Soil, in its function as an important storage and transmitter for water, consequently influencesthe local climate. According to soil physical properties on the one hand, and water availability at the soil surface on the other hand, it may have different impact intensities through distinct evaporation from the surface. To find out to which extend these two parameters limit the local cooling effect of soils in the urban environment is a main issue of the project HUSCO (Hamburg Urban Soil Climate Observatory).

The project aims at increasing knowledge on the interactions between pedosphere and atmosphere in the urban environment. Focus lies on the experimental quantification of the urban climate’s heterogeneity and the observation of the interdependence of pedosphere and atmosphere in cities, using the example of Hamburg, Germany. Within the city, different urban structural units are considered, with regard to local soil properties, groundwater table depth and land use characteristics. Thereby, the local scale processes are monitored and anlaysed. Additionally, the greater meteorological conditions and the cumulative effect of the city structure itself are taken into account.

Focussing on the impact of soil hydrology in typical urban structural units, the local effect of groundwater and soil properties on meteorological variables is assessed by atmospheric and in-situ soil measurements, supplemented by eddy-covariance flux measurements.

Long-term measurements started in summer 2010 in the city of Hamburg, Germany. The measurement sites are located within three urban districts: the city core and two suburban districts, which feature different mean groundwater table depths. The sites were selected according to urban land use characteristics, additionally regarding soil properties and vegetation. To detect the local climate effects, six meteorological stations monitor basic atmospheric parameters at 2 m screen level. In addition, twelve soil measurement stations evaluate processes and seasonal variations in soil water balance and thermal properties. Two Eddy covariance systems determine the resulting turbulent fluxes of energy and water.

Prof. Dr. Felix Ament

• Room: 1635
• Tel.: +49 40 42838-3597
• E-Mail: felix.ament(at)zmaw.de

Sarah Wiesner

• Room: 1637
• Tel.: +49 40 42838-3533
• E-Mail: sarah.wiesner(at)zmaw.de

Prof. Dr. Annette Eschenbach (Institute of Soil Science)

• Room: 304b (Allende Platz 2)
• Tel.: +49 40 42838-2008
• E-Mail: a.eschenbach(at)ifb.uni-hamburg.de