The Mobility Particle Size Spectrometer

Mobility particle size spectrometers are instruments capable of determining sub-micrometer particle number size distributions. Their fundamental principle is the separation of particles in an electric field, based on different electrical mobilities.

At TROPOS, he have been developing the following variants of mobility particle size spectrometers:

  • SMPS (Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer), diameter range 10-800 nm
  • TDMPS (Twin Differential Mobility Particle Sizer), diameter range 3-800 nm
  • TSMPS (Twin Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer), diameter range 3-800 nm

TROPOS has developed these instruments for many years, harmonising their instrumental set-up, and continuously improving their reliability, long-term stability, and performance characteristics. A main goal is to provide instruments that are useful for long-term monitoring at globally spread atmospheric research stations.

Beyond our own developments we are also deploying the following commercial particle sizing instruments:

  • Aerodynamic particle size spectrometer (APS, TSI Inc.)
  • Optical particle size spectrometers (Grimm GmbH and TSI Inc.)
  • Neutral cluster air ion spectrometer (NAIS, Airel Inc.)

ACTRIS calibration workshop in May 2014

Registered partners may participate in ACTRIS calibration workshop for mibility particle size spectrometers in May 2014.

For detailed information, visit the ACTRIS home page: WP3 - 2nd SMPS Workshop 2014

Some of our key references

  • Wiedensohler, A., Birmili, W., Nowak, A., Sonntag, A., Weinhold, K. et al.: Mobility particle size spectrometers: harmonization of technical standards and data structure to facilitate high quality long-term observations of atmospheric particle number size distributions, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 5, 657-685, 2012. Download at AMT
  • Pfeifer, S., Birmili, W., Schladitz, A., Müller, T., Nowak, A., and Wiedensohler, A.: A fast and easy-to-implement inversion algorithm for mobility particle size spectrometers considering particle number size distribution information outside of the detection range, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 95-105, 2014. Download at AMT
  • Schladitz, A., Merkel, M., Bastian, S., Birmili, W., Weinhold, K., Löschau, G., and Wiedensohler, A.: A concept of an automated function control for ambient aerosol measurements using mobility particle size spectrometers, Atmos. Meas. Tech. Discuss., 6, 10551-10570, 2013.
  • Birmili, W., F. Stratmann, A. Wiedensohler: Design of a DMA-based size spectrometer for a large particle size range and stable operation. J. Aerosol Sci., 30, 4, 549-553, 1999.
  • Birmili, W., F. Stratmann, A. Wiedensohler, D. Covert, L. M. Russel, O. Berg: Determination of Differential Mobility Analyzer Transfer Functions Using Identical Instruments in Series. Aerosol Sci. Tech., 27, 215-223, 1997.

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