Recently, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has declared that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are the main causes for changes in the climate all over the world.
Beech forest in Riso DTU
It reiterated the need for establishing precise measurement and appraisals of the greenhouse gas density in the atmosphere by establishing a right research facility as available at Risø DTU.
According to Kim Pilegaard, Biosystems Division’s head at Risø DTU, the research center has installed an observation station to measure the flow of carbon dioxide in a beech forest close to Sorø along with a wind energy division of Risø DTU. The uniform and flat Sorø forest enabled reasonably good flux measurements, which led to the financial participation of the Danish Environmental Research Program in the project and the consequent introduction of Carboeurope, a new EU project, with expanded partnership from 12 to 30. Presently, over 100 observation stations are placed all over Europe.
Pilegaard explained the idea of introducing a pan-European network of observation stations with centralized and standardized management for the purpose of standardizing the data and methods of its collection with feasibility to measure other known greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide and methane. He stressed the need for setting up a total infrastructure in Denmark with the contribution of the Danish universities to the ICOS project.
Pilegaard has announced plans to make use of the 125 m tall meteorological mast at Risø DTU to collect the details on the amount of carbon dioxide at the top of the mast. Pilegaard further explained that Risø DTU will also measure the impact of planting small willow cuttings, which the university has completed over an area measuring 20 football fields last year, in the generation of greenhouse gases. A flux measurement station is also planned at the plantations area to check the flow of greenhouse gases.
The institute is also planning to erect a 200 m tall meteorological tower in connection with the proposed national level wind turbine test center at Østerild. The proposed measurement station will receive moderately clean air from the North Sea.
Source: http://www.risoe.dtu.dk/