North American Exposure Sites
Miami, Florida
For over 75 years, the Miami region of southern Florida has been a benchmark for outdoor testing of materials durability. High levels of ultraviolet radiation, humidity and temperature combine to provide a subtropical environment widely specified for outdoor exposure testing of paints, coatings, textiles and plastics used in various industries worldwide.
| Latitude: | 25º 52' North |
| Longitude: | 80º 52' West |
| Elevation: | 3 meters |
| Average Temp: | 23 °C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity: | 78 % |
| Total Rain: | 1685 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | 6,588 MJ/m2 |
Naples, Florida
The Naples exposure site, located on the west coast of Florida, provides a salt atmosphere.
| Latitude: | 26º 09' North |
| Longitude: | 81º 47' West |
| Elevation: | 5 meters |
| Average Temp: | 23 °C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity: | N/A |
| Total Rain: | 1343 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | N/A |
Jacksonville, Florida
The Jacksonville exposure facility, located on Blount Island in the Port of Jacksonville, provides a unique combination of conditions yielding an "acid etch environment" for the exposure of coatings. The combination of several coal and oil fired electrical power plants, the salt atmosphere of the seaport, and the heat and humidity of Florida makes this an ideal location for environmental etch resistance tests, as specified by automotive manufacturers.
| Latitude: | 30º 29' North |
| Longitude: | 81º 42' West |
| Elevation: | 8 meters |
| Average Temp: | 20 °C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity: | 76 % |
| Total Rain: | 1303 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | 5,800 MJ/m² |
Phoenix, Arizona
Along with southern Florida, Arizona has long been considered a benchmark for outdoor exposure testing possessing high levels of solar radiation and elevated temperatures, two crucial factors in weathering processes. Unlike southern Florida, however, Arizona has low relative humidity (approximately 40%) which can have a distinct effect on materials durability.
Atlas Weathering Services Group's Arizona desert site, DSET Laboratories, is located approximately 50km (30mi) north of metropolitan Phoenix in an unpolluted environment. Since 1948, DSET has offered desert exposure testing suitable for materials used in a wide range of industries, including automotive, construction and consumer products.
| Latitude: | 33º 29' North |
| Longitude: | 112º 08' West |
| Elevation: | 610 meters |
| Average Temp: | 22 °C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity: | 37 % |
| Total Rain: | 255 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | 8,004 MJ/m2 |
Prescott, Arizona
With an elevation of 1531m (5016 ft) this unpolluted, high altitude environment accumulates annual total radiant energy of 7000 MJ/m2. Average yearly rainfall of 1090mm (43in), cold winter temperatures, and high levels of total UV radiation make this a good site for testing materials commonly used in alpine environments.
| Latitude: | 34º 39' North |
| Longitude: | 112º 26' West |
| Elevation: | 1531 meters |
| Average Temp: | 12 °C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity: | 65 % |
| Total Rain: | 1093 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | 7,000 MJ/m² |
Chicago, Illinois
The Chicago, Illinois site is an example of a northern, temperate climate characterized by warm summers and cold winters with multiple freezes. It is also an example of a light industrial region and can be useful in many materials testing applications.
| Latitude: | 41º 47' North |
| Longitude: | 87º 45' West |
| Elevation: | 190 meters |
| Average Temp: | 10 °C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity: | 69 % |
| Total Rain: | 856 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | 5,100 MJ/m2 |
Deerwood, Minnesota
The Minnesota exposure site is categorized as a northern cold climate. The site has numerous winter freeze days and freeze/thaw cycles in spring and fall, as well as temperate summers.
| Latitude: | 46º 47' North |
| Longitude: | 93º 9' West |
| Elevation: | |
| Average Temp: | 5.3º C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity | 70% |
| Total Rain: | 700 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | 5,000 MJ/m² |
Medina, Ohio
The weathering site in Medina represents a Northern Temperate environment.
| Latitude: | 41° 07' North |
| Longitude: | 81° 54' West |
| Elevation: | 336 meters |
| Average Temp: | 10 °C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity: | 72 % |
| Total Rain: | 844 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | 5100 MJ/m² |
Ottawa, Canada
Located in Ottawa, Canada, the National Research Center is a good example of northern, cold climate. The low average temperature and multiple freeze thaw cycles is the perfect environment for many types of materials testing.
| Latitude: | 45º 20' North |
| Longitude: | 75º 41' West |
| Elevation: | 103 meters |
| Average Temp: | 6 °C |
| Avg. Relative Humidity: | 73 % |
| Total Rain: | 1910 mm |
| Total Radiant Exposure: | 4,050 MJ/m2 |
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