Current CRAVE Program Instruments

CERES Radiation Validation Experiment and Stations

Radiometric and meteorological observations continue uninterrupted under NASA's CERES Radiation Validation Experiment (CRAVE). As part of these research activities, advanced instrument arrays installed at the Granite Island (GIM) station in Michigan and NASA's Langley Research Center (LaRC) are actively collecting data.

Radiometric Instruments and Technical Specifications

BSRN radiometry efforts at the Granite Island station include measuring direct and diffuse irradiance across different wavelengths. Direct shortwave irradiance is measured using Kipp & Zonen CH1 or CHP1 pyrheliometers, while diffuse longwave as well as diffuse and downwelling global shortwave irradiance are captured using Kipp & Zonen CM21 and CM22 pyranometers.

Contributions to Climate and Radiation Models

The collected radiometric dataset plays a critical role in understanding Earth's energy budget and atmospheric radiation balance. Precise measurements from these ground stations aim to improve the accuracy of radiation validation models and support remote sensing satellite calibrations.