CSA is a photochemical reactor designed for the experimental simulation of chemical mechanisms governing the evolution of organic pollutants in the atmosphere. It allows the study of chemical reactions in homogeneous gas phase. This reactor consists of a vacuum chamber of large size (6 m, 977 L) in pyrex, equipped with a system of artificial irradiation of 40 fluorescent tubes and 16 arc lamps, all producing a spectrum of radiation ranging from 300 to 600 nm. This tool is also equipped with devices for analysis by spectrometry in-situ of long optical passages in the ultraviolet domain, of visible and infrared areas. The infrared path, of a maximum optical passage of 662 m, allows the acquisition of spectra with a resolution of 0.013 cm-1. The UV-visible spectrometer way allows the acquisition spectra between 250 to 950 nm on an optimal optical path of 72 m. These two techniques allow real time analysis of complex reaction mixtures while avoiding the artifacts related to sampling techniques.

This simulation chamber is part of the facilities of the European consortium EUROCHAMP.