Research infrastructure CIRC is located at the Abisko Natural science station (ANS) in northern Artic Sweden (68°21'15.8"N 18°48'54.4"E). CIRC provides year-round accesses to laboratories, offices and field and laboratory assistance to researchers at Umeå university and their national and international collaborators for research on climate change impacts on Arctic ecosystems.
Situated in Abisko, the centre provides an easily accessible natural east west climate gradient from birch and pine forest in Kiruna to high alpine tundra at the Norwegian border at a patial scale of 100 km. CIRC is organized to enable year-round use for smaller projects with specific needs to large scale long-term projects. The labs support work on terrestrial and aquatic samples, including analytical equipment tools for microbial, plant/soil and water sample analysis. The labs contain safety equipment, consumables and basic equipment to ensure collection, processing (e.g., freeze dryer, centrifuge, and drying cabinets) and storage of samples before analysis. CIRC provides analytical equipment for samples that cannot be stored and require analysis quickly after sampling (see https://www.arcticcirc.net/) but also space for researchers to install their own instruments. CIRC also provides year-round equipment for field work specific for the Arctic environment.
CIRC offices give researchers at Umeå University and their collaborators possibilities to carry out office work at Abisko Natural science station (ANS) year-round. CIRC storage spaces enable storage of CIRC's common equipment as well as equipment belonging to individual researchers between sampling campaigns. CIRC also provides cold storage facilities (refrigerators and freezers) before analysis or transport to Umeå or other laboratories for analysis. A permanent research engineer stationed at CIRC maintains equipment, installed loggers and infrastructure, provides and schedules temporary staff (field assistance) as well as onsite safety measures and guidance. Additional field assistants are availed on a yearly basis (approximately 2 x 5 month during summer) based on requested needs from PIs at Umeå University in February every year.
Access to CIRC’s infrastructures are available for PIs at Umeå University doing research on climate change impacts on Arctic ecosystems including their research group members and national and international collaborators.
For general questions about CIRC and how to get access to the infrastructure, please contact Pär Byström, director of CIRC.
For specific question on laboratories and equipment, availability and access to field sites, safety and assistance in field and laboratory, please contact Karl Heuchel, research engineer.
You can find more information about CIRC on their website: www.arcticcirc.net
Please contact Pär Byström, director of CIRC, for general questions about the infrastructure.
