Measurement tower
The measurement tower of Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe

A measurement tower or measurement mast, also known as meteorological tower or meteorological mast (met tower or met mast), is a free standing tower or a removed mast, which carries measuring instruments with meteorological instruments, such as thermometers and instruments to measure wind speed. Measurement towers are an essential component of rocket launching sites, since one must know exact wind conditions for an execution of a rocket launch. Met masts are crucial in the development of wind farms, as precise knowledge of the wind speed is necessary to know how much energy will be produced, and whether the turbines will survive on the site. Measurement towers are also used in other contexts, for instance near nuclear power stations, and by ASOS stations.

Examples

Meteorology

Structure City or region Country Height (metres) Year built Notes
Amazon Tall Tower ObservatoryVila de BalbinaBrazil3252015[1]
IAP Meteorological TowerBeijingChina3251979for meteorological measurements, studies of air pollution and studies of the atmospheric boundary layer
Obninsk Meteorological towerObninskRussia3101958for meteorological and radioactivity measurements
Zotino Tall Tower Observation FacilityZotinoRussia302for measurements of meteorological variables and of concentration of greenhouse gases and aerosols
KNMI-mast CabauwCabauwNetherlands2131972for meteorological research
Jaslovské Bohunice Meteorological TowerJaslovské BohuniceSlovakia2121986[2]
Meteorological tower of Forschungszentrum KarlsruheKarlsruheGermany2001972
Rödeser Berg Meteorological MastWolfshagenGermany2002011
KFU-Tower GundremmingenGundremmingenGermany1741978
KFU-Mast GrafenrheinfeldGrafenrheinfeldGermany1641978for the measurement of meteorological parameters and environmental radioactivity
Mast of Richard Assmann ObservatoryFalkenbergGermany991998
Mast of AsbachObrigheimGermanydismantled
Oskar-von-Miller-TowerGarchingGermany622010
Mast of Dukovany Nuclear Power StationDukovanyCzech Republic
Košetice Meteorological TowerKošeticeCzech Republic2502012[3]
Hegyhátsál TV TowerHegyhátsálHungary117transmission tower equipped with instruments for the measurement of meteorological parameters and carbon dioxide concentration
Norunda towerUppsala CountySweden103[4]
Puijo towerKuopioFinland751963
NAVO-TorenVeurneBelgium243[5]

Other measurement towers

Wind farm development

Before developers construct a wind farm, they first measure the wind resource on a prospective site by erecting temporary measurement towers. Typically these mount anemometers at a range of heights up to the hub height of the proposed wind turbines, and log the wind speed data at frequent intervals (e.g. every ten minutes)[6] for at least one year and preferably two or more. The data allow the developer to determine if the site is economically viable for a wind farm, and to choose wind turbines optimized for the local wind speed distribution.

See also

References

  1. ^"ATTO inauguration ceremony in the Brazilian rain forest".
  2. ^"Jaslovské Bohunice Meteorological Tower, Trnava | 1226337". Emporis. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  3. ^"Košetice Meteorological Mast, Košetice | 1298696". Emporis. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  4. ^"Fluxnet".
  5. ^"Zendmast Jump Trading Houtem, Houtem | 1225959". Emporis. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  6. ^"Anemometer Loan Programs". Wind Powering America, NREL, USDOE. 2009-09-01. Archived from the original on 2010-04-25. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
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