ALOMAR ARI - Selected Instruments


Selected Instruments The following ALOMAR instruments can be used under the ARI programme

Ozone Lidar The Ozone Differential Absorption Lidar uses the 308 nm XeCl excimer laser wavelength as the fundamental line. Ca. 15% of the light is converted to 353 nm in a Raman cell. Ozone density profiles up to 60 km are measured by comparing the intensities of the two wavelengths, one of which is absorbed by ozone. The data can also be used to determine temperature profiles. When detecting PSC (Polar Stratospheric Clouds) or NLC (Noctilucent Clouds) the Ozone Lidar provides particle size information. The Ozone Lidar can operate in full daylight within a limited height range. The lidar can in addition be tuned to a wavelength giving fluorescence from the OH radical (e.g., from 70 - 80 km). The ALOMAR Ozone Lidar is owned by FFI, NILU and Andøya Rocket Range/ALOMAR .
	MF Radar The MF radar is a medium- frequency radar system running continuously 24h per day and measuring horizontal wind velocity and direction in the height range between 60 km and 80 km. The IAP, CoRA and Andøya Rocket Range/ALOMAR provide the system. Operating Principle: Radio pulses from the transmitter are partially reflected by irregularities in the D-region and received by three spatially separated antennas. The Full Correlation Analysis of the three complex time series received yields the wind estimate. Technical parameters: Frequency: 1.98 MHz Power: 50 kW PEP Pulse length: 27 µs Pulse shape: Gaussian weighted Height resolution: 4 km
Bentham Spectrometer DTM300V This spectral radiometer is used for fast irradiance scanning over the 290 - 650 nm wavelength region. The main parts of the spectroradiometer are a double monochromator for wavelength selection, a photomultiplier tube for detection and amplification of the optical signal, and electronics for control and signal processing. The incoming spectrum is sampled through a holographic filter with 2400 grooves/mm at a blaze wavelength of 250 nm.
	All-Sky Camera The ALOMAR All-Sky Camera System has been designed to provide the possibility of scientific measurements of a number of airglow emission features from the twilight- and dark sky, in addition to images of sky and cloud conditions during daylight. Thus, the All-Sky Camera is designed to use the combination of short exposure times and density filters to view the daytime sky. An almanac is included in the software so that the camera may used in automatic sequence mode to ensure the correct exposure relevant to the prevailing sky conditions based on time of year and day.
Satellite Weather Images Online capability to receive images from US NOAA satellites and the European Meteosat.
	Riometer The ALOMAR Riometer was built by Peter Stauning of the Danish Meteorological Institute. The riometer observes the absorption of galactic radio noise by the ionosphere, presently at 32 MHz. A new imaging riometer is planned to be in operation late 2002.
Magnetometer The ALOMAR pulsation magnetometer is located close to Andøya Rocket Range and measures the components (x,y,z) of geomagnetic field strength.
	Digital Ionosonde A commercial instrument, the “Canadian Digital Ionosonde, Cadi“, is located about 20 km south of the ALOMAR observatory. It uses a Linux-based operating system. There is a continuous 4 Mbyte/s data connection via radio-link. Andøya
ALOMAR Radiosonde Station The station is operated by the ALOMAR Observatory’s engineers, and is equipped with a Vaisala MW 11 DigiCora sounding system. The new release house makes it possible to release big meteorological balloons, even during bad weather. The common sondes released from the station are radiosondes, Ozone sondes and Radac sondes. We launch about a 100 balloons per year and reaches altitudes from 26 km to 42 km depending on the type of balloon used. For ARI users, the telemetry equipment and our technicians‘ working hours are free of charge. The ARI-user must pay for the balloon hardware (no surcharge).
Laboratory Space An important facility, especially for scientists using the EU-project, is “laboratory space”. They can bring their own instruments to ALOMAR for measurements with or without collaboration with other ALOMAR instrument groups.
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