ARM User Facility

10/29/2026

🏜️ From desert dust to wildfire smoke, ARM-related research is on the agenda for Day 4 of AAAR 2026!

👉 Highlights for today, October 29, at the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) annual conference at the Pasadena Convention Center:

• 9:45–11:30 a.m. | Allison C. Aiken shares findings from the first summer of ARM's Desert-Urban SysTem IntegratEd AtmospherIc Monsoon (DUSTIEAIM) field campaign in Ballroom H.
• 9:45–11:30 a.m. | Gregory Vandergrift explores the application of machine learning to aerosol measurements in Ballroom C.
• 1–3 p.m. | Poster presentations feature research from ARM's Bankhead National Forest (BNF) atmospheric observatory and the TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) in Exhibit Hall AB.

❓ Have questions about ARM aerosol instruments or data? Stop by Booth #104 in the exhibition hall and chat with members of our team!

10/28/2026

🤩 Day 3 of AAAR 2026 brings more exciting research featuring ARM data!

Presentations today, October 28, at the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) annual conference explore aerosol measurements, cloud processing, and innovative approaches to atmospheric observations.

🎤 Talks to catch at the Pasadena Convention Center (9:45–11:30 a.m.):
• Fan Mei discusses unlocking aerosol vertical structure using uncrewed aerial system and tethered balloon system platforms in Ballroom AB.
• Robert Jackson presents an open-source framework for processing single-particle soot photometer data in Ballroom C.
• Researchers share findings from ARM Bankhead National Forest (BNF), Southern Great Plains (SGP), and Eastern Pacific Cloud Aerosol Precipitation Experiment (EPCAPE) observations.

📍 Don't forget to visit Booth #104 in the exhibition hall to connect with ARM!

10/26/2026

👋 Attending AAAR 2026? We can't wait to see you! Come meet members of the ARM team tonight, October 26!

We'll be at the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) Career Fair and Mentoring Session from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Exhibit Hall AB at the Pasadena Convention Center.

Stop by our table to connect with ARM staff, learn about ARM, and explore our resources for aerosol research. We look forward to meeting you!

10/23/2026

📢 Heading to AAAR 2026? Come connect with ARM!

ARM will be at the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) conference, and we'd love to see you!

🤝 Monday Evening: Stop by ARM's table at the Career and Mentorship Fair to learn more about opportunities to connect with our team.

📍 Throughout the Conference: Visit us at Booth #104 in the exhibit hall to learn about ARM's capabilities, data, and resources for aerosol research.

We look forward to connecting with the aerosol research community!

10/22/2026

🌥️ ARM’s Aerosol Observing System (AOS) measures tiny airborne particles (aerosols) to help scientists better understand how they interact with sunlight, influence clouds, and affect Earth’s energy balance.

From tracking long-term changes in aerosol properties to improving atmospheric models, AOS measurements provide valuable insights into our atmosphere.

🎥 Watch this video to learn how it works: https://bit.ly/4f29QOP

Learn about the AOS and browse data here: https://www.arm.gov/capab...

10/21/2026

💨🔬 Looking to take your aerosol research to the next level?

Join ARM experts at the American Association for Aerosol Research (AAAR) annual conference for an interactive tutorial, TS17: Leveraging the DOE ARM User Facility for Aerosol Research, from 4:15 to 6 p.m. Pacific on Monday, October 26, in Ballroom H at the Pasadena Convention Center.

This tutorial session will explore how researchers can use ARM's atmospheric data to advance aerosol science. Participants will learn about ARM's observatories, aerosol instrumentation, data products, and data quality processes, plus get hands-on experience accessing and analyzing ARM data using Python.

👉 Sign up now if you are attending AAAR and would like to join us!

📸 Photo by Mark Manriquez, GEM Technologies Inc.

10/21/2026

📢🎈Tethered Balloon System Proposal Call Now Open

ARM is accepting abbreviated proposals for fiscal year 2027 tethered balloon system (TBS) missions at the Bankhead National Forest atmospheric observatory in Alabama. Researchers can propose activities for up to four missions scheduled between February and September 2027, using ARM’s TBS baseline instrumentation. Proposals may also include guest instruments aboard the balloon or on the ground to complement balloon measurements.

📆 Submit abbreviated proposals by 5 p.m. Central on November 16, 2026.



📷: Brent Peterson, Antigravity LLC.

10/20/2026

🏜️⛈️ Phoenix’s heat, dust, and storms are giving scientists plenty to investigate.

ARM’s Desert-Urban SysTem IntegratEd AtmospherIc Monsoon (DUSTIEAIM) campaign is exploring how urban growth and the surrounding Sonoran Desert influence clouds, rainfall, and severe weather. As part of the campaign, roughly 50 instruments included as part of an ARM Mobile Facility deployment operate around the clock at ASU New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences’ campus, capturing summer monsoon and winter weather observations from June 2026 through September 2027. Using the data collected, researchers are examining how dust and other airborne particles affect clouds and precipitation and the factors that determine where and when rain falls across the region. This valuable information could help improve forecasts and inform infrastructure planning and decisions about heat, water, and urban growth.



📷: Mark Manriquez, GEM Technologies Inc.

10/17/2026

The ARM User Facility mourns the loss of longtime site technicians David Oaks and Mark Smith, who passed away in summer 2026.

David joined ARM in 2014, supporting site operations in Alaska before serving as lead technician for field campaigns in Norway and across the United States. Known for his reliability and willingness to learn, he trained new staff and helped ensure the collection of high-quality atmospheric data. His contributions included supporting the TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) in Texas as part of a team recognized with a 2022 ARM Service Award.

Mark joined ARM in 2012 and supported campaigns around the world, including ship- and land-based mobile deployments. He later became a full-time technician at ARM’s Southern Great Plains atmospheric observatory, maintaining scientific instruments and troubleshooting computers and communications equipment. His technical expertise and dedicated service helped sustain the continuous observations that support ARM’s research community.

We welcome you to share your memories about David and Mark in the comments below.

📷: David (left) and Mark each worked with ARM for over a decade.

10/15/2026

🌎🔬 Nearly 500 people registered for the 2026 Joint ARM User Facility/Atmospheric System Research (ASR) Principal Investigators Meeting to share and receive updates on ARM data and field campaign results, ARM staff activities, and ARM- and ASR-relevant science themes.

From recent scientific and technical advances to future research priorities, the meeting highlighted the collaboration driving atmospheric science forward!