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Cutting-edge Technology to Study Forest-Atmosphere Interaction in Conguillío Park

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A team of scientists from the Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción is taking a major step in atmospheric research with the installation of a meteorological station in Conguillío National Park. Dr. Rocío Durán leads this project, which focuses on monitoring Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOCs) and their impact on the environment.

In the heart of Conguillío National Park, a clearing dominated by species of the Nothofagus genus now hosts a high-precision meteorological station. Since October, this infrastructure has begun collecting vital data on BVOCs, organic molecules that, upon evaporating, interact with the atmosphere and affect both air quality and cloud formation.

Dr. Rocío Durán, an academic at the UCSC Faculty of Sciences and a researcher at CIBAS, explains that the station is equipped with advanced sensors to measure BVOCs and other oxidants, as well as particulate matter of different sizes. This project marks a milestone in atmospheric research in the Southern Hemisphere, which has been scarcely studied compared to the north until now.

The station provides a real-time data stream, a significant improvement over traditional sampling methods. Furthermore, the station cross-references chemical information with environmental variables such as UV-A radiation, temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation, allowing for a deeper understanding of the abiotic stress affecting trees and their gas emissions.

This equipment, acquired in Spain and certified by the U.S. EPA, operates autonomously thanks to solar panels, minimizing human intervention in the park. With this new station, the fourth of its kind in Chile and the only one dedicated exclusively to research, scientists hope to strengthen global information on southern ecosystems and track the pathways of atmospheric particles.

Dr. Durán emphasizes the importance of having constant data to enable more effective sampling according to the season or time of day, thus opening a new landscape for atmospheric science in Chile and the world.