Time-series Studies at the AEROCE Tower

Owing to its strategic geographic location in the western North Atlantic, Bermuda has been a key sampling location for numerous studies of the marine atmosphere. The island is likely to feature importantly in future field studies, including those undertaken as part of the emerging Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) program.

Atmospheric measurements of various chemical species have been made on Bermuda since the mid-1970s. Longer term and ongoing measurements of atmospheric composition and wet and dry deposition began in the early '80s under the WATOX program. In 1988, a 23-meter-high walk-up sampling tower was erected at Tudor Hill for the U.S. NSF-funded AEROCE project. Managed by the University of Miami, daily sampling was carried out for a decade, ending in August 1998.

With the AEROCE project completed, the University of Miami agreed to leave the tower and laboratory facilities at the Tudor Hill site, which has since been maintained by BIOS. Together with Hal Maring (University of Miami), BIOS scientists Tony Knap and Peter Sedwick have obtained funding from the NSF Chemical Oceanography Program that will allow for the repair, upgrade and continued maintenance of the Tudor Hill atmospheric sampling facility. Beginning in early 2003, we will collect and store selected core meteorological data and atmospheric samples at Tudor Hill on a continuous basis, in collaboration with and in support of other investigators.

PIs: Tony Knap and Peter Sedwick. Potential users are requested to contact the facility manager, Peter Sedwick, well in advance of submitting research proposals involving use of the tower site.