AEROSPAIN, the AERONET Central Facility in Spain, is a calibration center of the NASA’s Aerosol Robotic Network, a global network of sun-sky-lunar photometers to monitor aerosol properties and provide satellite validation. Only 4 calibration centers of this global network exist worldwide: USA, France, Spain and China. AEROSPAIN is jointly managed by the Izaña Atmospheric Research Center (IARC) of the Meteorological Agency of Spain (AEMET), and the Group of Atmospheric Optics (GOA) of University of Valladolid (UVa). Since 2006, and following the AERONET protocols, field instruments are calibrated by GOA-UVa at Valladolid, Spain, whereas network reference instruments are calibrated by AEMET at Izaña in Tenerife, Spain.
Staff from AEMET and GOA-UVa during a coordination meeting at the Izaña Observatory in September 2021.
Who we are:
- África Barreto (PhD), AEMET, Aerosols in-situ and Remote Sensing, Head, PI of the facility at Izaña, abarretov@aemet.es
- Carlos Toledano, (PhD) Valladolid University Proffesor, PI of the facility at Valladolid, toledano@goa.uva.es
- Ramón Ramos, AEMET, Scientific instrumentation and infraestructures, Head, rramosl@aemet.es
- Fernando Almansa (PhD), CIMEL/GOA-UVa, Radiation and Aerosol-Water Vapor Remote Sensing, fernando@goa.uva.es
- Yenny González (PhD), CIMEL, Radiation and Aerosol-Water Vapor Remote Sensing, y-gonzalez@cimel.fr
- Rosa D. García (PhD), TRAGSATEC, BSRN, Radiation and Aerosol-Water Vapor Remote Sensing, rgarci47@tragsa.es
- Ramiro González (PhD), GOA-UVa postdoctoral researcher, ramiro@goa.uva.es
- Patricia Martín, GOA-UVa, laboratory technician (PTA), patricia@goa.uva.es
- Rogelio Carracedo, GOA-UVa, laboratory technician (PTA), rogelio@goa.uva.es
- Sara Herrero, GOA-UVa, PhD student, sara@goa.uva.es
Background on collaboration and official agreements
The solid background that has favoured the establishment of AEROSPAIN as a pillar of AERONET Europe and ACTRIS RI will be listed below.
- A Framework Agreement for collaboration between UVA and AEMET (formerly called Instituto Nacional de Meteorología) was signed don September 26th, 2002.
- Specific agreement was signed between AEMET (formerly called Instituto Nacional de Meteorología) and CNRS (Photons/LOA) on June 20th, 2005, to implement an AERONET calibration center for solar photometry in the Izaña Observatory. Download here.
- Specific agreement was signed between AEMET and UVa on April 24th, 2007, for the “implementation of methodology and quality control systems for the programs on Photometry, Radiometry, Ozone and Aerosols in the framework of the Global Atmosphere Watch program”.
- Specific agreement was signed between AEMET and UVa on July 27th, 2011, for the “implementation of methodology and quality control system for scientific programs on radiometry, ozone and atmospheric aerosols at Izaña Observatory, as well as the integration of the AEMET Cimel photometer network in the AERONET-RIMA standards” (until 2015).
- The collaboration between AEMET and UVa in the frame of AERONET is supported by a framework agreement, that was recently renewed to reinforce their strategic collaboration. As stated in the agreement, signed in September 2021, it provides “the framework for collaboration in research, education, training and technological developments, exchange of expertise and joint exploitation of technological developments”. Download here
- Since 2014, AEMET and UVa constitute a Joint Research Unit, that has participated together in four Horizon 2020 projects: ACTRIS-2, ACTRIS-PPP, ACTRIS-IMP, ATMO-ACCESS. This JRU agreement is supported by the long collaboration between the Izaña Atmospheric Research Center of AEMET and the Group of Atmospheric Optics of UVa, that includes two specific agreements in 2007-2011 and 2011-2014 that fostered the AERONET activity and the development of joint calibration facilities for radiometric research networks.
- International collaboration agreements between AEMET and the World Radiation Center (Davos, Suiza), and between UVA and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
- Participation of AEMET and UVA in the joint research unit ACTRIS-Spain, that comprises all Spanish institutions that are included in the ACTRIS infrastructure.