Chamber calibration campaign: Comparison of static chambers to measure N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes from soils

 

Duration: 17/8/2008 - 3/10/2008

Location: Hyytiälä forestry field station

http://www.mm.helsinki.fi/hyytiala/english/eng_index.htm

 

Organizing team: Mari Pihlatie1, Jesper Riis Christiansen2, Jukka Pumpanen3

 

1Department of Physics, Division of Atmospheric Sciences and Geophysics, University of Helsinki, Finland,

2Department of Forest & Landscape Ecology, Forest & Landscape Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Denmark,

3Department of Forest Ecology, University of Helsinki, Finland

 

 

New 1: The campaign is fully booked except for the week 35 (place for one small chamber).

 

New 2: Workshop on Comparison of static chambers to measure N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes from soils in Denmark, 15 - 17 December 2008

Background

In many environmental studies the soil fluxes of the greenhouse gasses (GHG) nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are measured by closed static chambers. Due to large spatial and temporal variability of GHG production and consumption in soils, a large number of replicate chambers are often required. Static chambers can be constructed using inexpensive materials, enabling the researcher to install a large number of replicate chambers. Dependent on the chamber design the magnitude of impact in the surroundings vary, and is difficult to assess in quantitative terms.

To obtain information on the differences between static chambers we will organize a chamber calibration campaign. The purpose of the campaign is to test different types of static chambers for N2O, CH4 and CO2 fluxes under controlled conditions using a constant flux calibration tank. The overall aims of the campaign are to quantitatively assess the uncertainties and errors related to static chamber measurements, and to bring together and discuss these problems with researchers working in the field of GHG fluxes from different ecosystems.

The overall aim of the measurement campaign is to improve measurement quality in gas fluxes of N2O, CH4 and CO2 from soils, to provide guidelines for chamber designs and sampling procedures, and to share knowledge on chamber measurement techniques between flux measurement communities. For the comparison, ten chambers with different dimensions, material and sampling protocol will be selected and tested.

The results from the calibration campaign can be used in the ongoing research projects NitroEurope, ESF-NinE, Carboeurope, Fluxnet, IMECC and Scandinavian network of flux towers (e.g. NECC). As the chamber calibration aims at providing error estimates for static chambers, this campaign gives tools to compare flux estimates across Europe from a wide range of locations and experimental setups.

 

In November 2008 we will organize a workshop in Copenhagen, Denmark dealing with the results of this measurement campaign.

Scientific background

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

The calibration campaign will last for 5-8 weeks depending on the number of participants. It will be organized in small groups where a maximum of 3 chambers will be calibrated at a time during 6-day periods between Monday and Saturday. The chambers will be calibrated with soils of 2 different porosities and this is why each calibration session will take approximately 5-6 days. We will start each session on Monday noon and try to finish it by Friday evening. If possible try to arrange your flight tickets so that you will arrive at Hyytiälä on Sunday evening or Monday morning and leave on Saturday.

The N2O, CH4 and CO2 emissions measured by individual chambers will be compared to known gas fluxes generated by a calibration chamber described by Pumpanen et al. (2004). During the calibration, the chamber being tested will be placed on a layer of quartz sand (150 mm thick) on top of the calibration chamber. The sand layer is 990 mm in diameter and your chamber has to fit within this diameter. The maximum size of a rectangular chamber, which fits into this space is about 650 mm x 650 mm. Longer and narrower chambers up to 200 mm x 900 mm can also be calibrated. Remember to tell the size of your chamber when making the reservation (chamber questionnaire). If you use collars with your chamber, please take 3 collars with you.

REGISTRATION

Please, fill in the registration form and send it to Mari Pihlatie. Also, choose the group and dates when you want to calibrate your chamber from the calendar. In the calendar the available dates and groups are marked by green and occupied dates by red color. Note that due to a cancellation there is place for one participant during the week 35 (small chamber only). The number of available places in a group is marked in parenthesis. The reservation situation is updated daily. Participants who have registered and who have been accepted so far will be listed here. In case of overwhelming interest in the calibration, we may need to choose the participants. In that case we will do our best to select as many different types of chambers as possible.

When you have been accepted to participate in the campaign, please, inform the number of persons, the time and place of arrival and the departure by email to: Mari Pihlatie. DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION IS JUNE 20, 2008.

With the help of funding from ESF-NinE and ACCENT we are able to pay part of your travelling and accommodation costs. We particularly support the participation of PhD and MSc students with a travel grant of maximum of 500 EUR, and accommodation up to 40 EUR / day at Hyytiälä forestry field station.

In addition, there will be a participation fee of 200 EUR for registration before 1. June 2008 and 250 EUR after June 1. 2008. This fee is directed to cover meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) at Hyytiälä, practical costs of the campaign and transport from Tampere airport or from Orivesi or Tampere railway station to Hyytiälä. Payment can be done by cash or with a major credit card (Visa and Mastercard) at Hyytiälä´s office upon arrival. The service in Hyytiälä is similar to that of motels i.e. sheets, towels etc. are provided. The nearest cash point is located at 10 km distance from Hyytiälä. Here you can find more information about Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station.

HOW TO GET TO HYYTIÄLÄ?

Please, book and send your traveling details to the organizing group Mari Pihlatie, Janne Korhonen and Jesper Riis Christiansen. Janne is the contact person at Hyytiälä and helps with practical arrangement related to traveling, arrival, pick-up from the airport or train station. Contact him if you want help during July as Mari Pihlatie is on a holiday during 4-28 July.

By plane:

The easiest way to get to Hyytiälä is to fly to Tampere airport (70 km south west of Hyytiälä), which is served by Finnair from Helsinki airport. Ryanair and SAS also have regular connections to Tampere. Please inform us when you will arrive and we will fetch you from Tampere airport preferably on Monday morning or late Sunday evening.

By train:

You can take a train from Helsinki to Orivesi (a small town 20 km south of Hyytiälä) or to Tampere. The travel time is about two and a half hours and one-way ticket costs about 30 EUR. If you arrive by train, we will fetch you from either Orivesi or Tampere railway station. There are two train connections departing from Helsinki to Orivesi daily at 07.06 and at 08.06 in the morning. With the second connection you have to change trains at Tampere. More information on timetables can be found from the rail company VR-homepage. There is a bus connection every 20 minutes from Helsinki airport to the City Terminal, which is located next to the central railway station in Helsinki. The bus is painted blue and it has a Finnair logo. The fee is approx. 5 EUR. The bus stop is in front of the arrivals hall at terminal 2. Taxi fee to Helsinki city centre is about 30 EUR.

By bus:

There is a direct bus connection between Helsinki and Hyytiälä. The bus departs from the long distance bus station in the city centre at 15.40. The bus departs from Hyytiälä back to Helsinki at 6.52 and at 15.32 on week days and at 16.57 on Sundays. The travel time is about 3 h. The fee is 25 €. The bus line is called Express Bus and its destination is Ähtäri. Remember to remind the bus driver after the town of Orivesi that you want to leave the bus in Hyytiälä. There is a 1.5 km walk from the bus stop to Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station.

By car and ferry:

You can take your car to the ferries between Stockholm and Turku and between Stockholm and Helsinki. The travel time is about 12 h. There are daily routes offered by Tallink Silja and Viking Line. Another option is to take a ferry from Rostock in Germany to Helsinki operated by Tallink Silja or from Rostock in Germany to Hanko operated by Superfast Ferries. The driving time from Helsinki or Hanko to Hyytiälä is about 3-4 h. Driving instructions: First, take road E12 from Helsinki to Tampere (176 km). Then in Tampere take road E63 to Jyväskylä direction and drive 40 km to Orivesi.  In Orivesi take road 58 to Keuruu direction and drive 9 km to Hirsilä. Turn left in Hirsilä to road 66 to Virrat direction and drive about 11 km until you see a black signpost on the right pointing to Hyytiälä "Yliopiston metsäasema". Just 500 m before Hyytiälä intersection, there is an old wooden house/museum "Kallenautio". The street address of Hyytiälä is Hyytiäläntie 124.

If you need to stay an extra day or two in Helsinki:

We recommend the Hotel Arthur close to the central railway station. There you will get a small discount by mentioning that you are a guest of the University of Helsinki. There are also many other reasonably priced hotels and hostels (e.g. Hotel Finn, Eurohostel, Stadion Hostel) in the centre. More information about the city of Helsinki and accommodation can be found at http://www.hel2.fi/tourism/EN/matko.asp

or in Tampere:

Information on Tampere and hotels there can be found at:

http://www.tampere.fi/english/tourism/index.html

 

WHERE TO SHIP YOUR CHAMBER

If you like to ship your chamber to Hyytiälä prior to the campaign, you can send it to the address:

Your name

Chamber calibration campaign

Hyytiälä forestry field station

Hyytiäläntie 124

FI-35500 Korkeakoski

Finland