A cutting-edge new instrument for studying bioaerosols in the atmosphere, known as the Swisens Enhanced Poleno Jupiter, is joining the FAAM Airborne Laboratory through the Mid-Life Upgrade programme. The instrument will help scientists better understand tiny particles of biological material like pollen, spores, and bacteria that travel through the air.
These particles, known as bioaerosols, may be microscopic but they play a huge role in our world. Bioaerosols can trigger allergies, spread plant diseases, and influence how clouds and rainfall form. Until now, it’s been very difficult to monitor them in real time, especially from the air.
A specially-modified instrument to measure airborne biological particles
A new version of the Swisens Poleno Jupiter, specially adapted for airborne measurements, changes that. A modified version of the instrument will be installed in the FAAM Airborne Laboratory’s atmospheric research aircraft through the Enhanced Poleno Jupiter project. Measurements taken in flight allow scientists to identify and measure bioaerosols in the air as they disperse through the atmosphere to different regions and across different altitudes. Using a combination of digital holography and fluorescence spectroscopy, it “fingerprints” individual particles in real-time. Modern analytical methods and classification algorithms tell us what class of biological particles they are—almost like a digital microscope in the sky.
“This technology finally allows us to explore what scientists are calling ‘atmospheric biomes’—invisible ecosystems in the air that carry biological material across the globe,” explains Professor Martin Gallagher, who leads the Enhanced Poleno Jupiter project at the University of Manchester in partnership with Swisens. “It’s a breakthrough for understanding how climate change might be altering these systems.”
A step forward for airborne bioaerosol monitoring
What makes this instrument especially powerful is that it builds on the existing version of SwisensPoleno Jupiter already used across Europe for bioaerosol monitoring. But this is the first time it’s been adapted for use in flight, opening new possibilities for airborne research. Along with our research aircraft’s other measurement capabilities, the Enhanced Poleno Jupiter will help piece together a more complete picture of the atmosphere and its biomes – one that connects what’s happening in the air to what’s happening on the ground.
From studying the spread of allergens and pathogens to tracking changes in ecosystems caused by climate change, this new instrument is an exciting leap forward in how we observe and understand the world around us – from the skies above.