Mérida Atmospheric Research Station (MARS)
The Mérida Atmospheric
Research Station (MARS)
The MIRA 2 radiometer is now installed on Pico Espejo
(8.5314°N, 71.0537°W, 4765 m asl) at Mérida, Venezuela. MIRA 2 is part of
the joint Venezuelan, Swedish, and German project of the
Mérida Atmospheric
Research Station (MARS).
Also installed at this inner-tropical site are the ground-based water vapour radiometer
WARAM
and a
DOAS instrument.
These instruments are operated by the
Institute of Environmental Physics of the
University of Bremen .
Measurements of the number density, size distribution, light absorption,
scattering, chemical composition and mixing state of aerosols are investigated
using a Volatility Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer by the
Department of Apllied Environmental Science of the
Stockholm University .
Due to its high altitude Pico Espejo provides low tropospheric
water vapour column amounts and a high tropospheric transmission. Therefore
excellent conditions for ground-based measurements are
provided at this inner tropical site. Analyses using NCEP/NCAR data covering
the last 50 years suggest that nearly year-round measurements at
270 GHz will be feasible. The first results of MIRA 2 confirm the good tropospheric
conditions of this site.
Another advantage of this site is the good
accessibility of this high altitude location by the world's highest
cable car. A scientific, technical, and organizational summary in pdf-format
for this new atmospheric research station can be found here (1022 kB).
(143 kB)
Satellite picture of the northern part of South America taken by the
MERIS instrument on board ENVISAT (© ESA 2003). Clearly
visible are the Gulf of Venezuela and Lake Maracaibo. The
arrow marks the position of Pico Espejo.
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(last modification: June 18th, 2007) |
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