NO01 Birkenes

Site information

Measurement site: Birkenes
Country: Norway
Code: NO01
Database code: NO0001R
Geographical coordinates:  58º 23'N, 8º 15'E
EMEP coordinates (50 km): 86.49, 69.63
Altitude above sea level: 190
In operation since: November 1971
Closest climatological station:  Birkenes
Main wind direction:
Contact person: Wenche Aas
Organisation: NILU
  
Surroundings

Description of land use in the close vicinity of the site; 65% forest, 10% meadow, 15% freshwater lakes, 10% agricultural areas (low intensity).
Known local emission source areas; Norton industries in Lillesand (15 km SE), Kristiansand city (25 km S/SW). Both are known have minor or even negligible influence on the air quality at the site. Local agricultural activities occasionally yield elevated ammonia concentrations. There has not been major change with respect to the local environment in the vicinity of the site, and it should be considered as a excellent regional sites, well suited for e.g. trend analysis. 
The terrain is undulating and the site is located in a clearing with relatively free exposure to exchange of air masses by wind.
The site provides data on deposition in support of effect oriented studies (surface water acidification, forest damage, material deterioration etc.). Data for the site are applied for the following monitoring programmes; EMEP, ICP Waters, ICP Forest, ICP Integrated Monitoring, ICP Materials, The Norwegian Air and Precipitation Monitoring Programme, the Norwegian Monitoring Programme on Forest Damage (OPS), and others. 

96h back-trajectory analysis performed for the period 1993-1996 
showed the following origin of air masses at the site.

Air mass  

0-90°N  

90-150°N 

150-210°N 

210-270°N 

270-0°N 

Underterm.

sector per cent

15

12

7

19

35

12

Measurement programme

Components Time res. Period
Air    
Ozone 1 h 1985->
SO2, SO4 24 h 1978->/1973->
NO2, sNO3, sNH4 24 h 1986->
Na, K, Mg, Ca 24 h 1993->
VOC's 2 samples/week 1999-2001, 2005->
PM10, PM2.5 24 h 1999->
Particle number distribution, DMPS continuously 2002->
As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, Zn weekly 2004->
Hg 1 day per week 2004->
a- and b- HCH, HCB 2 samples per week 2004->
Radioactivity  1 h 1986->
Precipitation    
Main comp. 24 h 1971->
Pb, Cd, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As weekly 1976->
Hg 2 samples per week 2004->
POPs 2 samples per week 2004->
a- and b- HCH, HCB  weekly 2004->
a- and b-HCH, HCB, PAH, PCB, DDT, chlordanes monthly 2004->
Meteorology    
Wind: speed, direction, gust 1 h 1998->
Temp. delta T 1 h 1998->
Temp. 2 m 1 h 1997x-1998
Relative humidity 2 m/10 m  1 h 1998->
Relative humidity 1 h 1997x-1998
Precipitation int. 1 h

Methods for sampling and analysis for Norway

Acidification/eutrophication: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
Heavy metals: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
POPs: 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001
VOC: VOC

Measurement data

  Observations Model results Monthly means/capture Annual means/capture
Acidification/eutrophication NO01 NO01 NO01 NO01
Particulate matter NO01 - NO01 NO01
Heavy metals precip NO01 - NO01 NO01
VOC Hydrocarbons NO01 - NO01 NO01
VOC Carbonyls NO01 - NO01 NO01
 
Ozone data (obs.) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004

More pictures

Birkenes Birkenes 

Kart

 

Last updated: March 2006 by Anne Hjellbrekke