Research Aircraft Facility (RAF)
It is in the mixed layer and free troposphere that most chemical reactions, gas-to-particle transformations, cloud processes, and long range transport of pollutants occur. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) operates the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Research Aircraft Facility (RAF) to serve atmospheric scientists at DOE and other federal, state, and industrial laboratories in carrying out airborne research in these areas. This facility is dedicated to the fulfillment of important DOE and national goals related to understanding atmospheric processes as they relate to the DOE's environmental missions and the global environment. Central to this facility is an advanced sampling platform, the PNNL Grumman Gulfstream 159 (G-1) aircraft and its flight crew, technical and engineering support staff, and state-of-the-art instrumentation.
Contact: John Hubbe