Articles | Volume 23, issue 23
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14949-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14949-2023
Opinion
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05 Dec 2023
Opinion | Highlight paper |  | 05 Dec 2023

Opinion: The strength of long-term comprehensive observations to meet multiple grand challenges in different environments and in the atmosphere

Markku Kulmala, Anna Lintunen, Hanna Lappalainen, Annele Virtanen, Chao Yan, Ekaterina Ezhova, Tuomo Nieminen, Ilona Riipinen, Risto Makkonen, Johanna Tamminen, Anu-Maija Sundström, Antti Arola, Armin Hansel, Kari Lehtinen, Timo Vesala, Tuukka Petäjä, Jaana Bäck, Tom Kokkonen, and Veli-Matti Kerminen

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Cited articles

Aalto, J., Kolari, P., Hari, P., Kerminen, V.-M., Schiestl-Aalto, P., Aaltonen, H., Levula, J., Siivola, E., Kulmala, M., and Bäck, J.: New foliage growth is a significant, unaccounted source for volatiles in boreal evergreen forests, Biogeosciences, 11, 1331–1344, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-11-1331-2014, 2014. 
Adam, D.: True COVID death toll could be more than double official count, Nature, 605, 206–206, https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-01245-6, 2022. 
Ahola, J., Raatikainen, T., Alper, M. E., Keskinen, J.-P., Kokkola, H., Kukkurainen, A., Lipponen, A., Liu, J., Nordling, K., Partanen, A.-I., Romakkaniemi, S., Räisänen, P., Tonttila, J., and Korhonen, H.: Technical note: Parameterising cloud base updraft velocity of marine stratocumuli, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 4523–4537, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-4523-2022, 2022. 
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Editorial statement
For well over a century, many advances in tropospheric chemistry and physics have been driven by in situ observations, with measurements tending to be either specific measurements over multi-year periods, often as part of a network, or short term ‘intensive’ observations over of a more limited duration, typically 1-2 months. But in recent decades, many major developments in atmospheric science have been fueled through long-term comprehensive observations, and the Finnish SMEAR project is a major pioneering example of this. As part of the 20th anniversary Special Issue of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, this opinion piece reflects on the manifold and sustained contributions this has made to atmospheric science.
Short summary
To be able to meet global grand challenges, we need comprehensive open data with proper metadata. In this opinion paper, we describe the SMEAR (Station for Measuring Earth surface – Atmosphere Relations) concept and include several examples (cases), such as new particle formation and growth, feedback loops and the effect of COVID-19, and what has been learned from these investigations. The future needs and the potential of comprehensive observations of the environment are summarized.
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