Danish participation in the ESFRI-project ICOS
Importance:
Denmark is a front-runner in sustainable energy and therefore we also need to have a strong position in the research of the evolution in greenhouse gases which are mainly a result of energy production, conversion and use. ICOS is a European high precision long term network of stations measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) budgets of ecosystems and their concentration in the atmosphere, designed around a set of central facilities. ICOS is in the strategic roadmap for Europe in the field of Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). Risø DTU is heading the national project (ICOS/DK) for preparation of Danish participation in ICOS and is also a participant in an EU project for preparation of ESFRI-ICOS (ICOS/EU) and the related EU FP6 project “Infrastructure for Measurements of the European Carbon Cycle” (IMECC).
The ICOS greenhouse gas observation infrastructure is closely linked to the research in development of sustainable energy and is thus a core research area for Risø DTU. A core product will be the detection and observation of climate change mitigation measures that will make DTU and Denmark a significant contributor to European and global research in this area.
We have been very active in the international research community for studies of exchanges of GHG between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The research has been carried through a large number of short-term projects. But there is now an urgent need for a more permanent infrastructure on a European scale. Denmark has so far not been able to contribute with high tower measurements high precision measurements of GHG, but since Risø DTU already has the towers it is a logical and important step forward to include GHG high precision concentration measurements, especially as the competences to run these facilities are already available in the Danish research consortium.
Project description:
The observations collected by ICOS will enable researchers to gain full understanding of the exchange of GHG over the European continent, and of its driving forces, using:
- Atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations of CO2, CH4, N2O, CO and radiocarbon-CO2 to quantify emission, dispersion and sequestration of the fossil fuel component from regional to continental scale.
- Ecosystem fluxes of CO2, CH4, N2O, H2O, and heat together with ecosystem variables needed to understand the exchange processes
- In parallel, a new strategy is developed for ocean flux observations to be integrated in the infrastructure by 2012.
The ICOS measurements will be combined using advanced carbon cycle models into an operational information system, to allow daily assessments of sources and sinks at scales down to about 10 km over European countries. This system will establish a world class standard for understanding the exchange processes between the atmosphere, the terrestrial surface and the ocean. The routine flux diagnostics will be generated both by research institutes members of ICOS, and by other institutes that will benefit from free access to the infrastructure data. Regular assessment and synthesis of the different flux products, and interaction with policy will be organized by ICOS. Multiple synergisms within the ICOS network will maximize both scientific and political impact from Danish research funding in GHG and climate research.
ICOS will enable Europe to become a global player for in situ observations of GHG, data processing and user-friendly access to data products for validation of remote sensing products, scientific assessments, modeling and data assimilation.
The Danish participation includes both atmospheric stations (Risø meteorological mast and Høvsøre), and ecosystem flux stations (beech forest near Sorø and an open-land station). Denmark will also prepare for the ocean flux observations. The atmospheric station at Risø will be maintained in cooperation with AAU/NERI also includes atmospheric pollutants such as O3, NOx, SO2, soot, particles.
Budget:
The budget is based on costs for a 5 year operation time.
| Equipment: |
14.0 mio. kr |
| Running costs: |
10.5 mio. kr |
| Personnel: |
7.0 mio. kr |
| Central facilities |
2.5 mio. kr
|
| Total: |
34.0 mio. kr |
| Requested (80%): |
27.2 mio kr |
| Own financing (20%): |
6.8 mio. kr |
Partners:
ICOS/DK: Technical University of Denmark (Risø DTU), University of Copenhagen (Inst. Geography), University of Aarhus (National Environmental Research Institute), Roskilde University.
ICOS/EU: 16 partners see: http://icos-infrastructure.ipsl.jussieu.fr/index.php?p=pa
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