AVIRAD is an instrumental ensemble designed for physicochemical and atmospheric aerosol optical characterization.It has been developed to be installed on board research aircrafts.

The constituent parts of AVIRAD are :

• isokineticinletsampling of air
• Inlets for air sampling of instruments
• The instruments :
  • Impactors (Dekati)
  • Filters
  • Aethalometer (Magee Scientific)
  • Nephelometer (TSI Incorporated)
  • Optical sizer (Grimm)
• Servo inletand instruments
• Data acquisition

Its design, mechanical and electrical installation, testing and integration in the aircraft was carried out in close collaboration with the technical division (DT) of INSU (National Institute of Sciences of the Universe of CNRS).

AVIRAD is regularly installed in the atmospheric research ATR-42 aircraft implemented by the SAFIRE unit (Service of French aircraft Instrumented for environmental research).