The atmospheric observation in Tenerife Island during the last four centuries and the Mountain Observatory in Izaña: a short history of the Observatorio de Izaña, Tenerife

Abstract

The creation of a meteorological observatory in the mountains of Tenerife island was the result of scientific interest, in which historical and political events also played a role. The exceptionality and suitability of the physical and geographic conditions in Tenerife for the study and research of the atmosphere have been known and emphasized since the mid-17th Century. Since then, every area of meteorological importance, from the regime of general circulation of the atmosphere to atmospheric chemistry was the object of observation and studies by scientists visiting the island. The Observatory at Izaña was founded at the beginning of the 20th Century thanks to the triumph of European meteorological science over a diplomatic and political conflict between the Spanish and German governments. Today, after four centuries of scientific interest in Tenerife, the most symbolic characteristic of the Observatory is the universality of its objectives and research projects.