Ground based observations and experiments
Research areas: Physical Geography
Principal investigators: Prof. Dr. Olaf Bubenzer, Prof. Dr. Georg Bareth
Project Info: Phase 3
Modern meteorological observational data represent important background information for all subprojects of the CRC 1211, and a number of CRC subprojects rely on data acquired from further ground-based (Z03) and remote observations (Z02). Subproject Z03 centralizes expertise and equipment for ground-based monitoring and field irrigation experiments.
During the 1st and 2nd phases of the CRC 1211, a network of 20 stationary meteorological stations along E‑W transects in the common focus areas of the CRC was established together with Z02 and in agreement with suggestions of A01. Fog-collectors were added to some of these stations during the 2nd CRC phase in order to quantify fog occurrence and fog water yields along these transects. In addition, Z03 now also operates 9 mobile meteorological stations, partly equipped with fog collectors as well, at the study sites of sub-projects B01 and B02 in order to provide on-site meteorological data for project-specific research questions. First meteorological data in collaboration with these subprojects were collected, and sediment analyses from the respective sites (e.g., Tillandsia fields) were carried out.
Finally, two irrigation devices were designed by Z03 (device one 5mx2m; device two 0.75mx0.75m), and on-site artificial irrigation experiments were successfully carried out within the framework of joint field campaigns during the 1st and 2nd CRC phases (e.g., May et al., 2020). In August 2023, an irrigation experiment was carried out in cooperation with subprojects B02, B04 and B08 north of Paposo in order to provoke ecosystem response to different precipitation amounts and to define thresholds for reactivation of life as observed, e.g., due to El Niño-related rainfall periods. In the 3rd CRC phase, Z03 will
- continue the operation and maintenance of all, and the relocation of the mobile weather stations,
- (accompany the transfer of the stationary stations to local partners,
- carry out extensive Tillandsia- and Huidobria-related ground-based measurements (weather data inc. fog, soil moisture, sand dynamics), and (iv) conduct and develop further irrigation experiments in cooperation with the several other CRC subprojects.
Phase 2
Ground based observations and experiments
Research areas: Geography
Principal investigators: Prof. Dr. Olaf Bubenzer, Prof. Dr. Georg Bareth
 Fig. 1: Schematic overview of various methods/monitoring equipment centralised by Z03 in close collaboration with Z02. |
Sub-project Z03 centralises expertise and equipment for ground-based monitoring and field irrigation experiments. During the 1st phase of the CRC 1211, a network of 15 meteorological stations along E-W transects in the common focus areas of the CRC was established with A01 and Z02. In addition, two irrigation devices were designed by Z03 (device one 5mx2m; device two 0.75mx0.75m), and on-site artificial irrigation experiments were carried out within the framework of joint field campaigns with Z02 in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The experiments aimed at defining precipitation thresholds for surface runoff and hillslope dynamics (with C03 and B05) as well as initiating colloid down-soil transport (with B05).
In the 2nd phase of the CRC, the major task of Z03 are the implementation of in-situ artificial precipitation experiments, which are essential for all B-projects and selected C-projects; joint field campaigns with these projects are scheduled for 2022-2023. In addition, both the observation of irrigation-induced processes and the understanding of natural geomorphological and/or biological processes requires a comprehensive system of ground-based monitoring techniques. This is centralised by Z03 as well and will include the use of time-lapse cameras, soil moisture sensors and the setup of seismometers. The acquisition of high-resolution topographical data using drone- or ground-based Structure-from-Motion (SfM) and Terrestrial Laser Scanning as well as spectroradiometric measurements will be conducted together with Z02. Another 5 stationary meteorological stations will be erected to supplement the existing network, and non-stationary meteorological stations will additionally be installed for 1-2 years to complement process monitoring with on-site meteorological (e.g., local wind and air humidity) data. Further tasks will include the maintenance of all, and the installation of fog collectors and micro-lysimeters as well as upgrading of communication devices at selected stationary meteorological stations (with Z02 and project partners at UCN). The structural collaboration between Z02 and Z03 is central to both projects and will include joint field campaigns.
 Fig. 2: Using the large irrigation device on a zebra stripe-covered hillslope at the Paposo fault. |
Fig. 3: Sampling after irrigation with the small irrigation device together with subproject B05 in 2019. |
Phase 1
Ground based observations and experiments
Research areas: Geography
Principal investigators: Prof. Dr. Olaf Bubenzer, Prof. Dr. Georg Bareth
 Schematic overview of various methods provided and utilised in subprojects Z02, Z03 and C03.Figure: Lennart Meine, Markus Forbriger |
Most CRC subprojects rely on data acquired from the central service projects Z2 and Z3, which bundle expertise and equipment for ground-based monitoring and remote-sensing data, and which will be responsible for data processing and analyses. A number of subprojects will benefit from on-site artificial irrigation experiments, which will be carried out within the framework of Z3.
In addition, Z3 will be in charge of maintaining up to 15 meteorological stations, which will be installed in each of the three CRC focus areas along transects from west to east. These stations will provide essential climatic data for all CRC subprojects and our Chilean partners. Due to decadal climatic variations in the region (e.g. El Niño-Southern Oscillation, ENSO), they are designed to provide climatic data for a minimum of 12 years, i.e. the envisaged duration of the CRC, exceeding the time span of most other projects. To achieve standardized data acquisition and post-processing, Z3 will work in close cooperation with Z2 and with other data-receiving projects throughout the CRC.
Technical Support
Patricio Raul Arias Ortiz (Antofagasta/Coquimbo)
Logistical and technical support, construction and installation of protective fences around stationary meteorological stations (CRC phase 1 and 2), construction of fog collectors (CRC phase 2).
Publications
Project Z3 - Publications
Articles
Jaeschke, A., May, M., Hakobyan, A., Mörchen, R., Bubenzer, O., Bernasconi, S., Schefuß, E., Hoffmeister, D., Latorre, C., Gwozdz, M., Rethemeyer, J., Knief, C., 2024.
Microbial hotspots in a relict fog-dependent Tillandsia landbeckii dune from the coastal Atacama Desert.
Global and Planetary Change. 104383, 1 - 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2024.104383.
Sun, X., Amelung, W., Klumpp, E., Walk, J., Mörchen, R., Böhm, C., Moradi, G., May, M., Tamburini, F., Wang, Y., Bol, R., 2023.
Fog controls biological cycling of soil phosphorus in the Coastal Cordillera of the Atacama Desert.
Global Change Biology. 30:e17068 (1), 1 - 19. DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17068.
Sun, X., May, M., Amelung, W., Tang, N., Brill, D., Arenas-Díaz, F., Contreras, D., Fuentes, B., Bol, R., Klumpp, E., 2023.
Water-dispersible colloids distribution along an alluvial fan transect in hyper-arid Atacama Desert.
Geoderma. 438 (116650), 1 - 13. DOI: 10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116650.
Wennrich, V., 2023.
Late Pleistocene to modern precipitation changes at the Paranal clay pan, central Atacama Desert.
Zenodo. 1 - 63. DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.68.
Ullmann, T., Jagdhuber, T., Hoffmeister, D., May, M., Baumhauer, R., Bubenzer, O., 2022.
Exploring Sentinel-1 backscatter time series over the Atacama Desert (Chile) for seasonal dynamics of surface soil moisture.
Remote Sensing of Environment. 285,113413, 1 - 18.
May, M., Hoffmeister, D., Wolf, D. ., Bubenzer, O., 2019.
Zebra stripes in the Atacama Desert revisited – Granular fingering as a mechanism for zebra stripe formation?.
Geomorphology. 1 - 57. DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.07.014.
May, M., Meine, L., Hoffmeister, D., Brill, D., Medialdea, A., Wennrich, V., Gröbner, M., Schulte, P., Steininger, F., Deprez, M., de Kock, T., Bubenzer, O., 2019.
Origin and timing of past hillslope activity in the hyper-arid core of the Atacama Desert – The formation of fine sediment lobes along the Chuculay Fault System, Northern Chile.
Global and Planetary Change. 184 (103057), 1 - 18. DOI: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.103057.
Ullmann, T., Sauerbrey, J., Hoffmeister, D., May, M., Baumhauer, R., Bubenzer, O., 2019.
Assessing Spatiotemporal Variations of Sentinel-1 InSAR Coherence at Different Time Scales over the Atacama Desert (Chile) between 2015 and 2018.
Remote Sensing. 11 (24), 2960 - 2961. DOI: 10.3390/rs11242960.
Event Paper
May, M., Hoffmeister, D., Meine, L., Bubenzer, O., 2018.
Investigating hillslope processes in the hyper-arid zone of the Atacama Desert – different forms, preliminary results, and future perspectives.
Proc. of EGU General Assembly 2018, April 08 - 13, 2018, Vienna, Austria, 1 - 1.
Data
Project Z3 - Research Data
Jaeschke, A., 2024.
Microbial hotspots in a relict fog-dependent Tillandsia landbeckii dune from the coastal Atacama Desert.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
Knief, C., Jaeschke, A., 2024.
Suppementary materials: "Microbial hotspots in a relict fog-dependent Tillandsia landbeckii dune from the coastal Atacama Desert".
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2024.104383.
May, M., Steiner, J., Opitz, S., 2023.
Marble dust sampler data from the Central Atacama Desert.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
May, M., 2023.
Measurements of surface discharge and sediment transport during the zebra stripe irrigation experiment in 2019.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
May, M., 2022.
Weather data of mobile meteorological station at Sierra Gorda Nov21-March22.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
May, M., 2022.
Monitoring of soil water content Zebra stripes at the Paposo Fault.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
May, M., 2022.
Monitoring of soil water content Cerro San Antonio (Pisagua area).
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
May, M., 2019.
Morphology and morphometry of zebra stripes along the Paposo Fault.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
May, M., 2019.
Salar Grande fine sediment lobes - trench and core data.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
May, M., 2019.
Monitoring of soil water content Salar Grande.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
May, M., 2019.
Monitoring of soil water content north of Rio Loa.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Orthophoto and digital elevation model of zebra stripe area PP2, Paposo Fault, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.18.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Orthophoto and digital elevation model of zebra stripe area PP1, Paposo Fault, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.17.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent weather stations in the Atacama desert, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.1.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent master weather station 33 - Quebrada Grande, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.15.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent master weather station 23 - Cerro Constancia, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.10.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent master weather station 13 - Cerros de Calate, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.4.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 34 - Cerro Campana, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.16.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 32 - Quebrada Matancilla, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.14.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 31 - Caleta Sur de Punta Grande, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.13.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 25 - Quebrada de Soga, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.12.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 24 - Quebrada de Aroma, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.11.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 22 - Cerro San Antonio, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.9.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 21 - Caleta Junin, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.8.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 20 - Alto Patache, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.7.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 15 - Quebrada de Mani, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.6.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 14 - Salar de Llamara, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.5.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 12 - Rio Loa, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.3.
Hoffmeister, D., 2018.
Meteorological and soil measurements of the permanent basic weather station 11 - Caleta Loa, Chile.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.2.
