The Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Aerial Vehicle Program (AVP) is sponsoring a workshop on aircraft instrumentation to be hosted at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, from the 14 to 16 of October 2008. The goals of the workshop are as follows: 1) to identify the state-of-art measurement techniques for aerosols, clouds, radiation and atmospheric state parameters; 2) to determine the emerging instruments and developing technologies in these areas that can be made flight ready and reach maturation within an approximately 1 year time period; and 3) to identify measurement needs for which there are gaps in existing airborne instruments that are needed to answer key science questions in climate science. The DOE AVP program expects that funding will be available for the testing and development of instruments that can be made flight ready within an approximately 1-year period in the next proposal call anticipated in January 2009. The results of this workshop will be used to help set future instrument priorities for the AVP program.
The workshop will last for 3 days. Contributions are solicited in each of the following areas of airborne instrumentation: aerosols, clouds, radiation, and atmospheric state parameters. A session is also planned relating to existing and emerging technology for uninhabited aerospace systems (UAS), including platforms, instruments and data recording systems. Both oral and poster presentations are expected. To obtain further information, please contact Greg McFarquhar at mcfarq@atmos.uiuc.edu. Titles and brief abstracts of proposed presentations should be submitted via email to Greg McFarquhar (mcfarq@atmos.uiuc.edu) by 15 August 2008. Limited support may be available for attendance at the workshop if cost would preclude participation.
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hampton Inn, 100 W. University Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801 (217)337-1100 at a rate of $89/night under the name “Department of Atmospheric Sciences.” The block of rooms will be held only until 11 September 2008. Please make reservations as early as possible as hotels often become fully booked during the school year. The meeting will be held at the Levis Faculty Center, 919 West Illinois Street, Urbana, IL 61801, which is within a 5 to 10 minute walk of the Hampton Inn. A nominal registration fee will be charged to offset cost of food (i.e., lunch and snacks) provided at the meeting. Attendees may fly into Willard Airport in Champaign that offers 8 flights a day to/from Chicago, 1 to/from Dallas and 2 to/from Detroit. A taxi meets all flights to Champaign. Alternatively, attendees may fly into Indianapolis (115 miles), Chicago (135 miles) or St. Louis (185 miles) and rent a car to arrive in Champaign.