Two Nature publications involving Zeppelin observatory

Two new Nature publications highlight the importance of the long-term atmospheric observation at Zeppelin observatory in Ny-Ålesund. Both articles were published within two days in September 2026 and both investigate the role of aerosols on the Arctic climate.

Publication 1: An Arctic climatology of particle number size distributions and cloud condensation nuclei during warm and moist intrusions

Dönmez, B. et al. An Arctic climatology of particle number size distributions and cloud condensation nuclei during warm and moist intrusions. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science (2026)

In this publication, long-term aerosol measurements from five Arctic observatories were used to investigate how warm, moist air intrusions affect Arctic aerosol- and cloud properties.

Publication 2: Contrasting aerosol–cloud feedbacks across a warming Arctic

Chua, S. D. X. et al. Contrasting aerosol–cloud feedbacks across a warming Arctic. Nature Geoscience (2026).

The second publication compares not five, but eight locations with regard to aerosol observations. They focused in particular on how new aerosols are formed, how these aerosols act as so-called cloud condensation nuclei, and how these processes differ between the different locations.

The data sets from Zeppelin observatory used in both publications, belong to the science of Stockholm University (SU), focusing strongly on particle formation and aerosols.

Both publications show how Zeppelin observatory is part of a large network of pan-Arctic and world-wide measurements, and how streamlining of procedures and consistency plays a key role in data comparison.

Congratulations to everybody involved in this achievement!

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