About CAMS
Accurate measurements of atmospheric aerosol properties are essential for progress in Earth systems prediction, field research, and targeted laboratory studies. Achieving that accuracy requires a thorough understanding of the science behind each measurement, consistent instrument operations, and well-defined calibration procedures traceable to international standards.
The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) user facility’s centralized calibration laboratory at the Center for Aerosol Measurement Science (CAMS), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), is a dedicated facility for data quality assurance in atmospheric aerosol measurements. The laboratory provides traceable calibration and measurement services to the ARM user facility, supporting high-quality and internally consistent aerosol measurements across ARM’s global network of Aerosol Observing Systems (AOS). As the facility matures, the laboratory aims to serve as a nationwide calibration and measurement science center for aerosol instruments, coordinating the development and application of best practices in instrument operation and calibration.
CAMS Objectives
Three main objectives support our mission to reduce the uncertainty of aerosol measurements.
Reference Instrumentation
The laboratory maintains a dedicated set of well-characterized reference instruments for key aerosol properties, including particle number concentration and size distribution. These reference instruments provide an anchor for field instrument calibrations and a traceable common reference point for comparing measurements across ARM sites and with international partners.
Connection to International Standards
Calibration procedures at the ARM centralized calibration laboratory at CAMS are designed to establish metrological traceability to national measurement institutes (including NIST) and to international standards through intercomparison with peer facilities. The laboratory works in close partnership with the World Calibration Centre for Aerosol Physics (WCCAP) at TROPOS in Leipzig, Germany, and participates in the EU Horizon CARGO-ACT project, which coordinates best practices between European (ACTRIS) and U.S. (ARM, NOAA, NASA) research infrastructures.
Research and Calibration Facility
The CAMS laboratory provides infrastructure for characterizing aerosol properties using advanced instrumentation. The facility includes reference instruments for measurements of aerosol number concentration, size, and other properties; equipment for generating aerosol particles with well-defined characteristics; inlet and sampling systems for both indoor and outdoor aerosols; and accommodation for guest instruments, including outdoor space for larger integrated measurement platforms such as the ARM AOS. For more detail, see the Facility page.
History
- 2016 – BNL’s Center of Excellence identifies the need for a dedicated aerosol characterization facility (Schwartz, 2016)
- 2017 – Sampling strategies report highlights the importance of robust instrument calibration for atmospheric science (Smith and Riemer, 2017)
- 2021 – ARM Aerosol Measurement Science Group workshop report calls for dedicated calibration facilities (McComiskey et al., 2021)
- 2022 – CAMS whitepaper formalizes the vision for the facility (Uin et al., 2022); visit from the World Calibration Centre for Aerosol Physics (WCCAP); ARM engineering and review board evaluations
- 2023 – ARM design review completed; CARGO-ACT collaboration begins; interactions with WCCAP intensify; ARM site operator training sessions conducted
- 2024–2026 – Reference instruments procured and installed; calibration processes and procedures developed in coordination with WCCAP; infrastructure buildout completed
