Tree Motion and Wind Measurement Workshop

Background

Simultaneous measurement of tree movement and wind flow is essential for understanding the complex interaction of tree motion and wind within and above canopies, or around individual trees and tree groups. Such information is required to improve our understanding of the turbulence structure above and within canopies and the resulting influence of the turbulence on momentum exchange and gas fluxes. It is also vital in understanding the process of wind damage to individual trees and forests, and for testing models predicting the risk of wind damage. In the past few decades there have been rapid developments in the methodologies to determine tree motion and these include displacement transducers, strain gauges, accelerometers, tilt gauges and most recently terrestrial LiDAR scanners that can be used to characterize trees. At the same time wind measurements have progressed from cup anemometers and sonic anemometers to wind LiDAR systems that can scan a 3-dimensional space. All the measurements have individual strengths and weaknesses and all need to be properly utilised and the data correctly analysed. This requires a full understanding of how the instruments work, what are their weaknesses and known limitations, and how the output signals/information are created and stored.

Aim

To compare techniques and to teach researchers good practice in the measurement of tree movement and wind loading, and in the measurement of the wind in and above forests. In particular the workshop will help inform people of the correct tree movement or wind measurement system to use in specific circumstances and for specific user requirements. In addition attendees will learn how to calibrate instruments, the specific issues and difficulties with each instrument, and how to collect, filter and analyse data correctly.

More information and registration