Atmospheric Boundary Layer Eco-Environment Shanghuang Observatory: An Integrated Multiscale Research Platform in Southeastern China for Understanding Boundary Layer Processes, Atmospheric Chemistry Feedback, and Extreme Weather–Climate Linkages

In the context of global warming, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, meteorological disasters, and regional pollution events highlights the urgent need for targeted atmospheric observations in ecologically sensitive regions. The atmospheric boundary layer top remains a critical yet under-observed interface in climate and environmental research. To respond to this need, the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Eco-Environment Shanghuang Observatory (ABLES) was established in 2023 by the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in Jinhua, southeastern China. As a high-altitude, state-of-the-art research platform, ABLES addresses the critical need for comprehensive atmospheric and environmental observations in East Asia. The observatory facilitates interdisciplinary research focusing on three core areas: (1) cross-sphere transport of pollutants between atmospheric layers and its environmental and climatic impacts; (2) physical and chemical interactions between clouds and aerosols under extreme weather conditions; and (3) multiscale feedback mechanisms between climate change and ecosystems. ABLES is also aimed at revealing long-term patterns in greenhouse gases, ozone depleting substances, and cloud properties, and to elaborate the formation mechanisms of severe weather events such as thunderstorms and freezing rain. The findings at ABLES will support advances in weather forecasting, air quality modeling, and adaptive strategies for climate resilience. As part of China’s growing environmental monitoring network, ABLES has been collaborating with various research organizations, serving as a cooperative research platform for technological development and evidence-based environmental policymaking.