Capabilities / Atmospheric Observatories / Bankhead National Forest

Locations

The Bankhead National Forest (BNF) atmospheric observatory is a long-term mobile observatory established by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) User Facility in northwestern Alabama. Opened in October 2024, the BNF is planned to be operational for at least five years.

The BNF includes a main site and three supplemental sites. Additional sites host scanning radars and an instrumented tower.

Scientists will use data from the BNF to learn about clouds, aerosols, and land-atmosphere interactions, which in turn will lead to improvements in earth system models.

Learn more about the BNF Main Site

BNF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION BY FACILITY

Note: M = Mobile Facility, E = Extended Facility, F = ARM Aerial Facility, I = Intermediate Facility, S = Supplemental Facility, and U = Uncrewed Aerial Systems

Bankhead National Forest, AL, USA; Long-term Mobile Facility

Facility Name	Site Code	Facility Code	Elevation	Lat/Lon	Surface Type
Bankhead National Forest, AL, AMF3 (Main Site)	`BNF`	`M1`	`293 meters`	`34.342481° N87.338177° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, AMF3 (Collocated Main Site)	`BNF`	`S1`	`293 meters`	`34.342481° N87.338177° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, AMF3 (Collocated Main Site)	`BNF`	`S2`	`293 meters`	`34.342481° N87.338177° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, AMF3 (for CSAPR2 near Main Site)	`BNF`	`S3`	`180 meters`	`34.630806° N87.133118° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, AMF3 (for SACR near Main Site)	`BNF`	`S4`	`197 meters`	`34.464279° N87.236001° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, AMF3 (Tower Site)	`BNF`	`S10`	`284 meters`	`34.3437276° N87.35044401° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, AMF3 (Collocated Tower Site)	`BNF`	`S11`	—	—	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, Supplemental facility for STAMP2 near Tower Site	`BNF`	`S13`	`286 meters`	`34.344015° N87.35062209° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, Supplemental facility for STAMP3 near Tower Site	`BNF`	`S14`	`282 meters`	`34.343399° N87.350858° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, Supplemental facility at Courtland	`BNF`	`S20`	`178 meters`	`34.653784° N87.292676° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, Supplemental facility at Falkville	`BNF`	`S30`	`183 meters`	`34.384829° N86.927905° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
Bankhead National Forest, AL, Supplemental facility at Double Springs	`BNF`	`S40`	`236 meters`	`34.178796° N87.453905° W`(Google Map)	Awaiting information
ARM Aerial Facility (AAF) - Unmanned Aircraft Systems, ArcticShark	`BNF`	`U2`	—	—	Awaiting information