Autonomous surface flux station deployment

Knowledge graph centered on Autonomous surface flux station deployment with 18 nodes and 69 connections. Top connected: Gothic, Crested Butte, Engelmann Spruce, Aedes communis, Abies lasiocarpa.

Method synopsis

Deployment of autonomous atmospheric surface flux stations (ASFSs) for continuous measurement of surface energy balance components including meteorology, radiation, and turbulent fluxes in remote high-elevation environments. Stations designed for multi-year operation without power grid access using methanol fuel cells.

Synthesized from method descriptions across 1 paper using this protocol.

Procedure as described in the canonical source

Steps below were extracted from the paper that introduces this protocol — Observations of surface energy fluxes and meteorology in the seasonally snow-covered high-elevation East River watershed during SPLASH, 2021–2023 (2025), Earth System Science Data. Implementations in other papers (listed below) may differ.

1. Deploy ASFS-30 station at Kettle Ponds Annex
   Installed ASFS-30 on two wooden picnic tables with boom facing approximately south to reduce shading of radiation sensors. Station positioned 400m south and down-valley of KPS site, at elevation 2856±0.6m within a wide, gently sloping portion of valley locally 4-7° slope.
   Quantities: Single station with 3m boom height, positioned 3.5m off either side of boom centerline for conductive flux plates, 4m east of rear for soil probe, 5cm depth for flux platesDuration: Deployed 28 September 2021, operated until 19 July 2023Conditions: High-elevation alpine environment near 3000m elevation with seasonal snow cover
   Equipment: ASFS-30, wooden picnic tables, conductive flux plates, soil probe, fencing
2. Deploy ASFS-50 station at Avery Picnic
   Installed ASFS-50 station approximately 1.8km up-valley from Gothic along Colorado State Highway 317. Station positioned just east of road with boom height at 2933±0.7m elevation on generally flat terrain with undulating surface.
   Quantities: Single station with boom height 2933m elevation, separate snow-profiling thermistor string 4m east of station, 0.5m soil probe approximately 4m east of rearDuration: Deployed 12 October 2021, operated until 21 June 2023Conditions: Valley floor environment, narrower than KPS-A site with steeper terrain to east and west
   Equipment: ASFS-50, thermistor string, soil probe, fencing

Typical Equipment

• ASFS-30
• ASFS-50
• EFOY Pro Duo 2400
• Campbell Scientific CR1000X

Output Measurements

• air temperature
• humidity
• pressure
• wind velocity
• radiative fluxes
• turbulent heat fluxes
• soil temperature
• soil moisture

Papers Using This Protocol (1)

Species Studied With This Protocol

Places Where Used