Training workshop on gas analyser operation, maintenance, and calibration

Background

Over recent decades, the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region has been affected by rising emissions of air pollutants from urban, industrial, and rural sources. This has raised concerns about deteriorating air quality, impacts on health and visibility, changes in atmospheric heating and cooling, and changes in cloud microphysics. Studies have also shown that increasing air pollution is affecting the strength and timing of the monsoon, increasing stratospheric pollution above the Tibetan Plateau, depositing light absorbing substances onto snow and ice surfaces, and accelerating melting of the Himalayan cryosphere.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development’s (ICIMOD) Atmosphere Initiative – under the Regional Programme on Atmosphere – aims to bring about effective measures and policies for reducing air pollution and its impacts within the HKH region by improving knowledge and enhancing the capacity of partners in ICIMOD’s eight regional member countries. Since its establishment, the Atmosphere Initiative in collaboration with Nepalese and Bhutanese government partners has established state-of-the-art air quality stations with aerosol and trace gas measurement instruments. Trace gas measurement instruments are used in these stations as the primary instrument for the measurement of concentration of ozone, SO2, CO, NO, NO2, and NOx.

These instruments require regular servicing and calibration to ensure the highest quality of data. The Atmosphere Initiative is accordingly initiating a 10-day workshop to enhance the capacity of country partners to operate, maintain, troubleshoot, and calibrate these gas analysers. Nominated participants will gain basic knowledge of the instruments’ working principles, daily operation, maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting. The participants will undergo a hands-on training with the actual equipment, guided by engineers from the original manufacturers, Thermo Scientific. On the basis of learnings from this workshop, ICIMOD envisions future trainings on other air quality parameters.