Permanent Water Site
Campaign Permanent Water Sites

Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD) sensors are in situ instrument packages that are used to measure water depth, pressure, salinity, temperature, and density in the ocean. CTD sensors can be deployed on various water-based platforms such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), buoys, gliders, or research vessels. When deployed on a vessel, CTD sensors are typically attached to a rosette and then lowered to the seafloor to measure water properties. CTD sensors have a typical sampling rate of 30 Hz and can collect precise measurements for a specific water depth depending on the researcher's needs.

The Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) Photometer Revision for Incident Surface Measurements (SeaPRISM) is a surface-based photometer. It supports the marine component of the AERONET network called AERONET-Ocean Color (AERONET-OC). It is a CIMEL Electronique automated sun photometer modified to measure sky- and sea-radiance. These measurements can be used to determine the chlorophyll-ɑ concentration or ocean color. SeaPRISM operates across the 412 to 1020 nm spectral range and has a data acquisition rate of 1 Hz.

Generic-Atmospheric State (Gen-AtmsState) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for measurements of atmospheric state parameters. These are typically in situ sensors that measure temperature, pressure, humidity, and wind speed/direction. Types of atmospheric state instruments include thermometers, hygrometers, barometers, and anemometers.

Generic-Chemistry Related Sensors (Gen-Chemistry) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for atmospheric chemistry measurements. These are typically in situ analyzers that measure various chemical compounds such as trace gases, halocarbons, volatile organic compounds, nitrates, aerosols, and other chemical species. Measurements can include mixing ratio, composition, particle size, optical properties, and particle size distribution.

Nephelometers are in situ airborne or ground-based optical sensors. They measure the total scattering and backscattering of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Nephelometers operate across three wavelengths: 450 nm, 550 nm, and 700 nm, and have a typical time resolution of 1 Hz.

The Micropulse Lidar (MPL) is a ground-based lidar system used for cloud detection. It measures lidar backscatter at 532 nm to retrieve cloud properties such as cloud top and base height. It can also be used for the detection of aerosols. MPL has a vertical resolution of 15 m and a maximum range of 18 km. MPL can operate autonomously and typically provides 10-second averaged data.

Sunphotometers are passive optical sensors that measure the amount of sunlight. They are pointed directly at the sun to measure direct sunlight and not sunlight scatter from aerosols. These measurements can be used to determine the aerosol optical depth by following Beer’s Law. Sunphotometers have been deployed on aircraft, research vessels, and field sites for aerosol research and monitoring.

This data will be added in future versions

A pyrheliometer is a ground-based passive radiation sensor. It is used to measure direct beam solar irradiance. Pyrheliometers use a thermopile that converts heat from sunlight to an electrical signal to determine solar radiation. Pyrheliometers measure solar radiation in the 200-4000 nm wavelength range.

Condensation Particle Counters (CPCs) are in situ sensors that measure aerosol particle concentration. CPCs measure aerosol concentration by condensing fluid onto the particles, allowing them to grow to more detectable sizes for optical scattering. Typically, CPCs can detect particles with a size range of 7 nm-3 μm, can measure particle concentrations up to 100,000 particles/cc, and can provide measurements at 1-second intervals. CPCs are manufactured by TSI Incorporated and can be deployed on airborne, shipborne, and ground-based platforms.

The Multifilter Rotating Shadowband Radiometer (MFRSR) is a ground-based passive radiometer used to measure the global and diffuse components of solar irradiance. It measures solar irradiance across six narrowband channels and one broadband channel. The nominal wavelengths of the narrowband channels are 415, 500, 615, 673, 870, and 940 nm. MFRSR has a typical sampling interval of 20 seconds and takes measurements at four different shadowband positions: nadir, first side-band, sun-blocked, and second side-band. MFRSR is deployed across several of the Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility sites.

A pyrgeometer is a ground-based or airborne passive radiation sensor. It measures downward and upward longwave radiation in the 4-50 μm spectral range. Pyrgeometers measure changes in resistance/voltage using a thermopile sensor to determine longwave radiation. These measurements can be used to calculate the infrared radiation flux. Pyrgeometers are typically used for climatological, meteorological, and agricultural applications.