WHAT IS U.C.C.
WHAT IS U.C.C.
Embedded Files
"Underground Climate Change" (UCC) is a national speleological citizen science project, initiated at the end of 2023, which aims to monitor and study the effects of climate change on the underground environment, specifically in caves.
"Underground Climate Change" (UCC) is a national speleological citizen science project, initiated at the end of 2023, which aims to monitor and study the effects of climate change on the underground environment, specifically in caves.
It consists of creating a standard monitoring network and a database, as extensive as possible, of air, water and rock temperatures measured in caves in the past, at present and in the near future, enabling scientific interpretations and hypotheses on the ongoing warming process and its consequences for underground ecosystems as well as drinking-water resources. By the end of 2025, the UCC network will consist of more than 20 operational stations.
It consists of creating a standard monitoring network and a database, as extensive as possible, of air, water and rock temperatures measured in caves in the past, at present and in the near future, enabling scientific interpretations and hypotheses on the ongoing warming process and its consequences for underground ecosystems as well as drinking-water resources. By the end of 2025, the UCC network will consist of more than 20 operational stations.
In addition to natural cavities, UCC is beginning to install stations also in underground environments in a broader sense, such as mines and artificial structures excavated by humans: the Monte Soratte Bunker is an example.
In addition to natural cavities, UCC is beginning to install stations also in underground environments in a broader sense, such as mines and artificial structures excavated by humans: the Monte Soratte Bunker is an example.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
MAIN OBJECTIVES
UCC is structured into 6 actions currently underway, with the following objectives:
UCC is structured into 6 actions currently underway, with the following objectives:
- Recovery of historical and modern air-temperature data measured in caves, from the early 20th century to the present.
- Recovery of historical and modern air-temperature data measured in caves, from the early 20th century to the present.
- Definition of technical and scientific guidelines to be applied in all future underground measurements, with adaptation of existing ones.
- Definition of technical and scientific guidelines to be applied in all future underground measurements, with adaptation of existing ones.
- Organization of available data into an open database and creation of a dedicated website.
- Organization of available data into an open database and creation of a dedicated website.
- Direct survey campaigns in caves, measuring temperatures in cavities for which historical but not current data exist.
- Direct survey campaigns in caves, measuring temperatures in cavities for which historical but not current data exist.
- Definition of representative sample caves for climatic regions, altitude and typology of Italian karst massifs, with installation and/or implementation of continuous monitoring stations.
- Definition of representative sample caves for climatic regions, altitude and typology of Italian karst massifs, with installation and/or implementation of continuous monitoring stations.
- Data analysis and comparison, with hypotheses on the underground warming process as a function of rock thermal inertia, identification of critical issues and proposal of specific actions.
- Data analysis and comparison, with hypotheses on the underground warming process as a function of rock thermal inertia, identification of critical issues and proposal of specific actions.
METEOROLOGICAL MONITORING IN CAVES
METEOROLOGICAL MONITORING IN CAVES
The term “monitoring” (derived from the Latin monere = to warn) is used in technical-scientific language to indicate the measurement over time of a physical quantity or any other numerical parameter of chemical, biological or even anthropological nature.
The term “monitoring” (derived from the Latin monere = to warn) is used in technical-scientific language to indicate the measurement over time of a physical quantity or any other numerical parameter of chemical, biological or even anthropological nature.
In the meteorological field, monitoring mainly concerns the principal physical quantities that describe atmospheric conditions such as temperature, rainfall, pressure, relative humidity and wind velocity.
In the meteorological field, monitoring mainly concerns the principal physical quantities that describe atmospheric conditions such as temperature, rainfall, pressure, relative humidity and wind velocity.
Monitoring therefore implies having an instrument capable of taking measurements and a recording system. Until not long ago, the only recording system was manual transcription in paper registers. Over time, technology has provided increasingly sophisticated automatic recording systems: first mechanical, then analogue electronic and finally digital electronic systems in which measurements are recorded as binary data strings.
Monitoring therefore implies having an instrument capable of taking measurements and a recording system. Until not long ago, the only recording system was manual transcription in paper registers. Over time, technology has provided increasingly sophisticated automatic recording systems: first mechanical, then analogue electronic and finally digital electronic systems in which measurements are recorded as binary data strings.
Today monitoring of the main atmospheric parameters has become widely accessible and relatively inexpensive. This does not mean it is simple. On the contrary, the high precision of electronic instruments requires great care in installation so that collected data are reliable and usable for scientific analysis.
Today monitoring of the main atmospheric parameters has become widely accessible and relatively inexpensive. This does not mean it is simple. On the contrary, the high precision of electronic instruments requires great care in installation so that collected data are reliable and usable for scientific analysis.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse