The Zeppelin Observatory (Zeppelinobservatoriet) is a research station in Spitsbergen, Norway. It is located near the top of Zeppelinfjellet above Ny-Ålesund on the peninsula of Brøggerhalvøya. It is operated by the Norwegian Polar Institute.^[1][2][3]

The Zeppelin Observatory's primary users are the Norwegian Polar Institute, Stockholm University (SU), and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research. Instruments and measurement programs from other institutions are also available here, either permanently or temporarily.^[4]

In the Zeppelin Observatory, the research is around meteorology. The main area of focus, according to the Norwegian Polar Institute, is research on long-transported atmospheric contaminants (greenhouse gases, ozone, persistent organic pollutants, aerosols, and environmental toxins). Characteristics of Arctic atmosphere. Understanding feedback between aerosols, clouds, and radiation, and how these affect the Arctic climate. The Zeppelin Observatory is part of a group of worldwide observatories for atmospheric measurements and is a member of numerous regional and international monitoring networks, including Global Atmosphere Watch (WMO/GAW,), The Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE), the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), and the European Monitoring and Evaluation Program (EMEP).^[5]

• Rise in Ice-Nucleating Particles (INPs) as a result of Warming Surfaces: The 2019/20 MOSAiC project's year-round data from the Zeppelin Observatory indicated that the amount of highly active ice-nucleating particles might have increased due to Svalbard's surface warming. These particles are responsible for cloud formation and can influence the conditions of the Arctic environment.^[6]

• Isotope-Based Source Apportionment of Black Carbon: In 2009, the observatory conducted research to use dual-carbon isotopes (Δ¹⁴C and δ¹³C) to identify sources of elemental carbon (black carbon) during high-pollution activities. To facilitate mitigation efforts, this study analyzed the relative contributions of burning biomass and fossil fuels to Arctic black carbon levels.^[7]

The research station at Zeppelinfjellet was built between 1988-1989 and officially opened in 1990. After 10 years of use, it was determined that the building no longer covered the needs that were required to operate advanced instrumentation. In the second half of 1999, the old building was demolished and a new and improved station was built at the same site. The new station building was officially opened on 2 May 2000.^[8]

Six separate instrument rooms, three outside platforms for equipment and inlets, and a 14-meter-tall pole for inlets make up the observatory. For project-based measurement campaigns, two of the instrument rooms are set aside specifically for "campaign" instruments.^[9]

• List of research stations in the Arctic

78°54′N 11°53′E / 78.900°N 11.883°E / 78.900; 11.883