Atmospheric Simulation Chambers in the ACTRIS Research Infrastructure

Fuchs, Hendrik; Illmann, Niklas; Muñoz, Amalia; Ródenas, Mila; Picquet-Varrault, Bénédicte; Alfarra, M. Rami; Arsene, Cecilia; Bejan, Iustinian G.; Bell, David M.; Bilde, Merete; Böhmländer, Alexander; Campos-Pineda, Mixtli; Cazaunau, Mathieu; Coll, Patrice; Daële, Véronique; Di Biagio, Claudia; Flynn, Michael; Formenti, Paola; Herrmann, Hartmut; Höhler, Kristina; Hohaus, Thorsten; Johnson, Matthew S.; Juurola, Eija; Kivekäs, Niku; Kaiser, Jan; Kaltsonoudis, Christos; Laj, Paolo; Massabò, Dario; Mazzei, Federico; McFiggans, Gordon; McGillen, Max R.; Mellouki, Abdelwahid; Mettke, Peter; Möhler, Ottmar; Mothes, Falk; Niedermeier, Dennis; Novelli, Anna; Olariu, Romeo I.; Pandis, Spyros N.; Patroescu-Klotz, Iulia; Petracca Altieri, Rosa Maria; Prati, Paolo; Roman, Claudiu; Ruth, Albert A.; Saathoff, Harald; Schmalfuß, Silvio; Stratmann, Frank; Vernocchi, Virginia; Voliotis, Aristeidis; Voigtländer, Jens; Virtanen, Annele; Wahner, Andreas; Wagner, Robert; Wenger, John; Zorn, Sören; Wiesen, Peter; Doussin, Jean-Francois

doi:10.5194/egusphere-2026-1612

Hendrik Fuchs, Niklas Illmann, Amalia Muñoz, Mila Ródenas, Bénédicte Picquet-Varrault, M. Rami Alfarra, Cecilia Arsene, Iustinian G. Bejan, David M. Bell, Merete Bilde, Alexander Böhmländer, Mixtli Campos-Pineda, Mathieu Cazaunau, Patrice Coll, Véronique Daële, Claudia Di Biagio, Michael Flynn, Paola Formenti, Hartmut Herrmann, Kristina Höhler, Thorsten Hohaus, Matthew S. Johnson, Eija Juurola, Niku Kivekäs, Jan Kaiser, Christos Kaltsonoudis, Paolo Laj, Dario Massabò, Federico Mazzei, Gordon McFiggans, Max R. McGillen, Abdelwahid Mellouki, Peter Mettke, Ottmar Möhler, Falk Mothes, Dennis Niedermeier, Anna Novelli, Romeo I. Olariu, Spyros N. Pandis, Iulia Patroescu-Klotz, Rosa Maria Petracca Altieri, Paolo Prati, Claudiu Roman, Albert A. Ruth, Harald Saathoff, Silvio Schmalfuß, Frank Stratmann, Virginia Vernocchi, Aristeidis Voliotis, Jens Voigtländer, Annele Virtanen, Andreas Wahner, Robert Wagner, John Wenger, Sören Zorn, Peter Wiesen, and Jean-Francois Doussin

Abstract. Atmospheric simulation chambers are one of the best available tools to study atmospheric processes, as they enable experiments under conditions that are both reproducible and well-controlled. 14 unique simulation chamber facilities are part of the distributed pan-European Aerosol, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure (ACTRIS). Their research focuses on fundamental gas-phase reaction kinetics, complex reaction mechanisms, aerosol formation and cloud chemistry, as well as other aspects of atmospheric processes. They use both simplified and complex air mixtures in their research. Results of chamber experiments enable the discovery of unknown chemical mechanisms and the determination of physicochemical parameters of atmospheric constituents. Simulation chambers are ideal for testing instruments and quality assurance of their data. The variability of their research capability is reflected in differences in the size (ranging from approximately 1 to 270 m³, the wall material, and the type of instrumentation used to measure physical parameters, gas-phase species, physicochemical properties of aerosol particles as well as cloud droplets and ice crystals. Most chambers in ACTRIS are indoors and use artificial light sources to initiate photochemical reactions while some chambers are located outside so that natural sunlight can be used. During experiments, steady state conditions may be achieved, the evolution of initial conditions may be observed, or expansion and mixing techniques may induce cloud formation. In this paper, the ACTRIS simulation chambers are described along with the quality control measures for carrying out experiments and reporting data. An overview of how users from the research community and industry can gain access to the ACTRIS simulation chambers and associated data centre is presented. Recent developments in the application of ACTRIS simulation chambers for answering current and future atmospheric research questions are discussed.

How to cite. Fuchs, H., Illmann, N., Muñoz, A., Ródenas, M., Picquet-Varrault, B., Alfarra, M. R., Arsene, C., Bejan, I. G., Bell, D. M., Bilde, M., Böhmländer, A., Campos-Pineda, M., Cazaunau, M., Coll, P., Daële, V., Di Biagio, C., Flynn, M., Formenti, P., Herrmann, H., Höhler, K., Hohaus, T., Johnson, M. S., Juurola, E., Kivekäs, N., Kaiser, J., Kaltsonoudis, C., Laj, P., Massabò, D., Mazzei, F., McFiggans, G., McGillen, M. R., Mellouki, A., Mettke, P., Möhler, O., Mothes, F., Niedermeier, D., Novelli, A., Olariu, R. I., Pandis, S. N., Patroescu-Klotz, I., Petracca Altieri, R. M., Prati, P., Roman, C., Ruth, A. A., Saathoff, H., Schmalfuß, S., Stratmann, F., Vernocchi, V., Voliotis, A., Voigtländer, J., Virtanen, A., Wahner, A., Wagner, R., Wenger, J., Zorn, S., Wiesen, P., and Doussin, J.-F.: Atmospheric Simulation Chambers in the ACTRIS Research Infrastructure, EGUsphere [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1612, 2026.

Received: 23 Mar 2026 – Discussion started: 02 Apr 2026

Competing interests: At least one of the (co-)authors is a member of the editorial board of Atmospheric Measurement Techniques.

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