Land Atmosphere Feedback Observatory (LAFO) and heterogeneous terrain in its footprint

Soil, land cover and the lower atmosphere form the land atmosphere system. The feedbacks in this system are nonlinear, because of two-way coupling between single variables such as soil moisture and precipitation. A detailed characterization of fluxes and feedbacks within and between the different compartments is essential to improve our understanding of the land atmosphere system. To investigate these fluxes and feedbacks the Land Atmosphere Feedback Observatory (LAFO) was established at the experimental station “Heidfeldhof” of the University of Hohenheim in 2018. LAFO applies a novel synergy of eddy covariance stations, vegetation measurements, and innovative scanning lidar systems. The measurements are comprehensive, highly resolved and very precise, so that new parameterizations of land-atmosphere exchange processes between soil/vegetation and the lower troposphere for model systems can be developed, implemented, and tested.

LAFO is situated in heterogeneous cropland with nearby urban areas and forests. The heterogeneous terrain forms a complex land atmosphere system. A footprint analysis of eddy covariance data from 2019 enables us to better characterize our site.  Here we present LAFO, its concept and first results on a footprint analysis of the eddy covariance data.