Energy budget studies in the Big Horn Mountains

During the summer of 2000, a joint research team composed of students from the United States and Scotland will be conducting field research in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. The research will focus on the energy budget of the Cloud Peak area and the impact of the energy budget on the local wildlife, vegetation, and stream chemistry. The energy budget of an area describes the exchange and transformations of the sun's energy and can be a useful tool in understanding both the microclimate and the ecology of the region. For the purpose of understanding and mapping the radiation budget of the region, measurements will be taken of incoming and outgoing solar radiation, upward and downward infrared radiation, and sensible heat flux. Additionally, other meteorological data, such as temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and air pressure will be collected to help in understanding the microclimate of the area.

Gaining an understanding of energy budgets on all scales and how they interact with the environment is especially critical amid recent concerns about global warming. This study seeks not only to describe the local climate of a wilderness area, but also to examine its effect on several important aspects of the local environment. For instance, the link between local boundary-level climate and the distribution of small animals and vegetation will be investigated, and data will also be correlated with meltwater and lake chemistry studies. Together, these investigations should provide a comprehensive picture of the region.