Evaluating atmospheric CO2 inversions from multiple scales over a highly-inventoried agricultural landscape

Andrew Schuh, Colorado State University, aschuh@atmos.colostate.edu (Presenter)
Thomas Lauvaux, Pennsylvania State University, tul5@meteo.psu.edu
Tristram O. West, Joint Global Change Research Institute, tristram.west@pnl.gov
Kenneth James Davis, Penn State, kjd10@psu.edu
Scott Denning, Colorado State University, denning@atmos.colostate.edu
Stephen M Ogle, Colorado State University, ogle@nrel.colostate.edu

Atmospheric inversions provide a promising method of real-time estimation of carbon flux estimation.  Although tantalizing as a tool for policy makers, many uncertainties still surround the techniques used.  Historically, data constraints, in particular highly calibrated CO2 data, could always be pointed to as the main bottleneck for future usability.  However, an intensive campaign spawned by the NACP, over the highly productive agricultural regions of the Midwestern United States, has shown that the availability of calibrated CO2 data might no longer be the main concern of all atmospheric inversions, at least for particular case studies.  Comparisons of results across four different inversion frameworks, operating globally, continentally, and regionally, imply some level of robustness at the regional level of the entire MCI.  The results from the continental inversion system imply that the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) estimates at the regional level of the MCI appear to be more robust to boundary conditions of CO2 at the continental margins than NEE estimates at the continental scale.  Nevertheless, significant differences still exist across the inversions at the sub-regional scale, 100km - 200km, as well as across different years (2007 vs 2008).  We will explore the reasons for these differences and how the differences relate to variations in transport, boundary condition inflow of CO2, and climatic conditions of 2007 and 2008.

Presentation Type:  Poster

Session:  Science in Support of Decision Making   (Wed 10:00 AM)

Associated Project(s): 

• Ogle, Stephen: Resolving Net CO2 Exchange in the Mid-Continent Region of North America by Comparing and Reconciling Results from Inverse Modeling and Inventory-Based Approaches ...details

Poster Location ID: 243