operators |
Virtual via Website for operators; |
|
Training of FTIR scientists/ data providers using SFIT4 |
physical training upon request via SAMU |
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|
FTIR training material |
Virtual via Website |
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|
Training of UVVIS operators / scientists |
physical training upon request via SAMU |
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|
|
O3DIAL |
physical upon request via SAMU |
|
|
Measurement and data procedures and tools
|
Provision of measurement guidelines |
FTIR: ILS measurements |
Virtual via Website |
|
UVVIS: procedures for instrument characterization & data acquisition and QA/QC |
Virtual via Website |
||
|
UVVIS: guidelines and S/W tools to monitor instrument performance |
Virtual via Website |
||
|
O3DIAL: procedures for lidar alignment |
Virtual via Website |
||
|
Provision of data processing tools and guidelines |
FTIR: retrieval strategies & control files |
Virtual via website |
|
|
FTIR central data processing |
|
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|
UVVIS central data processing |
Remote access upon request via SAMU |
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O3DIAL: standardized O3 retrieval S/W |
Virtual |
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O3DIAL: automatic NRT data processing guidelines |
Virtual |
||
|
Measurement and data quality monitoring |
|
FTIR: verification of cell measurements against calibrated N2O cell |
Virtual |
|
UVVIS: audit of instrument performance/ calibration against travelling standard |
Physical access upon request |
||
|
UVVIS: QA/QC report to data providers |
Virtual |
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|
UVVIS: laboratory verifications of performances and calibration |
Physical @ MUI upon request via SAMU |
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|
UVVIS: remote verification of calibration stability based on field data |
Remote upon request via SAMU |
||
|
UVVIS: organization of intercomparison campaign |
Announcement will be posted on Website; Physical access upon request via SAMU |
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|
O3DIAL: quality check of lidar signals |
physical upon request via SAMU |
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|
O3DIAL: assistance in implementation of intercomparison campaign at NF |
remote upon request via SAMU |
Our Units & Teams
The CREGARS topical TC is divided into 3 main clusters (FTIR, UV-VIS and O3 DIAL), based on the employed measurement technique, but within each cluster the work is shared between different units.
The hierarchical structure is shown in the below organigram:
- Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB)
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BIRA-IASB is involved in the General management of CREGARS and hosts 2 units. The first leads the CREGARS-FTIR cluster and is responsible for (among others) the qualiy assurance and central processing chain of CREGARS-FTIR, while the second handles all aspects related to MAX-DOAS instruments within CREGARS-UVVIS as well as general management of the CREGARS-UVVIS cluster.
- University of Bremen (U.Bremen)
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U.Bremen is responsible for all training aspects within CREGARS-FTIR as well as its cell measurement calibration services.
- University of Liège (ULiège)
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Within the CREGARS-FTIR cluster , ULiège contributes to the development of standard operating procedures for the retrieval of ACTRIS trace gas compounds.
- Centre National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
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CNRS hosts 2 CREGARS units. The first is responsible for all the SAOZ instruments within the CREGARS-UVVIS cluster while the second is responsible for all aspects regarding the O3DIAL instruments
- Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI)
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KNMI is responsible for the UVVIS field calibration campaigns in Cabauw
- Medical University Innsbruck (MUI)
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MUI is responsible for all aspects related to the Pandora UVVIS instruments