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Sonnblick Integrated Site
Integrated CryoNet Cluster Information
Stations in This Site
This site is comprised of the following stations:
- Goldbergkees - CryoNet Station
- Kleinfleisskees - CryoNet Station
- Kolm Saigurn - Contributing Station
- Pasterze - CryoNet Station
- Wurtenkees - Contributing Station
- Sonnblick Observatory - CryoNet Station
- Wintergasse - Contributing Station
- AWS Fraganter Scharte - Contributing Station
- AWS-Kleinfleisskees - CryoNet Station
- AWS Pasterze - CryoNet Station
Broad Research Focus
Monitoring and research are highly interlinked and depend on each other. The research focus of Sonnblick Integrated Site does not address monitoring and research separately, but intends to combine these activities. Accordingly it splits into the three major sub-spheres of the geosphere which surround the Observatory. Consequently three sub-programmes are realized: ATMON (monitoring of the atmosphere), CRYMON (monitoring of the cryosphere) and BIMON (monitoring of the Biosphere). Each sub-program is guided by an internationally accepted expert.
Integrated Approach
Sonnblick Integrated Site formulated to key research foci for the coming years:
FOCUS 1: Outstanding Events – analysis and forecast
FOCUS 2: Aerosols and Albedo and their interaction with snow cover and clouds
Beside these foci, the site has a long-term focus on the interaction of changes of high-mountain cryosphere and ecology.
Representativeness of the Cluster
Climatological representativeness was investigated in several project and is available for different variables in publications. Representativeness of aerosol and trace gases measurements was subject to several studies within the GAW-DACH cooperation (offering several publications, too).
Cluster Facilities
There is accomodation for >20 researchers at the alpine hut "Zittelhaus" which is part of the block of buildings at the summit of Sonnblick
Other Networks to Which This CryoNet Cluster Belongs
- WMO-GAW (Global Atmosphere Watch
- GAW-DACH (GAW-cooperation Germany, Austria, Switzerland)
- NDACC (Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Climate Change)
- WGMS (World Glacier Monitoring Service)
- GTN-P (Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost)
- MACC (Monitoring atmospheric composition and climate)
- BSRN (Baseline Surface Radiation Network)
- LTER (European Long-Term Ecosystem Research Network)
- ACTRIS associated partner (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research Infrastructure Network)
Measurement Methods Used
- WMO Technical Regulations
- UNESCO
- GTN-P
- GTN-G/WGMS
- GTOS
- CIMO
Data Information
- Are the data quality controlled? yes
- How are the data accessible? FTP, an existing data center
- Data availability (may depend on the variable measured): in real-time, in near real-time, delayed less than one year
Publications
Schoener W., Boeckli L., Hausmann H., Otto J.C.,Reisenhofer S., Riedl C. S. Seren (2012). Spatial Patterns of Permafrost at Hoher Sonnblick (Austrian Alps) - Extensive Field-measurements and Modelling Approaches. Austrian Journal of Earth Sciences Volume 105/2 , 154-168
Schoener W., Auer I., Boehm R. (2009): Long term trend of snow depth at Sonnblick (Austrian Alps) and its relation to climate change. Hydrological Processes 23, 1052-1063, DOI: 10.1002/hyp.7209.
Additional Information Documents
Measurements
The measurements made at Sonnblick Integrated Site are listed in the following tables. This is a combination of measurements made at the stations within the site, where the start and end years in the tables are the earliest and latest years of measurement. (Note: If End Year is blank, measurements are ongoing.)
Cryosphere Measurements
| Atmosphere Measurements
|
Measurement Notes and Other Measurements
| Category | Description or List |
|---|---|
| Atmosphere | Sonnblick Observatory is BSRN station. Sonnblick Observatory is BSRN station. |
| Ecology | Stream ecology monitoring covering water temperature, water quality, species Stream ecology network as part of national park "Nationalpark Hohe Tauern" established in 2011. Stream ecology network as part of national park "Nationalpark Hohe Tauern" established in 2011. |
Sonnblick Observatory was built in 1886 at the summit of Sonnblick Mountain, motivated from the need for information on meteorology in higher altitudes of the atmosphere. Very soon other scientific disciplines became interested in the extreme location of the observatory, e.g. Nobel-prize winner V.F. Hess for his measurements of cosmic rays. In 1986, the observatory was rebuilt to a modern observatory with cable car access, electricity, and a large research platform. From that time onwards investigations on atmospheric chemistry became a new research field at Sonnblick. Today, Sonnblick is a station of interdisciplinary research covering the atmosphere, the cryosphere, the biosphere, the lithosphere, and the hydrosphere.
Research of Sonnblick is currently formulated in the research programme ENVISON. It covers three main topics (the atmosphere, the cryosphere, and the biosphere) in an extensive monitoring programme and with many research projects. Sonnblick is outstanding with respect to its long-term climate observations and studies on glacier changes. Thus, the impact of Climate Change on the cryosphere is a major research topic at Sonnblick. Since 1886, Sonnblick was also involved in many international projects on atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics. The research is described on www.sonnblick.net. Sonnblick Observatory cooperates with several Austrian and international universities/research institutions. Within the frame of the GAW-DACH cooperation, Sonnblick has a special partnership with the observatories Jungfraujoch (in Switzerland), Zugspitze and Hohenpeissenberg (both Germany) for common research on atmospheric processes and Climate Change (GAW: Global Atmosphere Watch in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland: D-A-CH). The Sonnblick observatory is part of the BSRN-Network.