Industry News
UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology unveils new chief executive
The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) has appointed Dr Stuart Wainwright as its new chief executive.
Wainwright was previously director of the Government Office for Science, the body responsible for providing science advice to the Prime Minister and cabinet and driving improvements in the way science is used across government.
He brings much experience of leadership, strategy and science from roles across government and was awarded an OBE last year for services to resilience and crisis response, including during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wainwright replaces Professor Mark Bailey, who retires later in June.
OTT HydroMet celebrates 150th anniversary with launch of two instruments
German instrumentation specialist OTT HydroMet has launched a five-month event to celebrate the 150th anniversary of its brand.
This includes the launch of two new innovations: the OTT PLS 500 smart pressure level sensor and the OTT ecoLog 1000 all-in-one level logger and telemetry solution which now includes conductivity measurements.
A series of both private and public customer-facing events have been scheduled across the globe including a dedicated customer event, Anwenderforum, at the Kempten headquarters in September.
A digital social campaign will also guide followers through the history of the OTT brand, recounting inspiring moments and stories that contributed to the advancement of environmental monitoring.
Bureau of Meteorology begins radar upgrades in Queensland and Northern Territory
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has begun the replacement of its weather radars at Mount Bassett, Queensland, and Gove Airport, Northern Territory, with dual-polarized Doppler radar technology.
The Mount Bassett radar will be offline for approximately six months, while the Gove replacement will take around two months.
Located at Mount Bassett, Mackay Harbour, the new Doppler technology will provide equivalent image quality to Queensland’s new Greenvale and Richmond radars.
Dr Peter Stone, the Bureau’s chief customer officer, said, “The Bureau is undertaking significant work to improve Queensland radar infrastructure. This includes a replacement radar that will be installed at Mackay and the upgrade of the Cairns radar.
NOC launches European research project to evaluate ocean-based carbon dioxide removal
The UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has launched a new European project to help understand the effects, benefits and feasibility of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and storing it in the ocean.
NOC will act as the scientific and technical lead on the four-year interdisciplinary Horizon Europe-funded (EU) project, which is coordinated by Uniresearch and involves 13 organizations who will provide scientific, economic, legal, political, social and ethical expertise.
Strategies for the Evaluation and Assessment of Ocean based Carbon Dioxide Removal (SEAO2-CDR) will evaluate whether ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (OCDR) can be used as an effective method of removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
Gill launches dual-axis ultrasonic anemometer
UK-based sensor manufacturer Gill Instruments has launched a new dual-axis ultrasonic anemometer for measuring wind speed and direction.
Designed for use in a wide range of land or marine applications, WindUltra’s rapid installation and alignment features include a choice of two pole mounts, either a twist-lock 1in (25-26mm) pole mount or 1.75-2in (44-51mm) band-clamp pole mount. The sensor unit can be easily ‘unclicked’ from either of the pole mounts to reveal alignment features integral within the pole mounts themselves.
WindUltra is available with a range of industry standard output protocols and comprehensive support including software and technical advice.
Supernal to leverage TruWeather forecasts for eVTOL testing
Supernal, part of Hyundai Motor Group, has made a minority investment in weather intelligence provider TruWeather Solutions to leverage its weather data analytics and forecasting technology in Supernal’s electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle and operations testing.
Weather forecasting is the latest aspect of the advanced air mobility (AAM) ecosystem that Supernal is addressing in tandem to developing its eVTOL vehicle for 2028 entry into service.
As part of the investment, Supernal will pilot TruWeather’s V360° software-as-a-service product in the company’s vehicle and surrounding operations to collect and integrate real-time distributed sensor weather data. V360° will provide Supernal with a comprehensive view of low-altitude weather and enable the company to more accurately assess and predict weather conditions at critical locations and along flight paths.
Carbon dioxide levels hit new records, find NOAA and Scripps
Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels measured at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory peaked at 424 parts per million (ppm) in May 2023, continuing a steady climb into territory not seen for millions of years, according to NOAA and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
Measurements of CO2 obtained by NOAA’s Global Monitoring Laboratory averaged 424 parts per million in May, the month when CO2 peaks in the Northern Hemisphere. That represents an increase of 3.0ppm over May 2022. Scientists at Scripps Oceanography, which maintains an independent record, calculated a May monthly average of 423.78ppm. That increase is also a jump of 3.0ppm over the May 2022 average reported by the Scripps CO2 Program.
Turbulence observation campaign to improve extreme weather forecasts
UK-based researchers have been awarded £1.8m (US$2.2m) in funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) to improve high resolution forecasts of extreme weather by observing turbulent processes in the atmosphere.
Led by the UK’s National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) and the University of Leeds, the WOEST campaign will deploy a series of weather radars, weather balloons, unmanned aerial systems, cloud cameras, and an extensive network of ground-based sensors across southern England to build a complete picture of turbulence in the atmosphere.
To maximize their work, they will join forces with the Wessex Convection Experiment (WesCon), a summer observational campaign led by the UK Met Office.