EC Raw Binary Format (CH-OE2)

See here for more info about the EC raw binary format.

Legend

An overview of used abbreviations can be found here: Abbreviations

Setup since 2003

Notes

• (1) Old Gill R2A sonic from PSI was installed as replacement after hail damage to r3 sonic. Sonic height 1.75m.
• (2) Additionally to the LI-7500 IRGA, an LI-7200 IRGA was installed.
• (3) Gill R3-50 was temporarily replaced by HS100, because R3-50 needed repair. HS50 and HS100 are basically equivalent and since EddyPro does not accept HS100 set up, we used the HS50 set up. HS100 was selected in EddyPro.
• (4) Note the different file extension *.o*
• (5) The file 2017031712.o29 is the first one with correct data after the IRGA75 dismount.
• (6) Additional byte for IRGA (LI-7200) status.
• (7) Calibration gas: There was an issue with the calibration gas used to calibrate the IRGA72. As a consequence, the CO2 concentrations in the raw data files have to be multiplied by 0.974 before flux calculations. This can be directly done during the conversion of the raw data binary files to CSV files when using the bico. For more info about this issue see here: Wrong Calibration Gas 2017. Affected time period: all IRGA72 CO2 concentrations between 2018100419.o00 and 2019111313.o00.
  
• (8) It is not completely clear from the fieldbook if files between 28 Sep and 2 Oct 2018 were affected by the wrong calibration gas issue described in (7). However, since there was some data loss around the same time this would have only affected 2-3 full raw data files. Therefore, I trust the notes in GIN (no calibration mentioned on 28 Sep, but calibration mentioned for 3 Oct, device removed from site on 2 Oct) and assume the first calibration with the wrong gas was on 3 Oct 2018 and ignore this issue for files between 28 Sep and 2 Oct. -LH
  
• (9) 2019_2 is the same as 2019_1 with the exception that the lag times increased after 6 May 2019 13:30. In 2019_1, the default lag time (peak of distribution of found lag times) was found at 0.35s/0.45s for CO2 and H2O, respectively. In 2019_2, the default lag times shifted to 1.30s (CO2) and 1.40s (H2O). The reason why this happened is unknown, there was no entry on GIN for this date.
• (10) R2 sonic anemometer was installed as interim replacement for the defective R3-50.
  
• (11) The LGR that was previously installed at CH-CHA and before that was used in CH-INO at multiple sites is now running at CH-OE2.
• (12) Sonic orientation was determined with the Python class WindDirOffset in the library diive by comparing to wind directions from 2018-2019 as reference.
  
• (13) Sonic orientation was changed, was the same as later in 2022, see note (12).
• (14) LGR was removed from the site on 5 Oct 2023.
• (15) Info about SA Ori and VEGH comes from the locations.table (download) file that was used to document setup changes during earlier years.
• (16) New sonic format: data from the sonic anemometer now includes StaA (status address) and StaD (status data). The format R350-B is described in the bico settings here and here.
• (17) Site renewal. From GIN entry 17 Jun 2025: “Site renewal. Old mast system was removed and replaced. All sensors affected. IRGA turbo pump connector tube was unplugged. device was not runnning correctly sinc May 6th => plluged the tube back in. The mast system has been completely renewed. The old system did tend to tilt to one side due to the soft ground. the new system connects both mast with each other giving the system overall more stability. Additionally the system was setup in a way that it can be disassembled and reassembled relatively quickly to allow for opperations. All cables can now be routed above ground making them less vulnerable to animals and allowing to better cut the grass in / around the station. Laser [LGR] has been brought to OE2 but not yet setup.“
• (18) Installation LGR. From fieldbook entry in GIN, 24 Jun 2025: “Laser was installed. When starting it had a problem though. So we needed to open the LGR, disable the safelock and press the alarm button to fix the issue. (Same problem did occur after a 4 day power shutdown in CH-TAN some months ago).“
• (19) IRGA72 data is wrong, do not use during this time period. Tube was not connected, was fixed during site renewal described in (17) above.

Setup InnoFarm 2018 – 2021

• CH-OE2 was part of the InnoFarm project: InnoFarm – Reconciling innovative farming practices and networks to enable sustainable development of smart Swiss farming systems
• A second eddy covariance tower was located on-site, providing parallel measurements with an open-path IRGA LI-7500 between 14 Jun 2018 and 13 Jul 2021 (not continuous)
• The table below shows three sites, incl. CH-OE2, that were part of the project
• You can filter the table using the search field, for measurements at CH-OE2 type CH-OE2 in the field

Notes

Measurements for the InnoFarm project comprise several cropland sites.
(1) LGR data acquisition was switched to 1 Hz on 27 Oct 2018 at 11:15. It is possible that the last file is a mixture of 10 Hz and 1 Hz data.
(2) LGR data measured at 1Hz, but its output is still stored at 20 Hz in the raw binary files (with repeated values). Therefore, the settings do not need to be adjusted.
(3) From now on: LGR data again measured at 20Hz.
(4) Calibration gas issue: Time period affected by the wrong calibration gas: all IRGA75 CO2 concentrations between 2018100414.X46 and XXX. For more info see here.
(5) Regarding the new SA measurement height: the site visit on 28 Jul 2020 was from 12:10 – 13:20h, which means that the file 2020072813.X00 was already the file with (mostly) the new SA height of 337cm.
(6) End of CH-INO measurement campaign. LGR moved to CH-CHA.

Last Updated on 25 Jun 2025 18:04