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Variable Atmosphere Laboratory (VAL)

Variable Atmosphere Laboratory (VAL). VAL: Why, What, How and Who?. Motivating Questions Initial Design Ideas Comparison to other approaches The Workshop Challenges. Biological Impacts of Climate Change. www.imagesofnaturestock.com/.

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Variable Atmosphere Laboratory (VAL)

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  1. Variable Atmosphere Laboratory(VAL)

  2. VAL: Why, What, How and Who? • Motivating Questions • Initial Design Ideas • Comparison to other approaches • The Workshop • Challenges

  3. Biological Impacts of Climate Change www.imagesofnaturestock.com/ Humans are causing major alterations in the environment, including changes in temperatures, atmospheric CO2, UV radiation and many trace pollutants. The biological effects of these multifactorial changes are difficult to study experimentally. www.marinebio.org/i/future.jpg

  4. Paleontology and Geology www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/uniramia/odonata/protolindenia.jpg Historical changes in the Earth’s environment (i.e. temperature, atmospheric O2 and CO2) have been very large relative to anticipated changes over the next 100 years. We lack a basic understanding of how these historical conditions affected biological and geological processes.

  5. Astrobiology and the Evolution of Life What environmental conditions allow life to evolve? Which exoplanets are most likely to support life? How did early conditions on earth influence evolution of life on earth?

  6. Environmental Air Quality and Health Issues Respiratory diseases are at epidemic levels in industrialized countries. Which pollutants or interaction of pollutants are most critical? Why does one person respond with pathology when others do not? Current studies limited mostly to examination of single pollutants over short time periods.

  7. Agricultural Impacts How will interactive effects of higher temperatures and CO2, available water, (and variance in these parameters) affect agriculture? Major need will be to test the environmental resistance of genetically-engineered crops.

  8. VAL Design • 60 “mini-worlds” with a suite of controlled environmental variables • Most terrestrial miniworlds 5 x 5 x 3 m; some larger • 5 L (microbiological) and 250 L (metazoan) aquatic chemostats • Flexible design which can be adapted for specific question or organisms of interest • Takes advantage of economic advantages of industrial gas generation

  9. VAL Design Adjacent scientific labs/offices Housing for visitors Remote data acquisition Designed for educational outreach

  10. Controllable Variables • Oxygen: 5-95 kPa [0.2-5 N] • Nitrogen: 5-95 kPa [0.05 – 1.2 N] • CO2: 0-2 kPa [0 – 5000 N] • Temperature: 5-45°C (subset of units to be designed to reach extreme high and low temps) • Humidity: 0-95% • Light: 0 to 1500 watts m-2 (solar simulators [0 – 1 N], timed to control photoperiod) • Ultraviolet radiation: 0-5 watts m-2 [0 – 5 N] (solar spectrum mimic) • Trace Gas Control: 0-2 kPa

  11. Comparison to Other Approaches Ecotron NEON FACE BIOSPHERE 2 PHYTOTRON

  12. Allows experimental manipulation of replicated environments on both short and long-term time scales Comprehensive control of most major environmental variables Flexibility of design allows application to broad range of disciplines Advantages of VAL

  13. Workshop The purpose of the workshop is to gather diverse, expert opinion on the design and construction of VAL, with a special emphasis on the identification of: • the most important scientific problems that cannot currently be addressed in a cost-effective manner without VAL • key design features necessary for the success of VAL.

  14. Engineering/Design Optimizing design for gas generation and regulation Optimizing design for flexible use Cost/benefit analysis of features Animal care and health concerns Minimizing environmental impact Economic Finding/funding engineering partners Funding construction Funding operations Challenges

  15. 1. Workshop: Scientific goals and design needs 2. Identify engineering/private partner: preliminary design and cost estimates Plan for Actualization of VAL 3. Garner endorsements 4. Funding for full design (DOE, NSF, NASA, NIH, EPA) 5. Funding for construction and operations

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