Geographical distribution of the stations

The National Observation Service (NOS) RENOIR currently comprises 33 stations sampling and analysing rainwater, disseminated throughout metropolitan and overseas France. These stations are located according to a precise plan based on geographical criteria (according to longitude, latitude and altitude, and also taking into account atmospheric dynamics). As far as possible, they share already instrumented sites with other NOS, notably those constituting the OZCAR-RI network of Critical Zone Observatories (Observatoires de la Zone Critique: Applications et Recherche; https://www.ozcar-ri.org/fr/).

Protocol and equipment for sample acquisition

The RENOIR network has implemented a homogeneous set of procedures in all its stations, ranging from equipment installation, through sample collection and storage, up to sample analysis and data validation by the various associated laboratories. As the French component of the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP), the procedures for equipment installation and sample acquisition by the stations comprising the NOS RENOIR are based on the “GNIP Precipitation sampling guide” issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); http://www.naweb.iaea.org/napc/ih/documents/other/gnip_manual_v2.02_en_hq.pdf The stations constituting the RENOIR network therefore all collect precipitation samples using standardized equipment, comprising a PALMEX rain gauge tested to guarantee the absence of evaporation of the rainwater samples collected. For the collection of snow samples, a special “Snow” extension is supplied with the PALMEX rain gauge.

•  The stations constituting the RENOIR network therefore all collect precipitation samples using standardized equipment, comprising a PALMEX rain gauge tested to guarantee the absence of evaporation of the rainwater samples collected.
• For the collection of snow samples, a special “Snow” extension is supplied with the PALMEX rain gauge.

Certaines stations plus anciennes du SNO RENOIR ont leur propre équipement, également validé pour la collecte des précipitations. Ces équipements spécifiques sont détaillés dans les Fiches-Stations que vous trouverez stations dans l’onglet « Le Réseau ».