Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT): Operation, Management, and Scientific Studies

About This Grant

This project supports the continued operation and management of the Atmospheric Science and Chemistry mEasurement NeTwork (ASCENT). The ASCENT network was developed with support from the NSF Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure program and is providing the first, comprehensive, high time resolution, long-term aerosol data across the United States. It consists of 12 sites in urban, rural, and remote areas that are equipped with a suite of advanced aerosol instrumentation for real-time measurements of fine mode aerosol chemical composition and properties. The ASCENT network fulfills the critical need for long-term, high time-resolution atmospheric aerosol chemistry measurements in the US. for informing science-based policy decisions on air quality related human health and environmental issues. The specific objectives of this project are to: (1) Continue to acquire high time-resolution, high-quality, long-term state-of-the-art measurements of aerosol chemical and physical properties at the 12 established ASCENT sites that are essential to advancing research in air quality, atmospheric science, environmental change, and public health; (2) Develop a database infrastructure for automated quality assurance/control, data upload and download, data discovery and visualization, and long-term data preservation; (3) Enhance training of students and current professionals engaged in science and engineering related to atmospheric air quality research; (4) Conduct research to advance fundamental understanding of urban air quality, biomass burning aerosols, and biogenic aerosol sources and processing which leverages the uniform network of comparable observations; and (5) Catalyze and support future development of an integrated, world-leading, long-term, atmospheric observation research infrastructure for aerosols and trace gases in the U.S. and strengthen collaborations with international atmospheric observation networks. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.