It is becoming increasingly clear that a class of atmospheric aerosol particles which catalyse ice formation have a profound impact on our planet’s climate. Recent research clearly demonstrates that important cloud types are extremely sensitive to ice nucleating particle (INP) concentrations and that a knowledge of the INP population is necessary to correctly predict these clouds. However, our community lacks instrumentation which allows the routine and autonomous quantification of these important particle types. In CountIce we have taken a significant step towards addressing this gap in our capability by demonstrating, developing and commercialising the PINE chamber (Portable Ice Nucleation Experiment).
PINE is the first the first instrument to automatically measure atmospheric ice nucleating particles and in CountIce we designed and constructed a suitable inlet system and ran PINE in our mobile laboratory (the IcePod) for several months, largely unattended. Control of PINE was achieved via an internet link and it could be controlled using a phone or remote computer, demonstrating its utility for use in remote intermittently manned research stations elsewhere in the world.
We have patented the core technology in PINE and have partnered with a company, Bilfinger Noel GMBH, who have developed a comercial version of the instrument and are now marketing it. We recently made our first two sales of the instrument, one in Germany and one in China and have interest from potential customers from across the world.
The development and commercialisation of PINE is clearly achieving commercial impact, but will also have a societal benefit through improving our community's capacity to make long-term measurements of ice-nucleating particles. This will enable us in the longer term to improve our climate models, with clear benefits for society.
