Surface energy balance measurement

State-of-the-art sensors for the global meteorological/fluxnet community

Hukx manufactures a range of sensors for surface energy flux measurements. NR01 is the market leading 4-component net radiometer. HFP01 and HFP01SC measure soil heat flux. STP01 offers an accurate temperature profile measurement. TP01 is the leading sensor for soil thermal conductivity.

Introduction

Hukx offers a range of sensors for surface energy balance measurements. All have proven reliability.

Reference users

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) of the USA is the world’s largest network employing 4-component net radiometers*. After extensive testing, NEON released a list of sensors. We are proud that model NR01 is on it.

Also, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) of the UK included NR01, STP01 and HFP01SC in its measurement network*.

*NOTE: the fact that a sensor is used in a network does not constitute a formal endorsement by the network owner.

The best 4-component net-radiometer

Since its introduction in 2007, NR01 4-component net radiometer has become widely applied. Reasons for its popularity:

• lowest price level at top performance level
• heated pyrgeometers, best night-time data quality
• high accuracy short-wave calibration
• low weight, low mounting costs
• modular design
• practical leveling
• practical recalibration

Unique feature: pyrgeometer heating

To prevent condensation of water on the pyrgeometer windows, NR01 has internal heating close to the pyrgeometers. This keeps the instrument above dew point. As water blocks longwave radiation, heating will improve the reliability of longwave radiation measurement, particularly at night, when the risk of condensation is highest. Heating is a good, low cost and low power alternative to ventilation.

Market leading heat flux sensors

HFP01 heat flux plate and its self-calibrating equivalent HFP01SC are the de-facto standards for soil heat flux measurement. In high-accuracy flux measurement a typical station is equipped with two or more sensors for good spatial averaging.

STP01: accurate soil temperature profile

STP01 soil temperature profile sensor offers highly accurate temperature gradient measurement, including a reliable fixed distance between five measurement points at 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 x 10^-2 m below the soil surface.

Data logger compatibility

Sensors made by Hukx are designed for compatibility with most data logger models. For many models we have example programs and wiring diagrams available. Read more about data logger selection.

TP01: soil thermal conductivity

TP01 is a simple, robust sensor to measure soil thermal conductivity. In combination with STP01 and HFP01SC it offers a redundant measurement and allows users to verify the measurement accuracy of soil heat flux. In addition, TP01’s capability to perform a crude measurement of soil thermal diffusivity offers an independent possibility to verify performance of soil moisture content sensors.