Projects & Collaborations 11 foundShow per page10 10 20 50 Feedbacks between vegetation, carbon, energy, and water cycles in the urban environment (UrbaNature) Research Project | 3 Project MembersNo Description available PAUL: Pilot Application in Urban Landscapes towards integrated city observatories for greenhouse gases Research Project | 4 Project MembersThe "Pilot Application in Urban Landscapes: towards integrated city observatories for greenhouse gases" (PAUL) project supports the European Green Deal by creating capabilities to observe and verify greenhouse gas emissions from densely populated urban areas across Europe. Cities are recognized as important anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission hotspots and therefore play a significant role in any emission reduction efforts. The PAUL project aims to increase our understanding of specific needs of greenhouse gas emission assessment in urban environment; it compares available and novel observational approaches and implements an integrated concept for a city observatory, providing unique data sets that feed diverse modelling approaches, scientific studies and will be the base of services towards the city administrations. A specifically innovative approach is the co-design of services, models and observations between city administrators and scientists from multiple disciplines including social and governmental sciences.The PAUL co-design approach will exploring the needs of the cities and combining these with the scientific outcomes. This allows to introduce smart services to the cities, supporting evidence-based decisions on climate action and strategic investments. Overarching goals of PAUL are to: 1) implement elements of a pilot city observatory in a large (Paris), a medium (Munich) and a small (Zurich) European city, 2) collaborate with city stakeholders and engage citizens in co-designing services that are required for GHG monitoring in order to validate the implementation of Paris Agreement, and 3) increase our understanding of specific needs of GHG assessment in urban environment and create a service portfolio for setting up an urban greenhouse gas observatory. ICOS-CH: Integrated Carbon Observation System in Switzerland, Phase 3 Research Project | 4 Project MembersICOS-CH is the Swiss contribution to the I ntegrated C arbon O bservation S ystem R esearch I nfrastruc-ture ( ICOS RI ) which entered its operational phase in 2015. Overarching goals of ICOS RI are to quantify and to understand the greenhouse gas (GHG) budget of the European continent and adjacent regions based on highly standardized measurements in the atmosphere, in terrestrial ecosystems and in the ocean, and to distribute data and data products to stakeholders and user communities. With the ICOS-CH network, i.e. ETH Zurich (National Focal Point), Empa, WSL, University of Bern, University of Basel, and MeteoSwiss, Switzerland participates in ICOS RI since its beginning in 2013. ICOS-CH commits to maintain DAV and JFJ at Class 1 level and to extend the existing network with an urban site, in response to the scientific demand for reliable measurements of the most dynamic land cover globally, and in accordance with the ICOS RI Strategy. The Swiss contribution to ICOS RI will be coordinated within Subproject A, also responsible for communication within and beyond ICOS-CH. Site infrastructure needs to be completed (in Subprojects B and C for DAV and JFJ, respectively) and upgraded (in Subproject D for Basel (BKLI)). DAV and JFJ will be maintained at Class 1 level, and BKLI developed as Associated Site, i.e., with comprehensive variable sets, regular measurement campaigns, stringent quality requirements, fast response times should sensors need repair, and near real-time data provision to ICOS RI. This requires continuous data quality assurance and quality control by well-trained technical staff and data scientists. Overall, ICOS-CH provides a unique opportunity for scientists to contribute to outstanding research and scientific innovations based on continuous, high-precision and open-access data, a comprehensive set of measurements, and an excellent infrastructure that provides on-site validations for research related to Earth system science. CURE: Copernicus for Urban Resilience in Europe Research Project | 3 Project MembersA major challenge for the urban community is the exploitation of the Copernicus products in dealing with the multidimensional nature of urban sustainability towards enhancing urban resilience. Combined information from Copernicus Core Services, namely the Land Monitoring Service (CLMS), the Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), the Climate Change Service (C3S) and the Emergency Management Service (EMS), can provide valuable information to address the multidimensionality of urban resilience. Moreover, the urban planning community needs spatially disaggregated environmental information, at local and city scales. Such information, for all urban environmental parameters, is not directly available from the above Copernicus Core Services, while several data and products from contemporary satellite missions consist valuable tools for retrieving urban environmental parameters at local scale. Therefore, cross-cutting applications among the above Copernicus Core Services may address urban resilience, if they also cope with the required scale with the exploitation of third-party data, in-situ observations and modelling, as appropriate. The main goal of the proposed project CURE (Copernicus for Urban Resilience in Europe) is to synergistically exploit the above Core Services to develop an umbrella cross-cutting application for urban resilience, consisting of individual cross-cutting applications for climate change adaptation/mitigation, energy and economy, as well as healthy cities and social environments, at several European cities. CURE will use DIAS (Data and Information Access Services) to develop a system for integrating these applications, capable of supporting operational applications and downstream services across Europe in the future. CURE will develop synergies with EuroGEOSS and Climate-KIC and provide scenarios on how the developed system could potentially be integrated into the existing Copernicus service architecture, addressing also its economic feasibility. ESKIN 5 BASEL Research Project | 3 Project MembersESKIN ist eine kreative und multidisziplinäre Bühnenplattform, die es sehenden und sehbehinderten Teilnehmer*innen ermöglicht, sich performativ auszudrücken. ESKIN 5 Basel ist ein inklusives Medienkunstprojekt zum Thema Klimawandel unter der Leitung der schweizerisch-australischen Medienkünstlerin Jill Scott. Während einer Workshop-Phase wurden unter Einbezug von Klangobjekten, tragbaren Technologien, interaktiven Grafiken und real-time Computerinteraktionen gemeinsam fünf Szenen auf einer neuartigen Medienkunstbühne erarbeitet. Unter der Kollaboration von fünf Darsteller*innen, zwei Choreograf*innen, sechs Medienkünstler*innen und zwei wissenschaftlichen Berater*innen ist eine spektakuläre audiovisuelle Performance entstanden, die einen emotionalen Dialog zwischen den Darstellern und den Zuschauern schafft. Die fünf Szenen in ESKIN 5 Basel haben folgende Inhalte: Landleben, Stadtleben, Flüsse, Wälder und nachhaltiges klimabewusstes Leben. Einzelne Informationen und Bildmaterialien wurden vom Crowther Lab an der ETH Zürich und dem Atmospheric Sciences Meteorology Institute für Klimatologie an der Universität Basel zur Verfügung gestellt. Diese Informationen und persönliche Erfahrungen werden kreativ von der ESKIN Gruppe zu einer 40-minütigen interaktiv gesteuerten audiovisuellen Aufführung verwoben. ESKIN will das Publikum ermutigen proaktiv zu werden für den Erhalt unserer Natur und dazu beizutragen, die menschlichen Einwirkungen auf unsere Umwelt zu reduzieren. Im Anschuss an die Vorführungen gibt es Publikumsgespräche mit allen Beteiligten. Regie: Jill Scott diFUME Research Project | 4 Project MembersMonitoring CO2 emissions of urban areas has become a necessity for sustainable urban planning and climate change mitigation. The current urban inventories are based on top-down approaches that use fuel and electricity consumption statistics for determining CO2 emissions. Such approaches present consistency issues, neglect the biogenic components of the urban carbon cycle (i.e. vegetation, soil) and have restricted spatial and temporal resolution. The main goal of diFUME is to provide a robust methodology for mapping and monitoring the actual urban CO2 flux at optimum spatial and temporal scales, meaningful for urban design decisions. diFUME will develop, apply and evaluate independent models, capable to estimate all the different components of the urban carbon cycle (i.e. building emissions, traffic emissions, human metabolism, photosynthetic uptake, plant respiration, soil respiration). An innovative interdisciplinary methodology will be introduced, combining two cutting-edge technology tools, the Eddy Covariance (EC) and the latest advances in Earth Observation (EO). EC provides continuous in-situ measurements of CO2 flux at the local scale. Previous EC applications in urban areas have provided valuable insights on the holistic understanding of the urban CO2 flux according to the source/sink distribution in the highly heterogeneous urban environment. EO offers synoptic and continuous monitoring of large areas, capable of enhanced representation of the urban cover, morphology and function. Combined use of EO and EC can provide enhanced interpretation and modelling capabilities to achieve fine scale mapping and monitoring of urban CO2 flux. diFUME methodology will be developed and applied in the case study of Basel, exploiting the unique infrastructure and long-term urban EC measurements. diFUME methodology can be transferable to any city, providing an independent toolbox for consistent urban CO2 emission monitoring, supporting sustainable urban planning strategies. Baumaterialien für Städte im Klimawandel - Materialkatalog mit Empfehlungen Research Project | 3 Project MembersIm Projekt werden Baustoffe und Materialkombinationen für Gebäude (Fassade/Dach) und das nahe Gebäudeumfeld (Boden-beläge) auf ihre Wirkung hinsichtlich des städtischen Wärmeinseleffektes analysiert. Die Materialien werden im Spannungsfeld zwischen bestmöglicher Eigenschaften für einen geringen Wärmeinseleffekt und bauphysikalischen sowie energierelevanten Anforderungen bewertet (Wärmeabstrahlung, Albedo, Blendung, Nachrüstbarkeit an bestehenden Gebäuden, Photovoltaik, akustische Eigenschaften [1] und Ökobilanz). Der Materialkatalog findet Eingang in einer Arealentwicklung in Basel im Rahmen von Workshops. Rückmeldungen aus den Workshops fliessen in die Endfassung ein, welche online zugänglich ist. [1] Synergien Klangraumgestaltung (Leitfaden zur «akustischen Architektur für Strassenräume» sowie Planungshilfe zur «Klangqualität öffentlicher Siedlungsräume») Namib Fog Life Cycle Analysis - Field measurements (NaFoLiCA - F) Research Project | 5 Project MembersThe Namib desert is one of the driest regions on Earth, where fog is a prominent climatic feature and an important source of water for ecological processes. The Namib fog is generally of marine origin and advected on shore either directly as fog or as stratus clouds which intercept with the ground at a higher elevation further inland. Correlation between spatial distribution of the flora and fauna and the occurrence of Namib fog is documented in numerous studies. However, knowledge about the spatial and temporal patterns of fog distribution is incomplete and, in particular, the amount of fog water deposition available to the fauna and flora is unknown. Fog precipitation measurements with fog collectors in the Namib have been carried out but no physically sound method to convert them to fog water deposition is available. The lack of observations of cloud physical properties of Namib fog prevents a thorough understanding of fog water deposition processes and their relevance for the water budget. The proposed sub-project NaFoLiCA-F has two key aspects: Characterization of ecosystem water availability in the Namib, with a focus on fog as a source of water. The unsolved question how to scale sampled fog precipitation to fog water deposition is addressed. Fog water deposition is determined with two independent methods, i.e. the eddy covariance approach where the vertical flux of liquid water is directly measured and the use of micro-lysimeters where fog water deposition is derived by weighing a piece of soil. Existing fog collectors and a new fog collector with a higher collection efficiency developed within the project will be calibrated and scaled to give an estimate of fog water deposition. Together with the existing comprehensive micrometeorological data-set (FogNet stations, the UNIBAS flux tower, the BSRN station) and the results of the planned Intensive Observation Period (IOP), we are confident to provide a parameterization for this highly important open question. Create a basic data-set from ground-based measurements (permanent stations, one IOP). Provide data to partner projects NaFoLiCA-M and NaFoLiCA-S for the fine- tuning of different empirical parameters for a numerical fog forecast model and for the development and refining of fog related satellite remote sensing techniques. Process understanding will be advanced by analyzing the life cycle stages of individual fog events, i.e. the temporal and spatial development of fog micro- and macro-physical properties including a characterization of liquid water distribution within the fog vertical profile. The proposed research crosses scales: from the microphysical processes level to the landscape-scale spatial patterns, and from fog property changes within minutes to seasonal patterns and multi-year trends. Taken together, the component projects are expected to greatly improve the understanding of Namib fog as a paradigm of coastal-desert fog phenomena. This will set a basis for improved consideration of fog in regional climate modelling and potential impacts on climate change. URBANFLUXES - URBan ANthropogenic heat FLUX from Earth observation Satellites Research Project | 3 Project MembersThe main goal of the proposed project URBANFLUXES (URBan ANthrpogenic heat FLUX from Earth observation Satellites) is to investigate the potential of Earth Observation (EO) to retrieve anthropogenic heat fluxes. The main research question addresses whether EO is able to provide reliable estimates of anthropogenic heat flux spatiotemporal distribution, at local and city scales. URBANFLUXES will investigate the potential of EO to retrieve the anthropogenic heat flux, as a key component in the urban energy budget and by developing a method capable of deriving it from space. The objective is to develop a method that could be used operationally in the near future, when observations with adequate temporal resolution become available. URBANFLUXES EO-based approach will be easily transferable to any urban area and capable of providing anthropogenic heat flux benchmark data for different applications, including climate models to assess the implication of the anthropogenic heat on the Earth system; building energy models to characterize buildings-to-atmosphere/soil/water heat exchange pathways; and decision support systems for urban sustainable planning and mapping of emissions related to energy consumption. URBANFLUXES is therefore expected to prepare the ground for further innovative exploitation of European space data in scientific activities (Earth system modelling and climate change studies in cities) and future and emerging applications (sustainable urban planning) by exploiting the improved data quality, coverage and revisit times of the Copernicus Sentinels data. The Copernicus observations have the potential to reveal novel scientific insights, related to monitoring the anthropogenic heat flux in cities, at both local and regional scales, generating new EO opportunities. The URBANFLUXES products will therefore support both sustainable planning strategies to improve the quality of life in cities and Earth system models to provide more robust climate simulations. Exploiting Earth Observation in Sustainable Urban Planning & Management (GEOURBAN) Research Project | 2 Project MembersSustainable urban planning and management increasingly demands innovative concepts and techniques to obtain up-to-date and area-wide information on the characteristics and development of the urban system. The increasing availability of Earth Observation (EO) technologies has provided new opportunities for a wide range of urban applications, such as mapping and monitoring of the urban environment, socio-economic estimations, characterization of urban climate, analysis of regional and global impacts and urban security and emergency preparedness. However, a gap exists between the research-focused results offered by the urban EO community and the application of these data and products by urban planners and decision makers. Recently, however, increasing attention is being directed to bridge this gap. To this end, the main objective of the GEOURBAN (ExploitinG Earth Observation in sUstainable uRBan plAnning & maNagement) project is to bridge the gap between EO scientists and urban planners by demonstrating the ability of current and future EO systems to depict parameters of urban structure and urban environmental quality over large areas at detailed level. The innovative potential of the project lies in the development of a web-based information system which reflects the multidimensional nature of urban planning and management, as operationalized in intelligible and transferable indicators which are easily understood and applicable by a non-scientific public. Three cities with different typologies and planning perspectives are included as case studies: Tyumen (Russia), Tel-Aviv (Israel) and Basel (Switzerland). In order to develop a method that will be welcomed by local governments, the project will use a Community of Practice (CoP) approach, which means that in the case studies, local stakeholders and scientists of the GEOURBAN project will meet on a regular basis in order to learn from each other. One of the main purposes of the CoP is to acknowledge the different stakeholders' perceptions into the indicator development. The EO data is the main input for GEOURBAN indicators. State-of-the-art EO analysis methods will be used to calculate products from raw data. The information system will be developed in an iterative procedure. User requirements will lead to EO-based indicators, as well as to specifications for the system design. The consortium will release several versions of the system during its development exercise. Since it will be a web-based tool, the end-users will be able to evaluate it online and provide their feedback. The consortium will take into account the end-user suggestions to develop the next version of the system. The final version will be available during the demonstration event to be organized by the end of the project. 12 12
Feedbacks between vegetation, carbon, energy, and water cycles in the urban environment (UrbaNature) Research Project | 3 Project MembersNo Description available
PAUL: Pilot Application in Urban Landscapes towards integrated city observatories for greenhouse gases Research Project | 4 Project MembersThe "Pilot Application in Urban Landscapes: towards integrated city observatories for greenhouse gases" (PAUL) project supports the European Green Deal by creating capabilities to observe and verify greenhouse gas emissions from densely populated urban areas across Europe. Cities are recognized as important anthropogenic greenhouse gas emission hotspots and therefore play a significant role in any emission reduction efforts. The PAUL project aims to increase our understanding of specific needs of greenhouse gas emission assessment in urban environment; it compares available and novel observational approaches and implements an integrated concept for a city observatory, providing unique data sets that feed diverse modelling approaches, scientific studies and will be the base of services towards the city administrations. A specifically innovative approach is the co-design of services, models and observations between city administrators and scientists from multiple disciplines including social and governmental sciences.The PAUL co-design approach will exploring the needs of the cities and combining these with the scientific outcomes. This allows to introduce smart services to the cities, supporting evidence-based decisions on climate action and strategic investments. Overarching goals of PAUL are to: 1) implement elements of a pilot city observatory in a large (Paris), a medium (Munich) and a small (Zurich) European city, 2) collaborate with city stakeholders and engage citizens in co-designing services that are required for GHG monitoring in order to validate the implementation of Paris Agreement, and 3) increase our understanding of specific needs of GHG assessment in urban environment and create a service portfolio for setting up an urban greenhouse gas observatory.
ICOS-CH: Integrated Carbon Observation System in Switzerland, Phase 3 Research Project | 4 Project MembersICOS-CH is the Swiss contribution to the I ntegrated C arbon O bservation S ystem R esearch I nfrastruc-ture ( ICOS RI ) which entered its operational phase in 2015. Overarching goals of ICOS RI are to quantify and to understand the greenhouse gas (GHG) budget of the European continent and adjacent regions based on highly standardized measurements in the atmosphere, in terrestrial ecosystems and in the ocean, and to distribute data and data products to stakeholders and user communities. With the ICOS-CH network, i.e. ETH Zurich (National Focal Point), Empa, WSL, University of Bern, University of Basel, and MeteoSwiss, Switzerland participates in ICOS RI since its beginning in 2013. ICOS-CH commits to maintain DAV and JFJ at Class 1 level and to extend the existing network with an urban site, in response to the scientific demand for reliable measurements of the most dynamic land cover globally, and in accordance with the ICOS RI Strategy. The Swiss contribution to ICOS RI will be coordinated within Subproject A, also responsible for communication within and beyond ICOS-CH. Site infrastructure needs to be completed (in Subprojects B and C for DAV and JFJ, respectively) and upgraded (in Subproject D for Basel (BKLI)). DAV and JFJ will be maintained at Class 1 level, and BKLI developed as Associated Site, i.e., with comprehensive variable sets, regular measurement campaigns, stringent quality requirements, fast response times should sensors need repair, and near real-time data provision to ICOS RI. This requires continuous data quality assurance and quality control by well-trained technical staff and data scientists. Overall, ICOS-CH provides a unique opportunity for scientists to contribute to outstanding research and scientific innovations based on continuous, high-precision and open-access data, a comprehensive set of measurements, and an excellent infrastructure that provides on-site validations for research related to Earth system science.
CURE: Copernicus for Urban Resilience in Europe Research Project | 3 Project MembersA major challenge for the urban community is the exploitation of the Copernicus products in dealing with the multidimensional nature of urban sustainability towards enhancing urban resilience. Combined information from Copernicus Core Services, namely the Land Monitoring Service (CLMS), the Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), the Climate Change Service (C3S) and the Emergency Management Service (EMS), can provide valuable information to address the multidimensionality of urban resilience. Moreover, the urban planning community needs spatially disaggregated environmental information, at local and city scales. Such information, for all urban environmental parameters, is not directly available from the above Copernicus Core Services, while several data and products from contemporary satellite missions consist valuable tools for retrieving urban environmental parameters at local scale. Therefore, cross-cutting applications among the above Copernicus Core Services may address urban resilience, if they also cope with the required scale with the exploitation of third-party data, in-situ observations and modelling, as appropriate. The main goal of the proposed project CURE (Copernicus for Urban Resilience in Europe) is to synergistically exploit the above Core Services to develop an umbrella cross-cutting application for urban resilience, consisting of individual cross-cutting applications for climate change adaptation/mitigation, energy and economy, as well as healthy cities and social environments, at several European cities. CURE will use DIAS (Data and Information Access Services) to develop a system for integrating these applications, capable of supporting operational applications and downstream services across Europe in the future. CURE will develop synergies with EuroGEOSS and Climate-KIC and provide scenarios on how the developed system could potentially be integrated into the existing Copernicus service architecture, addressing also its economic feasibility.
ESKIN 5 BASEL Research Project | 3 Project MembersESKIN ist eine kreative und multidisziplinäre Bühnenplattform, die es sehenden und sehbehinderten Teilnehmer*innen ermöglicht, sich performativ auszudrücken. ESKIN 5 Basel ist ein inklusives Medienkunstprojekt zum Thema Klimawandel unter der Leitung der schweizerisch-australischen Medienkünstlerin Jill Scott. Während einer Workshop-Phase wurden unter Einbezug von Klangobjekten, tragbaren Technologien, interaktiven Grafiken und real-time Computerinteraktionen gemeinsam fünf Szenen auf einer neuartigen Medienkunstbühne erarbeitet. Unter der Kollaboration von fünf Darsteller*innen, zwei Choreograf*innen, sechs Medienkünstler*innen und zwei wissenschaftlichen Berater*innen ist eine spektakuläre audiovisuelle Performance entstanden, die einen emotionalen Dialog zwischen den Darstellern und den Zuschauern schafft. Die fünf Szenen in ESKIN 5 Basel haben folgende Inhalte: Landleben, Stadtleben, Flüsse, Wälder und nachhaltiges klimabewusstes Leben. Einzelne Informationen und Bildmaterialien wurden vom Crowther Lab an der ETH Zürich und dem Atmospheric Sciences Meteorology Institute für Klimatologie an der Universität Basel zur Verfügung gestellt. Diese Informationen und persönliche Erfahrungen werden kreativ von der ESKIN Gruppe zu einer 40-minütigen interaktiv gesteuerten audiovisuellen Aufführung verwoben. ESKIN will das Publikum ermutigen proaktiv zu werden für den Erhalt unserer Natur und dazu beizutragen, die menschlichen Einwirkungen auf unsere Umwelt zu reduzieren. Im Anschuss an die Vorführungen gibt es Publikumsgespräche mit allen Beteiligten. Regie: Jill Scott
diFUME Research Project | 4 Project MembersMonitoring CO2 emissions of urban areas has become a necessity for sustainable urban planning and climate change mitigation. The current urban inventories are based on top-down approaches that use fuel and electricity consumption statistics for determining CO2 emissions. Such approaches present consistency issues, neglect the biogenic components of the urban carbon cycle (i.e. vegetation, soil) and have restricted spatial and temporal resolution. The main goal of diFUME is to provide a robust methodology for mapping and monitoring the actual urban CO2 flux at optimum spatial and temporal scales, meaningful for urban design decisions. diFUME will develop, apply and evaluate independent models, capable to estimate all the different components of the urban carbon cycle (i.e. building emissions, traffic emissions, human metabolism, photosynthetic uptake, plant respiration, soil respiration). An innovative interdisciplinary methodology will be introduced, combining two cutting-edge technology tools, the Eddy Covariance (EC) and the latest advances in Earth Observation (EO). EC provides continuous in-situ measurements of CO2 flux at the local scale. Previous EC applications in urban areas have provided valuable insights on the holistic understanding of the urban CO2 flux according to the source/sink distribution in the highly heterogeneous urban environment. EO offers synoptic and continuous monitoring of large areas, capable of enhanced representation of the urban cover, morphology and function. Combined use of EO and EC can provide enhanced interpretation and modelling capabilities to achieve fine scale mapping and monitoring of urban CO2 flux. diFUME methodology will be developed and applied in the case study of Basel, exploiting the unique infrastructure and long-term urban EC measurements. diFUME methodology can be transferable to any city, providing an independent toolbox for consistent urban CO2 emission monitoring, supporting sustainable urban planning strategies.
Baumaterialien für Städte im Klimawandel - Materialkatalog mit Empfehlungen Research Project | 3 Project MembersIm Projekt werden Baustoffe und Materialkombinationen für Gebäude (Fassade/Dach) und das nahe Gebäudeumfeld (Boden-beläge) auf ihre Wirkung hinsichtlich des städtischen Wärmeinseleffektes analysiert. Die Materialien werden im Spannungsfeld zwischen bestmöglicher Eigenschaften für einen geringen Wärmeinseleffekt und bauphysikalischen sowie energierelevanten Anforderungen bewertet (Wärmeabstrahlung, Albedo, Blendung, Nachrüstbarkeit an bestehenden Gebäuden, Photovoltaik, akustische Eigenschaften [1] und Ökobilanz). Der Materialkatalog findet Eingang in einer Arealentwicklung in Basel im Rahmen von Workshops. Rückmeldungen aus den Workshops fliessen in die Endfassung ein, welche online zugänglich ist. [1] Synergien Klangraumgestaltung (Leitfaden zur «akustischen Architektur für Strassenräume» sowie Planungshilfe zur «Klangqualität öffentlicher Siedlungsräume»)
Namib Fog Life Cycle Analysis - Field measurements (NaFoLiCA - F) Research Project | 5 Project MembersThe Namib desert is one of the driest regions on Earth, where fog is a prominent climatic feature and an important source of water for ecological processes. The Namib fog is generally of marine origin and advected on shore either directly as fog or as stratus clouds which intercept with the ground at a higher elevation further inland. Correlation between spatial distribution of the flora and fauna and the occurrence of Namib fog is documented in numerous studies. However, knowledge about the spatial and temporal patterns of fog distribution is incomplete and, in particular, the amount of fog water deposition available to the fauna and flora is unknown. Fog precipitation measurements with fog collectors in the Namib have been carried out but no physically sound method to convert them to fog water deposition is available. The lack of observations of cloud physical properties of Namib fog prevents a thorough understanding of fog water deposition processes and their relevance for the water budget. The proposed sub-project NaFoLiCA-F has two key aspects: Characterization of ecosystem water availability in the Namib, with a focus on fog as a source of water. The unsolved question how to scale sampled fog precipitation to fog water deposition is addressed. Fog water deposition is determined with two independent methods, i.e. the eddy covariance approach where the vertical flux of liquid water is directly measured and the use of micro-lysimeters where fog water deposition is derived by weighing a piece of soil. Existing fog collectors and a new fog collector with a higher collection efficiency developed within the project will be calibrated and scaled to give an estimate of fog water deposition. Together with the existing comprehensive micrometeorological data-set (FogNet stations, the UNIBAS flux tower, the BSRN station) and the results of the planned Intensive Observation Period (IOP), we are confident to provide a parameterization for this highly important open question. Create a basic data-set from ground-based measurements (permanent stations, one IOP). Provide data to partner projects NaFoLiCA-M and NaFoLiCA-S for the fine- tuning of different empirical parameters for a numerical fog forecast model and for the development and refining of fog related satellite remote sensing techniques. Process understanding will be advanced by analyzing the life cycle stages of individual fog events, i.e. the temporal and spatial development of fog micro- and macro-physical properties including a characterization of liquid water distribution within the fog vertical profile. The proposed research crosses scales: from the microphysical processes level to the landscape-scale spatial patterns, and from fog property changes within minutes to seasonal patterns and multi-year trends. Taken together, the component projects are expected to greatly improve the understanding of Namib fog as a paradigm of coastal-desert fog phenomena. This will set a basis for improved consideration of fog in regional climate modelling and potential impacts on climate change.
URBANFLUXES - URBan ANthropogenic heat FLUX from Earth observation Satellites Research Project | 3 Project MembersThe main goal of the proposed project URBANFLUXES (URBan ANthrpogenic heat FLUX from Earth observation Satellites) is to investigate the potential of Earth Observation (EO) to retrieve anthropogenic heat fluxes. The main research question addresses whether EO is able to provide reliable estimates of anthropogenic heat flux spatiotemporal distribution, at local and city scales. URBANFLUXES will investigate the potential of EO to retrieve the anthropogenic heat flux, as a key component in the urban energy budget and by developing a method capable of deriving it from space. The objective is to develop a method that could be used operationally in the near future, when observations with adequate temporal resolution become available. URBANFLUXES EO-based approach will be easily transferable to any urban area and capable of providing anthropogenic heat flux benchmark data for different applications, including climate models to assess the implication of the anthropogenic heat on the Earth system; building energy models to characterize buildings-to-atmosphere/soil/water heat exchange pathways; and decision support systems for urban sustainable planning and mapping of emissions related to energy consumption. URBANFLUXES is therefore expected to prepare the ground for further innovative exploitation of European space data in scientific activities (Earth system modelling and climate change studies in cities) and future and emerging applications (sustainable urban planning) by exploiting the improved data quality, coverage and revisit times of the Copernicus Sentinels data. The Copernicus observations have the potential to reveal novel scientific insights, related to monitoring the anthropogenic heat flux in cities, at both local and regional scales, generating new EO opportunities. The URBANFLUXES products will therefore support both sustainable planning strategies to improve the quality of life in cities and Earth system models to provide more robust climate simulations.
Exploiting Earth Observation in Sustainable Urban Planning & Management (GEOURBAN) Research Project | 2 Project MembersSustainable urban planning and management increasingly demands innovative concepts and techniques to obtain up-to-date and area-wide information on the characteristics and development of the urban system. The increasing availability of Earth Observation (EO) technologies has provided new opportunities for a wide range of urban applications, such as mapping and monitoring of the urban environment, socio-economic estimations, characterization of urban climate, analysis of regional and global impacts and urban security and emergency preparedness. However, a gap exists between the research-focused results offered by the urban EO community and the application of these data and products by urban planners and decision makers. Recently, however, increasing attention is being directed to bridge this gap. To this end, the main objective of the GEOURBAN (ExploitinG Earth Observation in sUstainable uRBan plAnning & maNagement) project is to bridge the gap between EO scientists and urban planners by demonstrating the ability of current and future EO systems to depict parameters of urban structure and urban environmental quality over large areas at detailed level. The innovative potential of the project lies in the development of a web-based information system which reflects the multidimensional nature of urban planning and management, as operationalized in intelligible and transferable indicators which are easily understood and applicable by a non-scientific public. Three cities with different typologies and planning perspectives are included as case studies: Tyumen (Russia), Tel-Aviv (Israel) and Basel (Switzerland). In order to develop a method that will be welcomed by local governments, the project will use a Community of Practice (CoP) approach, which means that in the case studies, local stakeholders and scientists of the GEOURBAN project will meet on a regular basis in order to learn from each other. One of the main purposes of the CoP is to acknowledge the different stakeholders' perceptions into the indicator development. The EO data is the main input for GEOURBAN indicators. State-of-the-art EO analysis methods will be used to calculate products from raw data. The information system will be developed in an iterative procedure. User requirements will lead to EO-based indicators, as well as to specifications for the system design. The consortium will release several versions of the system during its development exercise. Since it will be a web-based tool, the end-users will be able to evaluate it online and provide their feedback. The consortium will take into account the end-user suggestions to develop the next version of the system. The final version will be available during the demonstration event to be organized by the end of the project.
