AMFs have instrumentation and data systems similar to the fixed atmospheric observatories, and about 50 instruments are deployed with each facility to obtain continuous measurements of clouds, aerosols, precipitation, energy, and other meteorological variables. Measurement capabilities of the AMFs include standard meteorological instrumentation, a broadband and spectral radiometer suite, and remote sensing measurements including lidars and cloud radars.
Instrumentation for AMF2 is, with a few notable exceptions, the same as used by AMF1 and AMF3. Because AMF2 was designed to support shipboard deployments, the baseline suite of instruments are marine-focused.
The current AMF3 deployment at Oliktok Point has access to special use air space, which allows site operators to routinely fly unmanned aircraft and tethered balloon systems.
AMFs are designed to host guest instruments or collaborate with experiments from other agencies, making them ideal platforms for conducting joint research anywhere in the world.
Data from these facilities undergo quality checks and are made freely available to the international research community in near-real-time through the ARM Data Center via Data Discovery.