New product announcement - Introducing the next generation Aurora™ NE series of integrating nephelometers

4 Sep 2022

Best-in-class aerosol monitoring & measurement just got better – Introducing the next generation Aurora™ NE series of integrating nephelometers

How do you improve on the world’s most reliable aerosol monitoring and measurement instrument that has earned a reputation for being best-in-class by respected environmental scientists and global research institutes?

The answer is, speak to the professionals who use them. Find out what they really like about the first generation range of Aurora™ integrating nephelometers; what new or enhanced features would benefit them in the laboratory or field; and then develop a solution that not only incorporates their wish list, but enhances the capabilities of the instrument itself. In doing so, Acoem ensures the new generation of Aurora™ will service the needs of environmental protection agencies and the research sector now and well into the future.

The recognised global standard for aerosol monitoring

Acoem has been developing its own line of integrating nephelometers for over a decade, but it was the release of the Aurora™ series in 2009 that really established Acoem’s extensive international reputation for producing the most precise, efficient and easy to use integrating nephelometers on the market.

From regulatory, single wavelength (Aurora™ 1000) to the three wavelength (Aurora™ 3000) for more advanced measurements of aerosols, to the top-of-the-line polar nephelometer (Aurora™ 4000), atmospheric scientists and environmental agencies worldwide rely on Acoem Aurora™ nephelometers for their reliable accuracy, flexibility and durability under extreme weather conditions.

In the field, the Aurora™ is compact enough to fit in the fuselage of a small plane to measure volcanic ash levels over Northern Europe, reliable enough to provide early warnings of imminent dust storms in China’s Gobi Desert and robust enough to survive years at an Antarctica research station.

The Aurora™ integrating nephelometer is used by major research institutions and climate monitoring networks including Global Atmospheric Watch (GAW) —part of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)— and Aerosols, Clouds and Trace Gases Research Infrastructure (ACTRIS), which chose Aurora™ for its European atmospheric research applications.

Reliability, maintenance friendliness & instrument manufacturability are key to future-proofing your investment

Being number one in any market requires a commitment to continually look at new ways to improve our product, service, and technology offering.

When Acoem set out to design the next generation Aurora™, our research and development team focused on ensuring that all components were readily available in this challenging era of COVID-induced global supply shortages.

Updating standard Aurora™ features including integrating what were originally external optional components into the body of the new generation nephelometer was a priority. So too was retaining the same high level of instrument reliability and reducing routine maintenance complexities to simplify the user experience in the field.

The result is the Aurora™ NE series, the new benchmark for research-grade aerosol monitoring and measurement instruments. The range consists of:

Aurora™ NE-100—Single wavelength for environmental compliance
Aurora™ NE-300—Versatile three wavelength with backscatter functionality
Aurora™ NE-400 Polar—Flagship three wavelength measuring light scatter in 20 different segments.

User-generated intelligence to inform significant Improvements

First and foremost, by incorporating a new, more powerful microcontroller in the Acoem Aurora™ NE-X00 series we have significantly improved signal processing capabilities, sped up operations and established a platform for greater expandability in the future.

We reduced the truncation angle of the cell, something Acoem customers had identified as particularly important. Instrument noise has also been lowered, as well as wall scattering from internal reflections, while light source intensity has been increased.

In a further leap ahead, we’ve incorporated a seven-inch, full colour touchscreen display and back-lit keypad to replace the monochrome LCD interface of the original Aurora™. They provide an intuitive menu system that can diagnose the status of the instrument at any time.

The touchscreen cleverly hinges open to give you direct access to the filters behind it without having to remove the entire instrument cover (see image below) while the process of removing the cell for routine cleaning has been simplified through easy access to internal instrument components.

By expanding communication protocols across all Aurora™ NE models, we’ve given scientists and researchers greater choice and flexibility. New Auroras™ feature a standard network TCP/IP port, micro-SD card, USB port and RS232. These enhancements allow for extreme on-board data logging and unlimited data collection.

Better pump & flow improvements to eliminate sample contamination

If you have other instruments connected to your sample inlet, an internal ball valve ensures that the sample is isolated during calibration so you no longer need to worry about calibrations contaminating other samples on the inlet.

The internal sample pump now has a more controllable flow with volumetric control possible. By changing the way the instrument plumbs the span and zero gas into the cell, new generation Aurora™ users benefit from a calibration process that is shorter and easier.

“As a scientist and engineer, it’s extremely rewarding to know that Aurora™ has long been recognised as the global standard in integrated nephelometers. But as a scientist and engineer I also acknowledge that there’s always more we can do to improve the user experience and the instrument itself. The new Aurora™ NE series certainly does that by introducing a raft of enhancements that existing and new Aurora™ users alike will welcome and most importantly, benefit from,” said Grant Kassell, Acoem Engineering, Research & Development Manager.

“We are beginning trials with select research institutions around the world and are confident and excited about the prospect of the wider scientific community embracing our Aurora™ upgrades,” Grant added.

Ongoing technical support and service for all Aurora™ models

“With so many Aurora™ instruments and aerosol conditioning systems (ACS 1000) currently in the field and successfully being used on projects around the world, Acoem remains committed to providing ongoing technical support to Aurora™ customers now and into the future,” commented Jost Lavric, PhD, Acoem Global Scientific & LIDAR Specialist.

“The next generation Aurora™ NE series of integrating nephelometers builds on this strong foundation and provides customers inspired enhancements supported by technical innovation,” Jost added.

For a limited time only, Acoem is offering a special “Trade Up” promotion.

For more information about the next generation Aurora™ NE series integrating nephelometers:

Download the Acoem NE series brochure
Visit the Aurora NE-100, NE-300, NE-400 Polar product pages
See the global announcement in Athens at IAC 2022 (scroll down for more)
Join the webinar highlighting the Aurora NE series (scroll down to register)
Leverage the “Trade Up” promotion offer. Limited time only. Terms & conditions apply (scroll down for more)
Find your local Acoem representative
Contact Jost Lavric, PhD at email@acoem.com

Global product announcement at IAC 2022

Acoem announced the new generation Aurora NE series of integrating nephelometers on 4 Sep at the prestigious International Aerosol Conference (IAC) 2022 conference in Athens, Greece.

If you are in Athens, please join Jost Lavric, PhD (Global Scientific & LIDAR specialist) & Keith Webster (International Business Manager) at the IAC 2022 Acoem Aurora exhibition stand and see the flagship Aurora NE-400 Polar instrument in person.

Webinar 5 & 6 Oct 2022 – Register now to attend

If you can’t be at IAC 2022 in person, be sure to register and attend the webinar highlighting the next generation Acoem Aurora NE series integrating nephelometers.

You should definitely attend the webinar if you are:

An existing Aurora integrating nephelometer user
An aerosol researcher seeking reliable light scattering data
Researching the effect of aerosols on the global radiative balance
Interested in analysing the hygroscopic properties of aerosols
Working on visibility studies.

During the 30-minute webinar, you will learn more about:

New features & technology of the Aurora NE series and how it compares with the previous Aurora X000 models
The functionality of the new Aurora NE series & how to use it to its potential to measure visibility, full scatter & backscatter at various wavelengths
How to integrate the Aurora NE instrument into your aerosol monitoring platform.

Choose your webinar time zone. Register now to attend!

“Trade Up” promotion offer – Limited time only

To celebrate the launch of the new generation Aurora NE series, for a limited time only, Acoem is offering customers who own selected non-Acoem and non-Ecotech branded nephelometers the opportunity to “Trade Up” to a brand new Acoem Aurora NE-100, NE-300 or NE-400 Polar instrument and receive special incentives.

Terms and conditions apply. Click here to learn more about the Aurora NE series “Trade Up” promotion offer.