The Amundsen-Nobile Climate Change Tower (CCT) is a scientific platform dedicated to studying the thermodynamic characteristics of the atmospheric boundary layer and the exchange processes between the surface and the lower layers of the atmosphere. The structure is composed of 17 modules equipped with patch boxes to provide a power supply and data connection that ends in a dedicated hut at 40 m from the tower, where the acquisition systems are located. The CCT provides continuous profiles of meteorological parameters at four levels up to 34 m, measurements of turbulent fluxes of momentum heat and moisture at two levels as well as of radiation balance components (visible and infrared). Measurement of the characteristics of the snow layer (depth and temperature) are also provided in conjunction with the atmospheric parameters.
Due to the uniqueness of such an infrastructure in Ny-Ålesund, since 2012, the CCT and the surrounding area have become a point of reference for the integrated observation of the components of the climate system. Offering access to national and international research groups, new scientific installations have been set up. In particular for the measurement of greenhouse gases (in collaboration with KOPRI); for the measurement of the snow cover index and spectral reflectivity of the snow; for remote sensing of wind profiles with SODAR and WindLIDAR (in collaboration with KOPRI); to study processes in the active layer, the vegetation, the snow cover and the permafrost temperature profiles.
