The Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) operates a tremendous number and types of instruments. The Southern Great Plains is one of the Cloud and Radiation Testbeds (CART). Here a simplification of the extensive materials prepared by the ARM CART (http://www.arm.gov/docs/sites/sgp/sgp.html). The site layout is based upon a heavily instrumented central facility (CF) surrounded by 22 extended facilities (fewer instruments) (EF), 4 boundary facilities (BF), and 3 intermediate facilities (IF). Figure 1 includes the locations of all facilities.
Instrumentation at the CF is listed in Table 18. EF sites include the SIROS, SMOS, EBBR or ECOR, and SWATS. IF facilities include BBSS, MWR, and a 404 MHZ Wind Profilers. Each IF has a 915 MHz Wind Profiler.
The schedule for BBSS launches is as follows:
Routine Schedule CF-0600, 1200, 1500, 1800, 2100 UMT
BF-1800 UMT (1200 local)
IOP Schedule CF-0300, 0600, 0900, 1200, 1500, 1800, 2100, 2400
BF-0300, 0600, 0900, 1200, 1500, 1800, 2100, 2400
The Central facility includes two EF sites, one range and the other winter wheat. Therefore, many of the instruments are replicated for each cover type (radiometric observations, wind, temperature and humidity sounding systems, energy balance, surface meteorology, and soil moisture and temperature profile). There are currently 22 EF sites designed to primarily to monitor surface and moisture (energy balance, surface meteorology, and soil moisture and temperature profile).
| Table 18. ARM CART Central Facility Observations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Radiometric Observations | Atmospherically Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI) | |
| Solar Radiance Transmission Interferometer (SORTI) | ||
| Broad Band Solar Radiation Network (BSRN) | Pyranometers | |
| Pyrgeometer | ||
| Pyrheliometer | ||
| Multifilter Rotating Shadow Band Radiometer (MFRSR) | ||
| Solar and Infrared Radiation Observing System (SIROS) | Pyranometers up and downwelling | |
| Pyrgeometer up and downwelling | ||
| Pyrheliometer | ||
| Multifilter Rotating Shadow Band Radiometer (MFRSR) | ||
| UV-B PAR, Multifilter Radiometer (MFR) | ||
| Wind, Temperature and Humidity Sounding Systems | Balloon Borne Sounding System (BBSS) | Pressure |
| Temperature | ||
| Relative Humidity | ||
| Wind Speed | ||
| Wind Direction | ||
| 915MHz Profiler with RASS | ||
| 50 MHZ Profiler with RASS | ||
| Microwave Radiometer | ||
| Raman Lidar | ||
| Infrared Thermometer | ||
| Cloud Observations | Whole Sky Imager | |
| Belfort Laser Ceilometer | ||
| Micropulse Lidar | ||
| Millimeter Cloud Radar | ||
| Other | Temp and Humidity at 25 and 60 m tower | |
| Energy Balance Bowen Ratio (EBBR) | Air Temperature at Two Heights | |
| Relative Humidity at Two Heights | ||
| Net Radiation at 2 m | ||
| Near Surface Soil Moisture (2.5 cm) | ||
| Near Surface Soil Temperature (0-5 cm) | ||
| Near Surface Soil Heat Flux (5 cm) | ||
| Atmospheric Barometric Pressure | ||
| Wind Direction at 2.5 m | ||
| Wind Speed at 2.5 m | ||
| Eddy Correlation (ECOR) | Air Temperature | |
| Relative Humidity | ||
| Wind Direction | ||
| Wind Speed | ||
| Surface Meteorological Observation Station (SMOS) | Air Temperature at 2 m | |
| Relative Humidity at 2 m | ||
| Atmospheric Barometric Pressure | ||
| Wind Direction at 10 m | ||
| Wind Speed at 10 m | ||
| Precipitation | ||
| Snow Depth | ||
| Soil Water and Temperature System (SWATS | Soil Moisture (5, 15, 25, 35, 45, 85, 125, and 175 cm depths) | |
| Soil Temperature (5, 15, 25, 35, 45, 85, 125, and 175 cm depths) | ||