The Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) is a European research infrastructure consortium that provides high-precision, long-term observations of greenhouse gases, with the aim of improving our understanding of the carbon cycle and the Earth system's response to climate change driven by these gases. ICOS offers standardized and openly available data from nearly 180 measurement stations distributed across 16 European countries.

These stations monitor in situ greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, the ocean, and the terrestrial biosphere. Accordingly, ICOS is structured into three scientific domains: Atmosphere, Ocean, and Ecosystem. Each domain is coordinated by a thematic centre responsible for ensuring data quality and providing technical and scientific support to the associated stations.

Spain joined ICOS in 2020, establishing the national sub-network ICOS-Spain. This network is coordinated by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET), through the Izaña Atmospheric Research Center. The first stations to join were the Izaña Atmospheric Station and CanOA, an oceanic station based on instrumentation installed aboard a commercial vessel operating regular routes between Gran Canaria and Barcelona.

Currently, the Spanish network includes six stations covering the three ICOS domains. They are operated by seven Spanish scientific institutions: the Izaña Atmospheric Research Center (IARC; part of AEMET), the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO; part of the CSIC), the Mediterranean Center for Environmental Studies (CEAM), and the University of Valladolid (UVa).

The ICOS-Spain stations are:

Atmosphere domain:

  • Izaña Atmospheric Station (Tenerife)

  • El Arenosillo Atmospheric Station (Huelva)

  • CIBA – Research Centre for the Lower Atmosphere (Valladolid)

Ecosystem domain:

  • Majadas de Tiétar Ecosystem Station (Cáceres)

Ocean domain:

  • ESTOC (Oceanic Time Series Station of the Canary Islands), a fixed oceanic site north of Gran Canaria

  • CanOA, an oceanic station based on instrumentation aboard a commercial vessel operating between Gran Canaria and Barcelona