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Brazil: Giant
Amazon Observatory to Study Climate Change
Brazil is set to build a 320-meter tower deep in the Amazon rainforest that will
operate as an atmospheric observatory to study climate change in this region and
its relation to global warming. With the atmospheric observatory, scientists'
forecasts will be made at 270 meters above the treetops, 203 meters higher than
with the current towers. Another four towers 80 meters high will be built around
the main tower without cutting down existing trees. It will provide more
trustworthy estimates on the greenhouse effect based on climate in the tropical
jungle over the next 30 years. The observatory will be located on the Uatuma
sustainable-development reserve in the Presidente Figueiredo municipality at 133
kilometres from Manaus and has the support of the local community. Max Planck
Institute for Chemistry of Germany and the Brazilian National Amazon Research
Institute, or INPA, and the State University of the Amazon are the participants
of the project, which has the cooperation of the German government. The tower
with an investment of ~$12.9 million is scheduled to begin operations by the end
of 2011.
Source: Herald Tribune,
18th February 2010 |