Summer microclimatic observations on the Saddle: Daily data.

• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: Niwot Ridge LTER/University of Colorado1560 30th Street, CB [e-mail] 1993
• Subjects: NWT; Niwot Ridge LTER Site; LTER; Colorado; climate; evapotranspiration; albedo; energy balance; reflectance; remote sensing; Tundra
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10255/dryad.32174; http://metacat.lternet.edu/knb/metacat/knb-lter-nwt.21.2/xml

The objective of this field campaign was to measure microclimatic variables within a mid-latitude alpine tundra zone during the growing season (June - August), and to relate those observations to ecosystem processes and landscape patterns. Microclimatic data were recorded using a Campbell CR21X micrologger on the east and west knolls of the Niwot Ridge Saddle grid. Five sites were chosen (2 of which were snow covered and the remaining 3 being snowfree tundra). Measurements were made at 60-second intervals and averaged on the half hour. These half-hourly data were subsequently averaged for the day. All meteorological instruments on the tower were oriented parallel to the surface at the tower location. The anemometer was located at the top of the meteorological station tower (i.e., 3 m above the surface). The air temperature and relative humidity probe were 2 m above the surface. The pyranometer used for the calculation of incoming solar radiation was 1.5 m above the surface. The pyranometer used for the calculation of outgoing solar radiation was 1.25 m above the surface. The net radiometer was situated between 0.75 and 1 m above the surface. The heat flux transducer was located 5 cm below the surface of the vegetation canopy. The soil temperature probe was located between 0 and 10 cm below the ground surface.