Continuous background aerosol monitoring with the epiphaniometer

Abstract For the first time, continuous monitoring of background aerosols in the Alps, at altitudes up to 4450 m a.s.l. was performed. As a measuring device, the newly developed epiphaniometer was used, which measures the exposed Fuchs surface of the aerosol particles. High concentration ranges of more than four orders of magnitude were found, with the lowest concentrations corresponding to about 2 ng m −3 . The results show that in winter the highest sites in the Alps are not reached by polluted air masses from lower regions, whereas in the other seasons the planetary boundary layer can extend to as high as 4450 m.