PanAMA Activity 3: Network Tasks

The main goal of this activity is to prepare selected instruments (PanSels), so that studies performed in activities 1 and 2 can be applied and tested. Such preparation includes: expedited calibration, specialized calibration including spectral stray light calibration with a tunable laser and cut-on filters at the LuftBlick laboratory, expedited quality assurance and control (QAQC), expedited data processing.

Section 1: PanSels Selection Overview

30 Pandora instruments have been chosen as “PanSels”, of which 15 are Pandora-2S models. The selection was made based on geographical distribution, pollution level relevance, minimum 1 year of data availability, presence of co-located instruments (AERONET, aerosol lidars), and suitability for different work packages (1.4, 1.5, 1.6).

Section 1a: PanSels by Location

The map illustrates the global distribution of these 30 Pandora sites, color-coded by the location type. The classification of location type is based on the environmental and urban conditions.

Section 1b: Data Availability

The number of days of raw data available (L0) with the number of days processed (L1 or higher) for each PanSel instrument.

Section 1c: Co-located Instrument Availability

Over 80% (26 out of 30) of the PanSels are co-located with at least one high-quality reference instrument. This enhances the robustness of the network and improves validation purposes by enabling cross-comparisons and synergy.

Section 1d: Work Package Distribution

This figure shows the distribution of PanSels assigned to different WPs within the project, highlighting the coverage and focus of the network task activities.

Section 2a: Network and QC Status

Although some checks are recent, the 50% backlog highlights an area for improvement in routine operational monitoring. At the time of reporting, 83.3% of the PanSels are operational, while 16.7% are not. 43.3% of instruments have undergone QC checks in the past month, with 13.3% having even more recent (<2 week) reviews. However, 33.3% are in the 1–2 month window, and 10% have not been reviewed in over two months.

Section 2b: Quality Assured Data Coverage

While the project plan targets every three months QA checks for each instrument, the actual percentage of quality-assured data across the 30 PanSels is currently highly variable, with a number of instruments showing QA coverage below 20%.

Section 3: Calibration Status

Calibration of Spectrometer 1 (S1) has been successfully completed for 28 out of the 30 PanSels using the current operational version 1.8 of the processing software. This represents a 93.3% completion rate, with the remaining two instruments either partially calibrated or pending final validation. These two instruments are currently available with OoB calibration.