Science and Engineering at The University of Edinburgh

Ecosystem flux measurement of cereal crops

Mead 1983 - 1986

This study of the carbon and energy fluxes of cereal crops (barley, winter wheat) was done as part of my masters degree research. The study used 1D campbell Scientific anemometers, a drag anemometer, and a Lawrence Livermoore open path CO2 sensor. Only two weeks of quality data were obtained for a summers worth of effort.

Winnipeg, Manitoba ,Canada 1985.

This study brought together the expertise of four research institutes: McGill Univ. (P. Schuepp) , Univ of ??? (R. Desjardin), Okayama Univ.
(E. Ohtaki), and the Univ. Nebraska (S. Verma). We compared CO2 fluxes of an agricultural crop using three surface flux measurements and one aircraft mounted system.

ATDD, Oak Ridge, Tenessee, USA 1986.

This was my first experience measuring fluxes over forests. This short (a few weeks) experiment measured the CO₂ and energy fluxes of a deciduous forest during the summer.

FIFE, Manhattan Kansas, USA, 1986-1989.

One of the first large, multi-diciplinary, ecosystem measurement projects - this study examined a tall grass prairie in northeast Kansas. Our group, measured the energy budget using eddy covariance and gradient measurements and eddy covariance CO₂ fluxes. This research was in association with the PhD work of Joon Kim, while Andy Suyker compared open and closed path CO₂ sensors. While the main experiment was in 1987 and 1989 we set up a pilot experiment in 1986 to prepare for the main experiment.

Marcell Experimental Forest, Grand Rapids Minnesota, USA, 1990 - 1992.

With the aquisition of a tunable diode laser (Unisearch) for measuring methane, we started a period of wetlands flux measurement. Our first experiment measured CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes of a fen in northern Minnesota.

Valentine, Nebraska, USA, 1993-1995.

Although I didnt spend much time at this site I did a lot of the preliminary work researching possible sites and setting up the experiment. Joon Kim was in charge for most of the experiment. We measured CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes of a sandhills wetland. The underlying aquafer creates small ponds and marshes scattered across a prairie landscape.

BOREAS project. Candle Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada 1993-1995.

Another large interdiciplinary experiment in central Saskatchewan. Again we measured CO₂ and CH₄ fluxes of a fen.

Ponca City, and Shidler Oklahoma, USA, 1996

I missed most of the field research at these two sites in north central Oklahoma. Again I was responsible for the preliminary work of researching possible sites and setting up the experiment. The project moved back to measureing just CO₂ fluxes of a prairie pasture and wheat crop.

Griffin forest, Aberfeldy, Perthshire Scotland, 1997-present.

My first long term, continuous experiment, which formed the basis for my PhD thesis research. The experiment site is a Sitka spruce plantation located in central Scotland. The site has lovely views of Schiehallion from the top of the flux tower. My thesis research covered the period from 1997 to 2001. After thinning the site came back on line in 2004 and is currently operating. Some research results can be found here.

East Saltoun, Wood farm, and Cirencester, 2002-present.

In this project we compared adjacent agricultural fields at three sites. Cirencester terminated operation in 2005 but the East Saltoun and Wood farm sites are still operational.

Tumbarumba, Australia, 2005.

Although I missed the field portion of this project I did some of the equipment preparation and am working on a application for the associated modelling part of this project.

Dugway, Utah, USA, 2005.

Examining turbulent structure of a smooth surface. Our part of the project was initiated by Keith McNaughton and we worked with groups from Utah, Minnesota, London, and Brisbane. A fascinating an unique micromet opportunity.

Measurements of flow over a forested hill

Arran, Scotland, 2006

This experiment is in the planning stages for the summer of 2006.

Data analysis Methods EdiRe

EdiRe is a free, Windows software package for the analysis of time series data. It is aimed more specifically at the calcualtion and correction of eddy covariance fluxes. I am developing EdiRe for users in the flux community who do not have the time or experience to produce their own application. I have tried to make it flexible enough to be useful to both begining and more advanced users.

Airborne research

This is a new area of research for our team and I will have more news on this in the future

Instrumentation

Under construction....