Kassel Urban Climate Observation Network (KUCON)
The Kassel Urban Climate Observation Network (KUCON) is a project of the Department of Environmental Meteorology at the University of Kassel. The aim is to observe the spatial variability of air temperature and other meteorological variables in Kassel with the help of a total of 21 weather stations installed in the city at locations representative of various Local Climate Zones (LCZ).
The sensors are
- 17 compact weather stations
- 3 all-in-one weather stations
- 1 reference station
The sensors will measure air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, solar radiation, wind speed and wind direction. The collected data set will enable detailed analyses of the urban climate and Kassel and serve to evaluate various modeling approaches.
The KUCON project is divided into the following four phases:
In the first phase, a suitable All-in-One (AIO) sensor is selected. The selection of sensors is done in three phases: First, different sensors are selected based on certain parameters such as available literature sources, low cost, high accuracy, power consumption, data transmission method, etc. Secondly, the selected sensors are tested for accuracy in a climatic chamber where they are run through a defined program of temperature ranges and time intervals. Thirdly, the sensors are tested in situ on a test bench and compared with each other. The observed results of the test phase are calibrated using statistical methods to verify the accuracy of the individual sensors and form the basis for the selection of the sensor type.
Results have been published: To the publication
A detailed plan for the placement of the sensors will be developed through a systematic and statistical approach. The main goal is to find specific locations within Kassel and its surroundings to capture the spatial variability of the local climate with a limited number of ten to twenty stations. The basis for the selection is a gridded map of Kassel, which is filtered by using a Local Climate Zones (LCZ) map and topographic data for a systematic sensor placement plan. This map is then used to install sensors in the defined areas of Kassel.
The sensors are installed on structures belonging to Kassel Netz & Service,Kasseler Verkehrs-Gesellschaft AG and the city of Kassel at a height of around 3 meters. The data collected is transmitted via the mobile phone network. Once the sensors have been installed, the actual operating phase begins with regular maintenance and the recording of weather and climate data.
In the final step, the collected data will be made available to all interested parties and archived. The KUCON data will also become part of the FAIRNESS project.