Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) Project

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is seeking to acquire several models of the CIMEL CE318-T family of Sun-Sky-Lunar Spectral Photometers and necessary parts for the repair, maintenance, and upgrade of the photometers. The photometers will be used to monitor aerosol optical properties and provide a uniform database for the long-term characterization of aerosol optical properties within NASA's global climate change and satellite validation programs. The contract will be a firm fixed price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a period of performance of 5 years. Some key features of the required photometers include: • Broad spectral range from the UV to the short wave infrared • Incorporation of digital electronics in the sensor head • Compatibility with earlier models of the CE318 including the robots • Ability to take atmospheric and ocean radiances • Ability to be used to extend measurement from daylight only to day and night time measurements with lunar observations • Compatibility with the existing robot infrastructure • Automatic selection of geometrical conditions • Optics, detectors, and filters that meet specific requirements • Advanced control box with programmable capability and advanced instrument control • Tracking robot with 360 zenith and azimuth capability • Microprocessor with 32-bit capacity and ability to control all pointing, filter wheel rotation, data storage, preprocessing, and data transmission • Compatibility with the NOAA/NESDIS Data Collection System (DCS) and commercially available data collection platforms • Instrument sensitivity with a signal-to-noise ratio that exceeds 10,000/1 for all channels • Power requirements that allow the instrument to be run from battery power and charged from 5-watt solar panels • Environmental requirements that allow the instrument to operate within a temperature range of -20 to 50 degrees C for a year with minimum maintenance.