climate control

A controlled climate will be provided to half of the test plots and ambient weather monitored throughout so that the effects of post construction equilibration can be separated from those changes induced by climate. The design consists of computer controlled flexible, transparent (but infra-red reflective) roofing sections that can be pulled over the embankment automatically when required, and arrays of rainfall sprinklers mounted on poles. Oscillating sprinklers will be used with differently sized upward-oriented nozzles, to ensure a spatially uniform rainfall at the ground surface with appropriate droplet sizes. The rainfall input will be checked during commissioning to assess spatial coverage, rainfall rates, and drop size distributions. An automatic weather station will be installed before the start of construction to monitor wind speed, net radiation, temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure, with tipping bucket and storage rain gauges to measure rainfall rates and totals. The performance of the proposed arrangements will be measured to ensure that it provides the climatic conditions required. In particular, the heating effect provided by covering (and leaving covers in place over night to prevent heat loss) will be compared to the temperatures predicted by climate change.

Climate control system in operation, New Zealand