Argonne Testbed for Multiscale Observational Science (ATMOS) at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory is home to cutting-edge instruments and world-class experts that observe, record, and interpret complex data to help the country become resilient to changes in climate.

The nearly 20-acre site houses up to 60 instruments taking measurements on temperature, wind, rain, radiation, and the interaction between greenhouse gases like methane and CO₂ with the surface.

ATMOS is the heart of instrumentation for Community Research on Climate and Urban Science (CROCUS) Urban Integrated Field Laboratory and is integral to several projects from numerous governmental agencies such as the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation.

The 60-meter Tower

At the core of the site is a 60-meter tower that can measure temperature, wind speed and direction, at 10- and 60-meter heights. The tower helps tell the story of how the atmosphere is linked to the land.  There is quite a difference in temperature at 10 meters (32.81 feet) versus 60 meters, which is nearly 200 feet in the air.

The initial and primary purpose of the tower is to characterize atmospheric dispersion conditions if there is a release of hazardous material, such as radon or radiation, at the Laboratory. Wind speed and direction measurements from the tower assist in modeling where plumes will travel. In fact, having such a tower is a requirement for U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories that work with specific hazardous materials. Tower data goes as far back as 1948 and the current tower has been in its location since 1989.  Local Emergency Management Services and the local weather service make use of the tower’s measurements as well.