Environmental observatories and mobile platforms

UFZ is committed to Helmholtz’s long-term operated environmental observation on climate change that founds the basis for excellent research and as such for the development of mitigation and adaptation measures. Over the past 20 years, a comprehensive observatory infrastructure has been built up at UFZ to investigate the entire range from long-term environmental changes to short-term extreme events. Such observational data is prerequisite to generate reliable model predictions, data products and services that support decision makers at operationally relevant scales.

By operating long-term observatories such as TERENO and perspective eLTER, mobile platforms such as ALBIS, as well as the new mobile and modular observing system MOSES, UFZ provides a unique research infrastructure to investigate both, environmental trends and short-term extremes (e.g., droughts, floods). The data collected by these observing systems are an outstanding basis for a better understanding of the complex impacts of climate change on the environment in time and space. They provide the foundation to develop and improve adaptation measures.

Tereno-Obseratorium © André Künzelmann_UFZ
TERENOObservatory

Is a network of four observatories for integrated environmental monitoring in particularly climate-sensitive areas in Germany.

Grafik eLTER
eLTER- European infrastructure

with several hundred observation areas for long-term observation and research of ecosystems and the "Critical Zone".

MOSES Projekt © Foto André Künzelmann_UFZ
MOSES – Mobile platform

Mobile and flexible observing system designed to capture highly dynamic, often extreme events.

Direct-push device for subsurface exploration © André Künzelmann_UFZ
MOSAIC - Subsurface exploration

MOSAIC is a platform for the model-based, high-resolution exploration of complex subsurface structures with minimally invasive methods.

Research vessel ALBIS. Photo: UFZ
ALBIS – Research vessel

Investigations are currently performed in the Elbe River with a particular focus on hydrological extremes within the MOSES initiative.

Our environmental observatories and mobile platforms offer a variety of starting points for future research projects.

Please contact us!