DISPLEX measurement campaign

As part of the DiSPlEx project (Spatial Distribution of Soil Functionality Impacted by an Invasive Exotic Undergrowth Plant) funded by the A2U, a measurement campaign was set up in the Bois de BREUIL (CALVADOS) to study the impact of an invasive forest shrub species on soil functionality and meteorological effects on the forest. This project aims to initiate a new collaboration between the EDYSAN unit (Ecology and Dynamics of ANtrhopized Systems – UPJV), the LPCA and the CCM.

In order to have a global overview of the spatialization of the wind, an Intensive Observation Period (POI) was carried out from July 23 to 27, 2024. During this POI, more advanced instruments were deployed to take into account and better characterize local phenomena likely to influence the forest area. These instruments consisted of the Mobile Atmospheric Unit (UMA) for measuring turbulent flows and a scanning Doppler lidar in order to spatially probe the environment of the study area, likely to be influenced by meteorological phenomena having an impact on the structure of the atmospheric boundary layer such as sea breezes or Low Levels Jet (LLJ).

These instruments were deployed on the Carnot basin of the city of HONFLEUR (UMA site), located between the Normandy bridge and the BREUIL wood. On the UMA site, the measurements made it possible to spatially probe the environment of the Estuary/BREUIL Wood. Moreover, the 1021 hPa anticyclone, centered on DENMARK, provided favorable meteorological conditions for the formation of meteorological phenomena (on a mesoscale). Indeed, the measurements taken on the UMA site highlighted the development of cross sea breezes during the day and LLJs during the night.

These measurements complemented those of the sodar and the ultrasonic anemometer positioned on the reference site outside the forest (MESNIL site located south of the Bois de BREUIL). In parallel, two Autonomous Environmental Stations (STELA) were deployed on the intra-forest sites in areas invaded and not invaded by the exotic plant in order to assess the effects of atmospheric dynamics on these two areas.

Acknowledgments:

We thank the HONFLEUR Town Hall and in particular Mr. HAMEL (Traffic Deputy), Mrs. DROUIN (Parking Manager), the agents of the Municipal Technical Center, the Police Station and the Municipal Police of the city of HONFLEUR, for their cooperation in setting up this scientific experiment during this POI.