Particle measurements

Particles mixed with air are called an aerosol. Aerosol particles are very small and in the atmosphere they are typically smaller than one micrometer (0.000001 m) in diameter. Despite their small size they are an important component of our environment in several aspects.

In urban areas, high concentrations of particles may cause lung and heart related health problems, which cause a lot of suffering and is very costly to the society.
In the atmosphere, particles are an integral part of the energy budget of the Earth, in other words our climate. Particles scatter and absorb light from the sun giving rise to many, often beautiful, optical phenomena. The fact that all cloud and rain drops began their life as small aerosol particles is of course of great interest to meteorologists.

The source of particles may be natural from the forests or oceans, or they may be anthropogenic (by human activities) from industries or traffic. By studying aerosols at different locations and over longer times we can better understand how aerosol particles affect us and our environment.