Instruments

Overview

The facility’s instrument pool is divided into dedicated equipment suites and services, tailored to allow users select the most appropriate instrument for research which aligns with NERC science themes.

Click the suite name in the navigation menu on the left to find more details see which NERC research areas each equipment suite are typically used. Additional details on the individual instruments within each suite can be found by selecting the links in the navigation menu to the left. The NERC science research themes which each instrument can be used for, based on previous loans and assessment by the facility, is provided as tags found at the bottom of the instrument page.

If you need further help in deciding which instrument or instrument package best suits your research needs, contact the facility for advice and further information.

Optical Laboratory Suite

The dark optical calibration laboratory is used to characterize and calibrate all of the facilities instruments and sensors, using the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) traceable radiometric standards. This ensures that the all of the data collected by the instruments used by our loan users are traceable, calibrated, and have their uncertainties quantified. This lab is also provided as a service to loan users to for instrument prototyping, validation measurements, and developing new field spectroscopy methodologies.

Full Range Field Spectroradiometer Suite

This suite consists of hyperspectral spectroradiometers covering the ultraviolet to visible to the near- and shortwave infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum (350 nm to 2500 nm).

UAV Sensor Suite

This suite includes multiple multispectral cameras, thermal and RGB imagers, and the primary sensors of the suite, two hyperspectral imagers (one VNIR only), covering the 350 nm to 2500 nm range.

NCEO Airborne Suite

The NCEO Airborne Earth Observatory (NAEO) provides the UK’s national capability for cutting-edge airborne Earth observation. Supported by a UKRI investment of over £5.7 million, NAEO operates one of the Europe’s most comprehensive airborne sensor suites, combining state-of-the-art hyperspectral and broadband imaging, full-waveform LiDAR and high-resolution digital imaging.

Led by King’s College London, NAEO brings together expertise in airborne science from across NERC centres and facilities working in partnership with the British Antarctic Survey, who provide the Twin Otter aircraft platform and support aircraft related logistics; NEODAAS/Plymouth Marine Laboratory who support the pre-processing of the airborne data to L1B analysis ready data sets; and FSF, who support the pre- and post-season calibration of the optical hyperspectral imaging suite, and have supported ground validation of airborne data through the loans of field spectrometers.

Our capabilities support pioneering research across the UK and internationally. We collaborate with leading organisations including ESA, NASA and the Canadian Forest Service, delivering airborne campaigns that advance understanding of wildfires, greenhouse gas emissions, vegetation, land surface temperature and other critical environmental challenges. From the UK and Italy to Brazil, South Africa and northern Sweden, NAEO provides the high-quality observations needed to develop, validate and shape the next generation of Earth observation science and satellite missions.

If you are interested in working with the NCEO Airborne Earth Observatory, please contact us at fsf@nerc.ac.uk to discuss your project requirements. We offer state-of-the-art airborne Earth observation capabilities, specialist instrumentation and scientific expertise to support research, development and commercial projects. We would be delighted to discuss how NAEO can support your work.

To explore our range of airborne instruments and capabilities, find out more her.

Spectral Atmospheric Suite

The suite provides surface concentrations or column densities of greenhouse gases in the near infrared range, gaseous pollutants in the UV-VIS range, or volcanic gas emissions in the mid infrared region. The suite also includes the UK’s largest pool of sunphotometers, which can be used to measure aerosol optical depth, a key parameter when validating satellite measurements.

Solar Induced Fluorescence Suite

This suite consists of ground based and UAV mounted sensors designed to measure solar induced fluorescence, a key parameter for measuring vegetation health, and potentially providing accurate estimates of crop yield.

Bio-optical Underwater Suite

This suite consists of spectroscopic instrumentation designed to be used underwater in support of marine and riparian studies.