Skip to main content
  • Paul Scherrer Institut PSI
  • PSI Research, Labs & User Services

Digital User Office

  • Digital User Office
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)
Search
Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI)

Hauptnavigation

  • Research at PSIOpen mainmenu item
    • Research Initiatives
    • Ethics and Research integrity
    • Scientific Highlights
    • Scientific Events
    • Scientific Career
    • PSI-FELLOW
    • PSI Data Policy
  • Research Divisions and LabsOpen mainmenu item
    • Overview
    • Research with Neutrons and Muons
    • Photon Science
    • Energy and Environment
    • Nuclear Energy and Safety
    • Biology and Chemistry
    • Scientific Computing, Theory and Data
    • Large Research Facilities
  • Facilities and InstrumentsOpen mainmenu item
    • Overview
    • Large Research Facilities
    • Facilities
    • PSI Facility Newsletter
  • PSI User ServicesOpen mainmenu item
    • User Office
    • Methods at the PSI User Facilities
    • Proposals for beam time
    • Proposal Deadlines
    • Data Analysis Service (PSD)
    • EU support programmes
  • New ProjectsOpen mainmenu item
    • SLS 2.0
    • IMPACT
  • DE
  • EN
  • FR

Digital User Office (mobile)

  • Digital User Office

You are here:

  1. PSI Home
  2. Labs & User Services
  3. ENE
  4. LAC
  5. Research Facilities
  6. Jungfraujoch Site

Secondary navigation

Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry (LAC)

  • People
    • Alumni
  • Research Groups
    • Organisational Structure
    • Gasphase and Aerosol Chemistry
    • Aerosol Physics
    • Environmental Molecular Science
    • Aerosol and Health
    • Surface Chemistry Research Group
  • Research Facilities Expanded submenu item
    • Smog Chambers
    • Mobile Smog Chamber
    • CLOUD Chamber
    • Jungfraujoch Site
    • Mobile Laboratory
    • Air Quality Models
  • Projects
    • ACTRIS
    • APPROPRIATE
    • BISAR
    • GAW Aerosol Monitoring at JFJ
    • Archive
  • Teaching and Seminars
  • News & Highlights
  • Publications
  • Work with us

The High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch

The Sphinx Observatory of the High Alpine Research Station Jungfraujoch
The Sphinx Observatory of the High Alpine Research Station Jungfraujoch
The High Altitude Research Station Jungfraujoch is located in the Swiss Alps in the center of Europe and is the property of the Foundation HFSJG. It comprises several laboratories, a mechanical workshop, a library, a dining and recreation room, a kitchen, ten bedrooms, and the custodians’ apartments. The Jungfraujoch is the highest research station in Europe that is accessible all year round by rail and it is the only accessible observation point in Europe with adequate infrastructure that is within the free troposphere most of the year. The special geographical situation offers the opportunity to monitor European background concentrations but also to investigate the transport of anthropogenic pollutants from the boundary layer to the free troposphere. The site is therefore of utmost importance for ground-based observations of the lower free troposphere. The research on aerosols as well as on trace gases (i.e. greenhouse gases, reactive air pollutants) are among the most comprehensive ones worldwide.

Aerosol Measurements

Aerosol inlets on top of the Sphinx building at Jungfraujoch.
Aerosol inlets on top of the Sphinx building at Jungfraujoch.

Our group conducts aerosol measurements in the Sphinx Laboratory which is located on an exposed mountain col at an altitude of 3580 meters. Ambient air is sampled from different inlet systems:

  • Continuous aerosol measurements are done with a heated inlet (25°C) designed to evaporate cloud droplets and small ice crystals at an early stage of sampling (i.e. sampling both cloud residual and interstitial particles).
  • During campaigns, an interstitial inlet is operated. Here, a PM2-cyclone is used to sample only the non-activated aerosol (i.e. no cloud droplets or ice crystals).
  • Currently an ice selective inlet is developed. It will also allow the extraction of small ice particles in mixed-phase clouds for the physico-chemical characterization of tropospheric ice nuclei.
Aerosol instruments inside the Sphinx building.
Aerosol instruments inside the Sphinx building.
Comparing the response downstream of the different inlets provides insight in the fractionation of aerosol particles between the cloud phases (liquid, ice) and the interstitial phase.

Throughout the year, the station is within clouds about 40% of the time. This offers the unique possibility to investigate the climate relevant properties of clouds and their formation processes, particularly those of mixed-phase clouds where supercooled cloud droplets and ice crystals coexist. The aerosol monitoring and research activities at Jungfraujoch are performed within the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) program of the World Meteorological Organization. The research activities and have been and are embedded in numerous EC projects, such as EUSAAR, EUCAARI, GEOMON, and most recently ACTRIS.

Transnational Access

As part of the transnational access (TNA) activity, ACTRIS offers opportunities to researchers or research teams to access the Jungfraujoch research facilities with an excellent combination of advanced instruments and expertise, using state-of-the-art equipment for measurement campaigns and instrument testing. ACTRIS supports training of new scientists in order to conduct high-quality research and contributes the scientific community to exchange knowledge and experience and to work towards future common projects and objectives. More information on TNA is found here.

Further Information

Click here for information on the continuous aerosol measurement programme.

Click here for information on the intensive measurement campaigns.

Please direct questions and/or comments about PSI’s activities at Jungfraujoch to Martin Gysel-Beer or Benjamin Brem.

Sidebar

Contact

Laboratory of Atmospheric Chemistry
Secretariate
Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland
 


Mohr Claudia


Laboratory Head LAC
Claudia Mohr
Telephone: +41 56 310 54 77
e-mail: claudia.mohr@psi.ch

 


Indlekofer Claudia


Assistant
Claudia Indlekofer
Telephone: +41 56 310 2522
e-mail: claudia.indlekofer@psi.ch

top

Footer

Paul Scherrer Institut

Forschungsstrasse 111
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 21 11
Telefax: +41 56 310 21 99

How to find us
Contact

Visitor Centre psi forum
School Lab iLab (in German)
Center for Proton Therapy
PSI Education Centre
PSI Guest House
PSI Gastronomie (in German)
psi forum shop

Service & Support

  • Phone Book
  • User Office
  • Accelerator Status
  • PSI Publications
  • Suppliers
  • E-Billing
  • Computing
  • Safety (in German)

Career

  • Working at PSI
  • Job Opportunities
  • Training and further education
  • Career Center
  • Vocational Training (in German)
  • PSI Education Center

For the media

  • PSI in brief
  • Facts and Figures
  • Media corner
  • Media Releases
  • Social Media

Follow us: Twitter (in English) LinkedIn Youtube Facebook Instagram Issuu RSS

Footer legal

  • Imprint
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Editors' login