Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE)

To facilitate fundamental research in the atmospheric sciences, the Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) supports state-of-the-art instruments and facilities through the Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program.  The FARE Program includes the Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF) and the Community Instruments and Facilities (CIF).

Lower Atmospheric Observing Facilities

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS) Lower Atmospheric Observing Facilities (LAOF)  Program oversees a portfolio of multi-user national facilities that are sponsored by NSF for use by the geosciences research community. Program management resides within AGS in the NCAR and Facilities Section (NFS) which provides a single point for coordination of planning and resources.

The LAOF program enables geoscience research through the provision of specialized facilities, instrumentation, and field support services necessary to carry out the scientific field work associated with investigations of a wide range of geophysical phenomena. The program is actively involved in oversight of LAOF facilities and decisions about the acquisition, operation, maintenance, upgrading and replacement of these facilities based on input from the scientific community. LAOF funding supports both the planning for scientific field programs (e.g., experimental design, operational plans, logistical support) and the deployment of NSF-sponsored facilities.

Proposals to the LAOF program are accepted by invitation only. Please contact the FARE program director if you intend to submit a proposal to this program.

Community Instrumentation and Facilities (CIF)

The CIF program provides the NSF-sponsored atmospheric sciences research community with access to specialized instrumentation for field and laboratory-based studies.  The program requests proposals from instrument and facility providers who will make their equipment available for community use through an NSF-defined request process.  Support will be provided for limited technician time, minor upgrades, and travel for outreach.