Cézeaux-Aulnat-Opme-Puy De Dôme: a multi-site for the long term survey of the tropospheric composition and climate change

Abstract. For the last twenty-five years, CO-PDD (Cézeaux-Aulnat-Opme-puy de Dôme) has evolved to become a full instrumented platform for atmospheric research. It is nationally accredited by CNRS, the French national center for scientific research, and recognized as a global station in the GAW network (Global Atmospheric Watch). It is a reference site of the European and national research infrastructures ACTRIS (Aerosol Cloud and Trace gases Research Infrastructure) and ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observing System). The site located on-top of the puy de Dôme mountain (1465 m a.s.l.) is completed by additional sites located at lower altitudes and adding the vertical dimension to the atmospheric observations: Opme (660 m a.s.l.), Cézeaux (410 m) and Aulnat (330 m). On the sites has been developed a unique combination of in-situ and remote sensing measurements capturing and documenting the variability of particulate and gaseous atmospheric composition, but also the optical, biochemical and physical properties of aerosol particles, clouds and precipitations. Given its location far away from any major emission sources, its altitude and the mountain orography, the puy de Dôme station is ideally situated to sample different air masses in the boundary layer or in the free troposphere depending on time of day and seasons. It is also an ideal place to study cloud properties with frequent presence of clouds at the top in autumn and winter. As a result of the natural conditions prevailing at the site and of the very exhaustive instrumental deployment, scientific studies at puy de Dôme strongly contribute to improving the knowledge in atmospheric sciences including the characterization of trends and variability, the understanding of complex and interconnected processes (microphysical, chemical, biological, chemical and dynamical) and providing a reference point for climate models. In this context, CO-PDD is a pilot site to conduct instrumental development inside its wind tunnel for testing liquid/ice cloud probes in natural conditions, or in-situ systems to collect aerosol and cloud. This paper reviews 25 years (1995–2020) of atmospheric observation at the station, and related scientific research contributing to atmospheric and climate science.