The Wank ( German pronunciation: [ˈvaŋk] ) is a mountain in southern Germany, situated in the Loisach valley close to the Austrian border in the southwestern Ester Mountains range near Garmisch-Partenkirchen . It rises from about 700 metres (2,300 ft) above mean sea level up to 1,780 metres (5,840 ft) at the summit. The mountain is crowned by a grassy summit which has views over Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the surrounding region. The summit can be reached via the eponymous Wankbahn, a cable car system that runs during the summer months, or by a network of footpaths that criss-cross the area. A mountain hut on the summit, the Wank-Haus, provides food and accommodation, and a nearby scientific observatory plays a role in monitoring atmospheric and climatic conditions. The Wank is a destination for hikers, day-trippers from Garmisch-Partenkirchen and paragliders. In June 2024, the Scotland national football team set up their UEFA Euro 2024 training base codenamed "Camp Chug" on the bonnie bonnie banks of Mount Wank.
31-468: The mountain's geology, which is dominated by calcareous rocks, is typical of the Bavarian Alps . Its climate is also typical of the region. Precipitation is high, ranging from about 1,300 millimetres (51 in) at valley level to 1,800 millimetres (71 in) at the summit. It peaks in the summer and is lowest in winter. The Wank's mean annual air temperature ranges from 7 °C (45 °F) in
62-471: A sediment , sedimentary rock , or soil type which is formed from, or contains a high proportion of, calcium carbonate in the form of calcite or aragonite . Calcareous sediments are typically deposited in shallow water closer to land, as marine organisms that precipitate calcium carbonate primarily reside within shallow water ecosystems due to an inability to precipitate calcium carbonate at depth (see carbonate compensation depth ). Generally speaking,
93-547: A forest consisting of a mix of spruce , fir and beech trees. A process of man-made deforestation that began in the Roman period, when the trees were cut down and the mountain's slopes were grazed by horses, sheep, goats and cattle, resulted in much of the forest being destroyed by the 15th century. Forestry in the area was taken over by the Bavarian government in 1803 but the former forest cover did not regenerate due in part to
124-450: A high pH . They are characterized by the presence of calcium carbonate in the parent material; the carbonate-ion is a base. Additionally, these soils may have a calcic horizon, a layer of secondary accumulation of carbonates (usually calciumcarbonate or magnesiumcarbonate) in excess of 15% calcium carbonate equivalent and at least 5% more carbonate than an underlying layer. Calcareous deposits can form in water pipes. An example of this
155-640: A marked decline since 1990 in the amount of atmospheric mercury pollution, an effect which has been attributed to the post-1989 closure of polluting factories in the former Eastern Bloc states. The mountain is a popular destination for enthusiasts of paragliding who take off from the summit plateau to fly south into the Garmisch-Partenkirchen valley or to peaks in the Wettersteingebirge . The mountain's thermals make it popular, as they enable paragliders to make long flights when
186-729: A speed of 4 metres per second (9 mph) to reach the summit station. A "Wankpass" permits year-round access to the cable car. The grassy summit of the Wank is topped by a cross, set up in July 1904 by the Werdenfelser Heimat Partenkirchen society. Nearby is an observatory and the Wank-Haus, also known as the Alois Huber Haus, a mountain hut that provides food and accommodation to visitors. The Wank-Haus
217-602: Is Sunday stone . Calcareous coatings , or calcareous deposits , are mixtures of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide that are deposited on cathodically protected surfaces because of the increased pH adjacent to the surface. World Meteorological Organization The World Meteorological Organization ( WMO ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation on atmospheric science , climatology , hydrology and geophysics . The WMO originated from
248-661: Is a form of calcium carbonate sediment that consists of >30% biogenous material predominantly consisting of organisms such as coccolithophores and foraminifera . These oozes form slowly under low-energy environments, and necessitate higher seawater saturation states or a deeper CCD (see supersaturation and precipitation vs. undersaturation and dissolution ). Therefore, in shallow CCD conditions ( i.e. , undersaturation of calcium carbonate at depth), stable, non-calcareous sediments such as siliceous ooze or pelagic red clay will prevail in marine sediment records. Calcareous soils are relatively alkaline , in other words they have
279-544: Is known for its views across the region, which provide views of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and a panorama of the Zugspitze and the Wetterstein mountain range. Patrons of Garmisch's spas sometimes take-in the sunshine at the summit as part of their Liegekur (" deckchair cure"). The summit observatory, which is located at an altitude of 1,782 metres (5,846 ft), is an important scientific measuring station operated by
310-759: Is position-based. Newer WMO code forms are designed for portability, extensibility and universality. These are BUFR , and, for gridded geo-positioned data, GRIB . In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a joint creation of the WMO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), received the Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about anthropogenic (man-made) climate change , and to lay
341-732: The International Meteorological Organization , a nongovernmental organization founded in 1873 as a forum for exchanging weather data and research. Proposals to reform the status and structure of the IMO culminated in the World Meteorological Convention of 1947, which formally established the World Meteorological Organization. The Convention entered into force on 23 March 1950, and the following year
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#1732793521943372-491: The World Meteorological Organization 's Background Air Pollution Monitoring Network in 1982. Supplementary meteorological stations have also been established at middle elevation (1,175 metres (3,855 ft) above sea level) and in the valley at 735 metres (2,411 ft). This has enabled scientists to measure a range of natural phenomena including the transport of air pollutants in the region and
403-520: The operculum , the clausilium , and the love dart . The term also applies to the calcium carbonate tests of, often, more-or-less microscopic Foraminifera . Not all tests are calcareous; diatoms and radiolaria have siliceous tests. The molluscs are calcareous organisms, as are the calcareous sponges ( Calcarea ), that have spicules which are made of calcium carbonate. Additionally, reef-building corals, or Scleractinia , are calcareous organisms that form their rigid skeletal structure through
434-499: The Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology . Since 1972 it has measured a variety of atmospheric and climatic phenomena, including the levels of ozone , nitric oxide , sulphur dioxide and various hydrocarbons in the atmosphere as well as meteorological data such as the levels of temperature, dew point , relative humidity , pressure, wind, global and direct irradiance. It became part of
465-622: The United Nations. Vatican City and State of Palestine and the states with limited recognition are not members of either organization. The six WMO Member Territories are the British Caribbean Territories (joint meteorological organization and membership), French Polynesia , Hong Kong , Macau , Curaçao and Sint Maarten (joint meteorological service and membership) and New Caledonia . ( List of all members with admission dates. ) Region I consists of
496-669: The WMO began operations as an intergovernmental organization within the UN system . The WMO is made up of 193 countries and territories, and facilitates the "free and unrestricted" exchange of data, information, and research between the respective meteorological and hydrological institutions of its members. It also collaborates with nongovernmental partners and other international organizations on matters related to environmental protection , climate change , resource management, and socioeconomic development . Headquartered in Geneva , Switzerland,
527-465: The WMO for meteorological observations: As of 2023, WMO Members include a total of 187 Member States and 6 Member Territories. Ten United Nations member states are not members of WMO: Equatorial Guinea , Grenada , Liechtenstein , Marshall Islands , Palau , Saint Kitts and Nevis , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and San Marino . Cook Islands and Niue are WMO Members but non-members of
558-615: The WMO is governed by the World Meteorological Congress, composed of member states, which meets every four years to set policies and priorities. The Congress is led by an Executive Council led by the President, currently Abdulla Al Mandous of UAE. The WMO was established by the Convention of the World Meteorological Organization, signed 11 October 1947 and ratified on 23 March 1950. The Convention serves as
589-466: The auspices of the Wank-Bahn AG and the cable car entered service in 1929. It is 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long and rises from 740 to 1,750 metres (2,430 to 5,740 ft) above sea level. The system has been upgraded several times since its opening. In 1960 its passenger capacity was increased from 125 to 210 persons per hour. A new Wankbahn was built in 1982, opening on 18 December, which increased
620-523: The constituent treaty of the WMO, setting forth its purposes, governance, and general framework. The WMO hierarchy: The annually published WMO Statement on the status of the World Climate provides details of global, regional and national temperatures and extreme weather events. It also provides information on long-term climate change indicators including atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, sea level rise, and sea ice extent. The year 2016
651-522: The continued use of forest lands as pasture, storms and browsing by game animals. As a result, the current Wank forest is predominantly spruce (about 75%) and pine (15%). Forestry programmes are currently underway to improve the arboreal diversity of the mountain. The Wank is linked to Garmisch-Partenkirchen by a cable car system called the Wankbahn, which usually operates between May and September during daylight hours. Construction began in 1928 under
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#1732793521943682-464: The farther from land sediments fall, the less calcareous they are, and deviations from this expectation arise if (a) the ocean floor is shallower than the CCD or (b) storms/ocean currents transport calcareous sediments away from their origin point, leading to the interbedding of calcareous sediments in alternative locations. An additional form of calcareous marine sediment consists of calcareous ooze, which
713-490: The foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." The World Meteorological Day is held annually on 23 March. WMO states that "the International System of Units (SI) should be used as the system of units for the evaluation of meteorological elements included in reports for international exchange." The following units, which include units which are not SI units, are recommended by
744-463: The precipitation of aragonite ( i.e. , a polymorph of calcium carbonate). Calcareous grassland is a form of grassland characteristic of soils containing much calcium carbonate from underlying chalk or limestone rock. The term is used in pathology, for example in calcareous conjunctivitis , and when referring to calcareous metastasis or calcareous deposits , which may both be removed surgically. The term calcareous can be applied to
775-574: The states of North America , Central America , and the Caribbean , including three European states with dependencies within the region. It has a total of 25 member states and 2 member territories. The member states are: The two member territories are: Non-members Region V consists of 23 member states and 2 member territories. The member states are: The Cook Islands and Niue (both are in free association with New Zealand) The member territories are: Non-members Region VI consists consist of all
806-450: The states of Africa and a few former colonial powers. Region I has 57 member states and no member territories: Non-member Region II has 33 member states and 2 member territories. The member states are: The member territories are: Region III consists of the states of South America , including France as French Guiana is an overseas region of France. It has a total of 13 member states and no member territories: Region IV consists of
837-406: The system's capacity to 1,000 persons per hour. Two 300 kW DC motors were installed to drive the cable. The current Wankbahn is built in two sections, measuring 1,670 and 1,330 metres (5,480 and 4,360 ft) long respectively, with a maximum height of 45 metres (148 ft) above the ground. The Wankbahn's 135 cabins each have a capacity of four people. They take approximately 18 minutes at
868-408: The valley to 3 °C (37 °F) at the summit. The prevailing wind comes from a westerly direction but for about 30 to 40 days a year the mountain experiences a warm, dry föhn wind . A local wind system also operates in the area giving a daily uphill/downhill circulation. Inversion layers occur for about 30 days per year, predominantly in the autumn and winter. The Wank was originally covered by
899-529: The weather conditions are right. Calcareous Calcareous ( / k æ l ˈ k ɛər i ə s / ) is an adjective meaning "mostly or partly composed of calcium carbonate ", in other words, containing lime or being chalky . The term is used in a wide variety of scientific disciplines. Calcareous is used as an adjectival term applied to anatomical structures which are made primarily of calcium carbonate, in animals such as gastropods , i.e., snails , specifically in relation to such structures as
930-687: Was built by the local branch of the German Alpine Association (DAV) in 1911. Its construction was originally proposed in 1894 and was approved by the Bavarian Forest Service in 1903. It was designed by the Partenkirchen DAV's Treasurer, Alois Huber, and work began in July 1910. It was opened on 28 May 1911 and was renamed after Huber following his death in 1922. It has since been renovated and upgraded on several occasions, most recently in 2006. The summit
961-527: Was the hottest year on record, with many weather and climate extremes, according to the most recent WMO report. As of August 2023, the WMO has a membership of 193 member states and territories. In keeping with its mandate to promote the standardization of meteorological observations, the WMO maintains numerous code forms for the representation and exchange of meteorological, oceanographical, and hydrological data. The traditional code forms, such as SYNOP , CLIMAT and TEMP , are character-based and their coding