This fall, the ARM-Unmanned Aerospace Vehicle Program—specifically, the Proteus aircraft—is participating in the Mixed-Phase Arctic Cloud Experiment (M-PACE) in Alaska. However, several of the aircraft’s onboard instruments have been modified since its last deployment in November 2002. To verify instrument operation and calibration prior deployment as part of M-PACE, in late September 2004, ARM researchers…

During the past several years, the sensitivity of the 8-year old Raman lidar at the ARM Climate Research Facility Southern Great Plains (SGP) site has decreased between a factor of 3-4, resulting in a lower maximum altitude and increased random error in the geophysical properties (such as water vapor mixing ration and aerosol extinction profiles)…

The 1-channel (left) and 2-channel (right) NFOV radiometers are collocated with the infrared thermometer (green stripe) at the SGP Central Facility. Numerous other instruments are situated nearby. ARM file photo. In September 2004, the ARM Climate Research Facility Operations staff installed a new 2-channel Narrow Field of View (NFOV) radiometer at the Southern Great Plains…

Measurements from field instruments, such as the radar wind profiler (center) and radio acoustic sounding system (perimeter) in Barrow, are collected and transmitted by the Site Data System. Image courtesy of Mike Ebinger. Site Data Systems are a critically important element of the ARM Climate Research Facility’s ability to collect and transmit data on clouds…

This liquid water plot from SSM/I global data shows long cloud bands and areas of scattered convection (red), including a fairly extensive cloud system in the vicinity of Manus Island in the Tropical Western Pacific (indicated by the white rectangle). ARM file image. For several years, the ARM Program has collected global satellite data for…

With a new school year looming, ARM Climate Research Facility staff involved in the Education and Outreach Program worked with the ARM communications team to develop and implement an updated Education website. The redesigned website includes updated content and a fresh look to complement the recent ARM website redesign. For continuity, the website still features…

The SuomiNet software integrates a network of global positioning systems to distribute spatially and temporally dense atmospheric data in real-time from broad and diverse regions. ARM file photo. ARM Program scientists are concentrating on developing techniques for obtaining the best possible water vapor measurements under a wide range of conditions (clear/cloudy, day/night, etc.). In 2001,…

Thanks to quick actions on the part of numerous ARM Climate Research Facility operations staff, an Extended Range Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (ER-AERI) is on its way to Oliktok Point, Alaska. As part of an ongoing instrument comparison, two ER-AERIs (one a permanent ARM instrument, the other a “visitor”) have been operating side by side…

Development of the new 2-channel NFOV (right) benefited greatly from a comparison with the original 1-channel version (left). ARM file photo. Development of a new, two-channel narrow field of view (NFOV) radiometer for the ARM Climate Research Facility Southern Great Plains site is nearly complete. The two-channel NFOV replaces a similar single-channel instrument that was…

Summary of the ARM Climate Research Facility User Site Visits, Archive Accounts, and Research Computer Accounts for the Period of October 1, 2003 – June 30, 2004. ARM image. Far exceeding the established milestone of 800 users in fiscal year 2004, at the end of June the ARM Climate Research Facility reported a cumulative total…