Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE)

Summary

Research sponsored by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. The NGEE project is a collaboration among scientists and engineers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory and our partners at leading universities and other state and federal agencies. ORNL is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC. In this project, we will assemble a team of scientists and engineers to design, simulate, and prototype concepts for raising air and soil temperatures in large plots and to do so in a manner that can be incorporated into multi-factor climate change experiments in the arctic tundra. An initial priority will be placed on warming soil using a concept recently developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. We will extend the evaluation of this technology to larger plots suitable for warming permafrost in the arctic tundra. NGEE involves expertise in modeling heat transfer using computational fluid dynamics models, systems engineering, and global change biology. Engineering plans and field testing of one or more prototypes will provide the advanced technology needed as the scientific community plans for next-generation climate change experiments in the arctic tundra.

Relevance

NGEE-Arctic is the extension of ecosystem warming experiments to the Arctic tundra. NGEE will employ the same soil warming concept developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Link

Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments
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