Open AccessAtmospheric radiation measurement program facilities newsletter, January 2002.
Author(s) -
D. J. Holdridge
Publication year - 2002
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/809176
Subject(s) - tower , electronics , environmental science , engineering , civil engineering , electrical engineering
Central Facility Benefits from Improvements--Three current projects are improving the ARM SGP central facility near Lamont, Oklahoma: construction of an instrument maintenance facility, installation of an instrument to measure carbon dioxide flux, and construction of a platform to accommodate instruments brought to the site by visiting scientists. Instrument Maintenance Facility--Construction of the instrument maintenance facility began on November 26, 2001. Being assembled from three mobile trailer units rescued from Argonne National Laboratory's excess equipment pool, this facility will add almost 2,400 square feet of space and will allow significant expansion of the onsite electronics laboratory that repairs and troubleshoots malfunctioning equipment. The facility will also consolidate instrument parts and repairs and provide much-needed office space and indoor restroom facilities for the field and electronics technicians who work at the central facility. New Carbon Dioxide Flux Measurements--In mid-December, scientists from Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the University of Nebraska installed an instrument that measures carbon dioxide flux in a wheat field near the 60-meter tower at the central facility. Measurements of carbon dioxide flux during the winter wheat growing season will be used to validate measurements taken by similar equipment mounted on the nearby tower. Several similar systems may be installed in surrounding fields during January. All equipment will be removed before the May wheat harvest. New Platform for Guest Instruments--The guest instrument facility will be receiving an addition soon, in the form of an elevated deck on the north side of the building. The deck, measuring 15 feet by 30 feet, will accommodate instrumentation brought to the CART site by visiting scientists. The SGP CART site hosts an increasing number of guest instruments each year. The addition will provide adequate space for the temporary instrument installations