Maintaining Continuous Operation of Complex Instruments at the SGP CART Site

In support of the scientific goals of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program, the Southern Great Plains (SGP) Cloud and Radiation Testbed (CART) site provides continuous data streams from unattended, complex instruments at remote field sites. The 31 SGP CART site facilities are distributed in a study area covering 55,000 mi, which contains 168 instruments with 837 sensors. The generation of continuous data streams is made possible by a tightly controlled process that ensures successful instrument maintenance. This maintenance process incorporates documentation, training, experienced maintenance personnel, and real-time coordination with the Site Scientist Team (SST), instrument mentors, and the site program manager’s office to achieve high levels of data capture and data quality.