The Arctic Space Centre of Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI-ARC) is in Sodankylä, Finnish Lapland (67.367 °N, 26.629 °E, 179 m above sea level). The Sodankylä area is part of the boreal forest zone due to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. However, with regard to stratospheric meteorology, it can be classified as an Arctic site, often lying beneath the stratospheric polar vortex and in the zone of polar stratospheric ozone depletion. The high-latitude location is excellent for receiving data from polar orbiting satellites.
Measurement and research programs for upper-air chemistry and physics, snow and soil hydrology, carbon fluxes, biosphere-atmosphere interaction and intelligent traffic are hosted in Sodankylä. The Arctic Space Centre focuses on calibration and validation of Earth Observation (EO) satellite data and model and algorithm development. We also operate FMI’s main infrastructure for EO satellite data reception, processing, storage and distribution.
Strategic location, coupled with ready accessibility from all parts of the world, makes us an excellent base for studying various themes of global change in a northern context.
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