<scp>LéXPLORE</scp> : A floating laboratory on Lake Geneva offering unique lake research opportunities

Environmental sciences depend heavily on observational data. Successful studies of ecological processes in lakes require in-situ data that cover the relevant temporal scales from milliseconds to entire seasons. Temporal and spatial coverage requirements represent a non-trivial challenge lake sciences, which have traditionally used sampling campaigns conducted research vessels or anchored moorings. These come with various logistical tasks impose constraints coverage. An open water platform can overcome many these limitations by providing continuous access wide range analytical capabilities direct contact environment. A consortium five partner institutions constructed 10 × m, open-water, multipurpose Lake Geneva (Switzerland/France) for broad limnological research. The LéXPLORE platform, since February 2019 at position reaching 110 m depth off lake's north-shore, provides workspace large number instruments up 16 staff working parallel individual integrated multidisciplinary projects. safe, dry protected floating laboratory offers environment high-sensitivity, high-throughput analyses including those might advance sensor technology. flexible both high-resolution measurements investigations larger-scale external forcing. It thus supports empirical limnology, atmospheric remote sensing. This article describes how it will aquatic sciences. projects already requested demonstrate efficacy necessity concept. is categorized under: Water Life > Conservation, Management, Awareness Methods