New Methods for Measurements of Photosynthesis from Space

Joseph A Berry, Carnegie Institution for Science, joeberry@stanford.edu (Presenter)
Christian Frankenberg, Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Caltech, christian.frankenberg@jpl.nasa.gov
Paul Wennberg, Caltech, wennberg@gps.caltech.edu
Ian Baker, Colorado State Univ, baker@atmos.colostate.edu
Kevin W Bowman, JPL, kevin.w.bowman@jpl.nasa.gov
Saulo Castro-Contreas, U. Alberta, scastro@ualberta.ca
Maria Pilar Cendrero-Mateo, U. Arizona, mapilarcm@email.arizona.edu
Alexander Damm, U. Zurich, alexander.damm@geo.uzh.ch
Darren Drewry, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, drewryd@gmail.com
Bethany Ehlmann, Cal. Inst. Technol., ehlmann@caltech.edu
Joshua B. Fisher, JPL, jbfisher@jpl.nasa.gov
Jauma Flexas, Univ. de les Illes Balears, jaume.flexas@uib.es
John Gamon, University of Alberta, gamon@ualberta.ca
Bernard Genty, CNRS Cadarache, bernard.genty@cea.fr
Luis Guanter, Free Uni. Berlin, luis.guanter@wew.fu-berlin.de
Thomas Hilker, Oregon State University, thomas.hilker@oregonstate.edu
Joanna Joiner, NASA/GSFC, joanna.joiner@nasa.gov
Martin Jung, Max Plank BGC, mjung@bgc-jena.mpg.de
Kuai Le, JPL, le.kuai@jpl.nasa.gov
Jung-Eun Lee, Jet Propulsion Lab, jung-eun.lee@jpl.nasa.gov
Junjie Liu, JPL, junjie.liu@jpl.nasa.gov
Anna M Michalak, Carnegie Instution for Science, michalak@stanford.edu
Charles Miller, NASA JPL, charles.e.miller@jpl.nasa.gov
Christopher O'Dell, Colorado State University, odell@atmos.colostate.edu
Nicholas Parazoo, JPL, nicholas.c.parazoo@jpl.nasa.gov
Albert Porcar-Castell, Univ Helsinki, joan.porcar@helsinki.fi
Christopher R Schwalm, Northern Arizona University, christopher.schwalm@nau.edu
Christiaan van der Tol, Univ Twente, tol@itc.nl
Debra Wunch, Caltech, dwunch@caltech.edu

Our ability to close the Earth's carbon budget and predict feedbacks in a warming climate depends critically on knowing where, when, and how carbon dioxide (CO2) is exchanged between the land and atmosphere. In particular, determining the rate of carbon fixation by the Earth's biosphere (commonly referred to as gross primary productivity, or GPP) and the dependence of this productivity on climate is a central goal. Historically, GPP has been inferred from spectral imagery of the land and ocean. Assessment of GPP from the color of the land and ocean requires, however, additional knowledge of the types of plants in the scene, their regulatory mechanisms, and climate variables such as soil moisture—just the independent variables of interest!

Sunlight absorbed by chlorophyll in photosynthetic organisms is mostly used to drive photosynthesis, but some can also be dissipated as heat or re-radiated at longer wavelengths (660–800 nm). This near-infrared light re-emitted from illuminated plants is termed solar-induced fluorescence (SIF), and it has been found to strongly correlate with GPP. To advance our understanding of SIF and its relation to GPP and environmental stress at the planetary scale, the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) convened a workshop—held in Pasadena, California, in August 2012—to focus on a newly developed capacity to monitor chlorophyll fluorescence from terrestrial vegetation by satellite. This revolutionary approach for retrieving global observations of SIF promises to provide direct and spatially resolved information on GPP, an ideal bottom-up complement to the atmospheric net CO2 exchange inversions. We will report on workshop results and necessary further steps that are needed to unlock the full potential of SIF from regional to global scales.

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  Poster Session 1-A   (Tue 11:00 AM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Related Activity or Previously Funded TE Activity

Poster Location ID: 20