Brief history
Here a little overview about the set up of ZOTTO and the activities of the last 20 years.
Discontinuous measurements
The village of Zotino, located at the central part of the Jennissey had been selected in 1996 as base for surface measurements because it is located at the boarder between East and West Siberian vegetation.
The surface based measurements indicated a major C-sink of the Siberian ecosystems.
Location of Zotino was chosen
Based on the successful operation of the 400m Wisconsin tower and the establishment of the EU-Chiotto tall tower project as part the CarboEurope cluster it became clear that a key region, where continuous atmospheric GHG-measurements were missing was the boreal region of Siberia.
In parallel to political negotiations, investigations were made about a possible location. The tower should be remote enough from industrial sources, it should not be affected by a large river, and it should oversee a typical fraction of the boreal forest in an area which has been shown to exhibit major temperature change in the past decades.
Based on this science history, Zottino was chosen as a region, and, in order to avoid the effects of the large river, the first rise following the river flood-plain (25 km west of the river) was chosen as ultimate location to house ZOTTO, the ZOtino Tall Tower Observatory
Tower Planning and Investigations
Having the federal Russian government permission didnnot allow to start a building ZOTTO immediately. There were about 35 local institutions which had to agree that a tower was to be erected at the selected spot. Only then, planning by German engineers and construction-ground investigations by a Russian company could start in 2004.
Shipment
Having reached all necessary permits within one year the construction of ZOTTO could in fact start in autumn 2005.
Tower Construction
Major problems were encountered during the hammering of concrete poles into the sand-based construction ground, while the steel construction was uplifted without any problem.
Other things that had to be done in this year:
– Container moving, place in bunker, connecting things
– Set up air conditioning, ELT, UPS
– Commissioning of generators (NTC)
– Diesel connection for generators
– Setting up the measuring containers
– Installation and commissioning of measuring equipment
– Temporary installation of air intake lines (tower height 54m)
300m Tall Tower
After one year of construction the ZOTTO tall tower was finished in September 2006.
April
The first work was the trial installation of air intakes on the tower and the maintenance measuring system.
The first arrival of calibration gases, which were send from germany, took place and some problems with snowmelt arised in the bunker.
First ascent
In September 2006 the team at ZOTTO was accompanied by moviemakers from Munich, who filmed for the news of ARD and ZDF.
The MPI technicians Karl Kübler, Steffen Schmidt and Michael Hielscher mastered the „First ascent“ up to 304m height.
They prepared the mounting of the meteorology sensors by attaching booms and installing power supply boxes.
The russian Co-workers assembled outriggers and boxes.
People from the IfT in Leipzig set up aerosol measurement installations.
Other important things to do az ZOTTO had been:
– installing air inlets for the tall tower
– dismantling of assembly jib
– building a system for filling working tanks
– the maintenance of the diesel line (settlement through concrete sump)
At the end of the trip the inauguration of the ZOTTO tower was celebrated with the construction company, with people from IoF, BGC MPIC and IfT and of course helpers from Zotino, without whom the whole project would not be possible.
September
May
Maintenance
In 2007 ZOTTO got the ELT acceptance of the station by the engineering office.
In this year we did the iesel maintenance, the grounding of generator container and the dismantling of the tall tower (TT) measuring system and packed it for transport back to Jena.
We had to do modification of the UPS due to the container removal and the removal of 2 other containers.
In this late summer the meteorology of the Zotto tall tower was completed (windbreak for temperature, pressure sensors).
September
May
Maintenance with MC Fire
In 2008 Lutz Wetzel technician from the extern motor company Fire „MC Fire“ helped maintaining and repairing the engine together with Karl Kübler.
Maintenance of meteorology of the ZOTTO tower is always an important task of the trips to Siberia.
Set up meteorology
304m Meteo – Installing Heating Wire to Wind Sonics
304m Meteo: Wiring of components for I/O boxes
304m Meteo: Transport Wind3D to tower and installation
304m Picarro: Closing door openings -> installation area for instruments (from 4 to 2 containers)
304m Picarro: Installation of new air intakes
September
April
Transport new ZOTTO measuring system ZOTTO2 on winter road
Unpacking of the boxes
Setup measuring system ZOTTO2 (304m Picarro) -> PhD Jan Winderlich
304m Picarro: Connecting measuring lines in the bunker
Maintenance
June
September
Maintenance
Winter road
Transport winter road
Unpacking the boxes
Picarro water test
Update Software
Repair air conditioning (change pump, fan motor)
Installation wood moisture logger in the bunker
March
June
Safety concept
Implementation of safety concept
Transport and storage of rescue equipment including equipment (100m, 200m, 300m)
Transport and installation of safety rope for abseiling including outrigger on tower (3x100m)
Maintenance UPS
Determination of EDDY locations forest and swamp
Routing ELT cable for EDDY forest and swamp
Construction EDDY towers in forest and swamp
Generator maintenance by Lutz Wetzel from company Fire
Maintenance climate
Installation ground sensors
Meteo 305m tower
Maintenance Meteo
September
June
Unpacking transport (material bunker sealing
Maintenance pumps ZOTTO2
Installation Wind 2D for reference 304m
Maintenance of generators
Control safety rope as well as the
Maintenance of the meteo tower
Maintenance of cooling system
Installation ground sensors at meteo forest
Mirroring Picarro hard disk
Check wood moisture bunker
Bunker sealing
Russ. Colleagues remove complete sand from bunker
Application, bonding of a 3-piece prefabricated synthetic rubber tarpaulin including all connection points.
Optimization of EDDY-ELT route with GPS
Laying ELT cable to EDDY forest and swamp 3.2km
Laying in the swamp by hand with five people
Maintenance Meteo 304m
Repair abseil safety rope
Application of sand on bunker (climatic buffer)
Installation protective wall against sand erosion
August
October
Maintenance
Maintenance
November
June
Russ. Colleagues Volodya and Anatoly build EDDY huts
Unpacking transport
Attachment of booms and meters, lightning protection to EDDY forest and sump
Installation I/O boxes, loggers, computers for EDDY forest, sump
Connecting and muffling the EDDY ELT cable
Commissioning EDDY forest, sump
Generators: engine replacement
ZOTTO2 cleaning inlet filter at tower and bunker and filter flowmeter
Maintenance EDDY
Inspection of rescue equipment and safety rope at 304m
September
April
EDDY Maintenance and filter change.
Transferring calibration gases for EDDY
EDDY calibration
Air conditioning maintenance
Diesel line maintenance
Geno emergency cooler maintenance
Exchange emergency cooler bunker (3-phase)
ZOTTO2 installation of new flowmeter
Transport of a new dog „May“ for Anatoly😉.
304m tower: transport with pulley new safety rope, 100m stainless steel rope 8mm = 30kg.
EDDY maintenance calibration and filter change.
Meteo ground Forrest new temp sensor.
Briefing of Anastasya and Alexey in EDDY maintenance.
June
September
New Meteo laptop purchased in KJA.
Lightning strike in EDDY ELT main cable, set 2 sleeves
Engine maintenance Reimo, Karl
Repair/maintenance Licor LI-7550 Reimo
Maintenance Meteo
Running down EDDY ELT main cable – recording damages
304m: Measure cable tensions
Karl Kübler and Reimo IFOR KJA: LICOR damage survey and repair.
March
April
Picarro adjustment laser by Steffen Schmidt.
Installation of repaired LICOR by Karl Kübler
EDDY: Maintenance sample pump, Karl Kübler
EDDY: Filter change
EDDY: Maintenance Meteo
EDDY Maintenance Sample System
EDDY: Re-measurement of boom directions
EDDY: Refilling calibration gases 2L-bottles
EDDY Sump: Exchange Temp-Bottom-Senors
EDDY sump: Picarro transport, installation
EDDY Maintenance Meteo Laptop
Maintenance Pumps
304m_Fuse rope torn 200-300m, installation new fuse rope, SteffenSchmidt and Karl Kübler
EDDY ELT main cable run down, sighting damage, repair by Steffen and Karl
many forest fires, no ship back
June
September
Engine maintenance, Lutz Wetzel, Karl
Diesel: new tank, temporary connection, Thomas
Maintenance air conditioning
Maintenance heating house
EDDY KAlibration Licor
Maintenance
March
June
Maintenance
Maintenance
August
September
Maintenance
Trip via winter road by car – Karl Kübler and Steffen Schmidt
EDDY east side: generator hut ventilation with automatic fan control and hand protection
and maintenance Meteo
304m: Maintenance Picarro Computer, Thomas Seifert
EDDY forest: maintenance of profile system and EDDY calibration
UPS maintenance batteries
March
September
Concreting fixed points
Concreting of 4 pillars in the taiga as fixed points for the measurement of stability
Maintenance EDDY east side
Maintenance air-conditioning bunker – Repair recirculation cooler
EDDY east side: remove snow/ice from solar panels
EDDY east side: Geno-Haus installation of automatic supply/return air flaps, motor-controlled, in winter heating of room air -> batteries UPS
EDDY east side: Installation of heat storage tank
March
June
Repair after lightning
304m: Renew cable wind 2D (lightning damage)
304m: Replace tower repeater (lightning damage)
ZOTTO survey: Drilling, gluing the measuring points into foundations
ZOTTO Surveying: Sounding the sighting axes (between fixed points)
ZOTTO survey: stripping of the fixed points
EDDY Maintenance Meteo
Picarro: Synchronise laser
Preparation for surveying
EDDY Maintenance Meteo
304m: Pulley – new safety rope 100m 30kg, clamps for Leica prisms (surveying)
EDDY ELT main cable mend with socket after biting
304m: Maintenance main pumps
Surveying: visual axes from above leveled
Engine maintenance Tobias, Karl EDDY Maintenance Meteo
304m: Pulley – new safety rope 100m 30kg, clamps for Leica prisms (surveying)
EDDY ELT main cable mend with socket after biting
304m: Maintenance main pumps
Surveying: sighting axes from the top
Engine maintenance Tobias, Karl
September
March
EDDY forest – reinstallation Licor
EDDY bog meteo: exchange temperature sensor
EDDY forest Meteo: reinstallation Licor (flow problems)
EDDY Meteo maintenance
EDDY Meteo: calibration Licor
House heating: measurement for pipe reconstruction summer ’18
Bunker USV: maintenance batteries
Surveying: securing elevation fixed point HP0
EDDY Meteo maintenance
EDDY Meteo: Maintenance ELT main cable, run off, bite point taping
EDDY Meteo maintenance, calibration Licor
Surveying: Attachment, alignment of Leica prisms on tower
Surveying: Welding of elevation zero point HP01 as steel girder
Surveying: Marking of all fixed and measuring points
Surveying: Creation, clearing of sighting axes between fixed points
304m: Retrieval of broken safety rope 200-300m
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
June
August
Measurement of ZOTTO stability
House Heating: Transport of copper fittings for heating pipe conversion PVC->copper
Survey – visual axes, shorten steel support because in visual field
Survey – fixed points, construction of rear-ventilated protective shell -> climate buffer sun position
Measurement of stability: reference measurement of position with Leica total station
and of height with digital leveller
Measurement of stability: 1st monitoring measurement of position with Leica total stationand t of height with digital leveller
EDDY Maintenance -pump repair
EDDY Meteo – Maintenance: filters, exposing profile system, pumps
March
June
EDDY Meteo – Maintenance
EDDY Meteo – Maintenance: Calibration,
EDDY Meteo – ELT main cable run off, taping browsing
304m: safety cable 200-300m extension springs as test
Survey: fixed points – sealing of climate protection pipe
Installation of new safety rope
– Clear cutting of the visual axes of the measuring field in order to do the
2nd control measurement of stability: measurement of position and
measurement of height
Engine maintenance
Tarek helping at ZOTTO and east of the river to the Eddy station
304m: Installation of new safety rope 200-300m
304m: Measuring the rope tension
EDDY maintenance
September
Covid – Pandemic
Due to the corona epidemic, all journeys from germany were cancelled, but the russian colleagues have been very helpful in this difficult time. They sent flasks with airprobes to the labs and did the maintenance of the station