Effects of physical changes in the ocean on the atmospheric pCO2: glacial-interglacial cycles

Based on LGM experiments with an atmosphere–ocean general circulation model, we systematically investigated the effects of physical changes in the ocean and induced biological effects as well on the low atmospheric CO₂ concentration (pCO₂) at the last glacial maximum (LGM). Numerical experiments with an oceanic carbon-cycle model showed that pCO₂ was lowered by ~30 ppm in the LGM ocean. Most of the pCO₂ reduction was explained by the change in CO₂ solubility in the ocean due to lower sea surface temperature (SST) during the LGM. Moreover, we found that SST changes in the high-latitude Northern Atlantic could explain more than one-third of the overall change in pCO₂ induced by global SST change, suggesting an important feedback between the Laurentide ice sheet and pCO₂.     

Magnitude of ocean temperature feedback effects in a coupled carbon-budget energy-balance model for the period 1800–2100

The ocean-atmosphere CO₂ flux in an existing model is reformulated as a function of both surface temperature (SST) and carbon content. The CO₂ model is run in tandem with an energy balance model whose infrared flux to space is modulated by atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Global (averaged over latitude and longitude) temperature values obtained from the tandem model are very similar to those produced by simple logarithmic scaling of CO₂ concentrations. Simulations indicate the effect of SST feedback is slight, on both a seasonal and long-term basis. It is concluded that there is little advantage to running global CO₂ models, as they are presently configured, in tandem with climate models.Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-ENG-48.     

Regional climate changes as simulated in time-slice experiments

Three 30 year long simulations have been performed with a T42 atmosphere model, in which the sea-surface temperature (SST) and sea-ice distribution have been taken from a transient climate change experiment with a T21 global coupled ocean-atmosphere model. In this so-called time-slice experiment, the SST values (and the greenhouse gas concentration) were taken at present time CO₂ level, at the time of CO₂ doubling and tripling.The annual cycle of temperature and precipitation has been studied over the IPCC regions and has been compared with observations. Additionally the combination of temperature and precipitation change has been analysed. Further parameters investigated include the difference between daily minimum and maximum temperature, the rainfall intensity and the length of droughts.While the regional simulation of the annual cycle of the near surface temperature is quite realistic with deviations rarely exceeding 3 K, the precipitation is reproduced to a much smaller degree of accuracy.The changes in temperature at the time of CO₂ doubling amount to only 30–40% of those at the 3 * CO₂ level and show hardly any seasonal variation, contrary to the 3 * CO₂ experiment. The comparatively small response to the CO₂ doubling can be attributed to the cold-start of the simulation, from which the SST has been extracted. The strong change in the seasonality cannot be explained by internal fluctuations and cold start alone, but has to be caused by feedback mechanisms. Due to the delay in warming caused by the transient experiment, from which the SST has been derived, the 3 * CO₂ experiment can be compared to the CO₂ doubling studies performed with mixed-layer models.The precipitation change does not display a clear signal. However, an increase of the rain intensity and of longer dry periods is simulated in many regions of the globe.The changes in these parameters as well as the combination of temperature- and precipitation change and the changes in the daily temperature range give valuable hints, in which regions observational studies should be intensified and under which aspects the observational data should be evaluated.     

Snow cover validation and sensitivity to CO2 in the UVic ESCM

Abstract

The University of Victoria's (UVic) Earth System Climate model is used to conduct equilibrium atmospheric CO₂ sensitivity experiments over the range 200–1600 ppm in order to explore changes in northern hemisphere snow cover and feedbacks on terrestrial surface air temperature (SAT). Simulations of warmer climates predict a retreat of snow cover over northern continents, in a northeasterly direction. The decline in northern hemisphere global snow mass is estimated to reach 33% at 600 ppm and 54% at 1200 ppm. In the most northerly regions, annual mean snow depth increases for simulations with CO₂ levels higher than present day. The shift in the latitude of maximum snowfall is estimated to be inversely proportional to the CO₂ concentration. The northern hemisphere net shortwave radiation changes are found to be greater over land than over the ocean, suggesting a stronger albedo feedback from changes in terrestrial snow cover than from changes in sea ice. Results also reveal high sensitivity of the snow mass balance under low CO₂ conditions. The amplification feedback (defined as the zonal SAT anomaly caused by doubling CO₂ divided by the equatorial anomaly) is greatest for scenarios with less than 300 ppm, reaching 1.9 at the pole for 250 ppm. The stronger feedback is attributed to the significant albedo changes over land areas. The simulation with 200 ppm triggers continuous accumulation of snow ('glaciation') in regions which, according to paleo‐reconstructions, were covered by ice during the last glacial cycle (the Canadian Arctic, Scandinavia, and the Taymir Peninsula).     

Climate sensitivity and cloud feedback processes imposed by two different external forcings in an aquaplanet GCM

The sensitivity of climate to an increase in sea surface temperature (SST) and CO₂, as well as cloud feedback processes, is analyzed through a series of aquaplanet experiments listed in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. Rainfall is strengthened in a +4K anomaly SST experiment due to the enhanced surface evaporation; while in a quadruple CO₂ experiment, precipitation and total cloud cover are appreciably weakened. In both the +4K and quadruple CO₂ (4xCO₂) experiments, the Hadley cell is impaired, with an increase in moderate subsidence and a decrease in the frequency of strong convective activity. Regarding cloud radiation forcing (CRF), the analysis technique of Bony et al. (Climate Dynamics, 22:71–86, 2004) is used to sort cloud variables by dynamic regimes using the 500-hPa vertical velocity in tropical areas (30°S–30°N). Results show that the tropically averaged CRF change is negative and is dominated mainly by the thermodynamic component. Within convective regimes, the behavior of longwave CRF is different in the +4K and 4xCO₂ experiments, with positive and negative changes, respectively. The globally averaged CRF also reveals a negative change in both aquaplanet and Earthlike experiments, implying that clouds may play a role in decelerating global warming. The calculated climate sensitivity demonstrates that our results are close to those obtained from other models, with 0.384 and 0.584?Km²?W^?1 for aquaplanet and Earthlike experiments, respectively.     

OBSERVATION AND INVESTIGATION OF VARIABILITIES OF BASELINE CO2 CONCENTRATION OVER WALIGUAN MOUNTAIN IN QINGHAI PROVINCE OF CHINA*

In-situ measurement of atmospheric CO₂ was made at the top of the Waliguan Mountain(36°17'N,100°54'E,3816 m asl).where the air is not directly affected by the local anthropogenic and natural sources,by using a nondispersive infrared(NDIR)analyzer and following the procedures proposed by WMO.The CO₂ in the flask samples collected on the mountain was also analyzed in a laboratory.The measurements uncover the daily,monthly and seasonal variabilities and the baseline level of the CO₂ in the air over the "clean" area of Chinese hinterland.Results suggest that the CO₂ concentration over the East Asia continent has evident periodical variation,similar to that of global distribution.In 1992,an annual mean baseline CO₂ concentration of 356.4 ppm over the continent was obtained.The annual mean value was 357.2 ppm for 1993.Some relationships between the CO₂ concentration at Waliguan and the weather conditions,especially,wind speed and direction are found through the observation.     

太平洋海气CO2通量对气候事件的响应

应用一个嵌套了海洋生物地球化学循环的太平洋环流碳循环模式,分析了1960～2000年太平洋不同海区海气碳通量随时间的变化。模拟结果显示,赤道太平洋为大气CO₂的排放区,南、北太平洋(南、北纬15°至模式计算区域南、北边界)为吸收区。3个海区海气碳通量随时间均存在显著的波动,其中赤道太平洋海气碳通量年际波动最显著。3个海区海气碳通量年际波动对气候事件的响应并不一致,在El Niño年赤道太平洋冷舌的强度和总溶解无机碳(DIC)的浓度以及输出生产力均会受到上升流减弱的影响而降低,La Niña年这些海气碳通量控制要素的分布情况则正好相反,但在南北太平洋副热带以及高纬度海区,El Niño和La Niña对这些要素带来的影响却并不一定相反,对输出生产力的影响甚至是一致的。以海表温度(SST)为例考察海气碳通量与物理场之间的关系表明,在赤道太平洋上升流对DIC的影响是控制海气碳通量变化的主要因素,而在其他海区,尤其是副热带海区,由于垂直运动的年际变化较小,且生物生产力水平较低,SST的波动对海气碳通量年际变化的影响更加重要。     

长江三角洲地区净生态系统二氧化碳通量及浓度的数值模拟

净生态系统碳通量(NEE)的计算对于准确模拟区域碳通量和大气CO₂浓度的时空变化至关重要。本文利用中尺度大气-温室气体耦合模式WRF-GHG(Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Greenhouse Gases Module),对2010年7月28日至2010年8月2日期间影响长江三角洲地区大气CO₂浓度及时空分布的各种过程进行了详尽模拟。结果表明,植被光合呼吸模型(VPRM)能模拟不同植被下垫面NEE的日变化;WRF-GHG模拟的大气CO₂浓度日变化与观测相吻合,但低估了大气CO₂浓度5~15 ppm(ppm表示10-6),这可能与人为排放源的低估、VPRM参数的不确定性以及气象场模拟的不准确性有关。太湖和植被覆盖较好的地区如浙江北部山区是该地区的主要碳汇,而城市为CO₂的主要排放源。太湖和陆地生态系统对区域内碳循环起到一定的调节作用,减缓区域大气CO₂浓度的升高。此外,局地气象条件如湖陆风对太湖周边地区大气CO₂浓度有显著影响。     

A DIAGNOSTIC EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF EFFECTS OF CO2 ENRICHMENT ON COTTON GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND YIELD

A series of experiments were conducted about the effects of different CO₂ concentrations and ventilating time on cotton using OPT-1 open top chambers.The results show that.for all the ventilating treatments,the development stages of cotton were advanced,plant height increased,the biomass of root and stalk increased when CO₂ concentration increased:the number of bolls formed in summer was more than 85% of the total for the treatment of 700 ppm CO₂ concentration;single boll weight,the number of bolls per plant,ginned and unginned cotton weights,and stalk weight increased obviously when CO₂ concentration increased,but the influences of CO₂ enrichment on the ratio of ginned weight to the total weight of ginned and unginned cotton,fibre length and ginned weight of 100-seed were small.     

Blunt ocean dynamical thermostat in response of tropical eastern Pacific SST to global warming

Using an intermediate ocean–atmosphere coupled model (ICM) for the tropical Pacific, we investigated the role of the ocean dynamical thermostat (ODT) in regulating the tropical eastern Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) under global warming conditions. The external, uniformly distributed surface heating results in the cooling of the tropical eastern Pacific “cold tongue,” and the amplitude of the cooling increases as more heat is added but not simply linearly. Furthermore, an upper bound for the influence of the equatorially symmetric surface heating on the cold tongue cooling exists. The additional heating beyond the upper bound does not cool the cold tongue in a systematic manner. The heat budget analysis suggests that the zonal advection is the primary factor that contributes to such nonlinear SST response. The radiative heating due to the greenhouse effect (hereafter, RHG) that is obtained from the multi-model ensemble of the Climate Model Intercomparison Project Phase III (CMIP3) was externally given to ICM. The RHG obtained from the twentieth century simulation intensified the cold tongue cooling and the subtropical warming, which were further intensified by the RHG from the doubled CO₂ concentration simulation. However, the cold tongue cooling was significantly reduced and the negative SST response region was shrunken toward the equator by the RHG from the quadrupled CO₂ concentration simulation, while the subtropical warming increased further. A systematic RHG forced experiment having the same spatial pattern of RHG from doubled CO₂ concentration simulation with different amplitude of forcing revealed that the ocean dynamical response to global warming tended to enhance the cooling in the tropical eastern Pacific by virtue of meridional advection and upwelling; however, these cooling effects could not fully compensate a given RHG warming as the external forcing becomes larger. Moreover, the feedback by the zonal thermal advection actually exerted the warming over the equatorial region. Therefore, as the global warming is intensified, the cooling over the eastern tropical Pacific by ODT and the negative SST response area are reduced.     

Changes of interannual NAO variability in response to greenhouse gases forcing

Observations show that there was change in interannual North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) variability in the mid-1970s. This change was characterized by an eastward shift of the NAO action centres, a poleward shift of zonal wind anomalies and a downstream extension of climate anomalies associated with the NAO. The NAO interannual variability for the period after the mid-1970s has an annular mode structure that penetrates deeply into the stratosphere, indicating a strengthened relationship between the NAO and the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and strengthened stratosphere-troposphere coupling. In this study we have investigated possible causes of these changes in the NAO by carrying out experiments with an atmospheric GCM. The model is forced either by doubling CO₂, or increasing sea surface temperatures (SST), or both. In the case of SST forcing the SST anomaly is derived from a coupled model simulation forced by increasing CO₂. Results indicate that SST and CO₂ change both force a poleward and eastward shift in the pattern of interannual NAO variability and the associated poleward shift of zonal wind anomalies, similar to the observations. The effect of SST change can be understood in terms of mean changes in the troposphere. The direct effect of CO₂ change, in contrast, can not be understood in terms of mean changes in the troposphere. However, there is a significant response in the stratosphere, characterized by a strengthened climatological polar vortex with strongly enhanced interannual variability. In this case, the NAO interannual variability has a strong link with the variability over the North Pacific, as in the annular AO pattern, and is also strongly related to the stratospheric vortex, indicating strengthened stratosphere-troposphere coupling. The similarity of changes in many characteristics of NAO interannual variability between the model response to doubling CO₂ and those in observations in the mid-1970s implies that the increase of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere, and the resulting changes in the stratosphere, might have played an important role in the multidecadal change of interannual NAO variability and its associated climate anomalies during the late twentieth century. The weak change in mean westerlies in the troposphere in response to CO₂ change implies that enhanced and eastward extended mid-latitude westerlies in the troposphere might not be a necessary condition for the poleward and eastward shift of the NAO action centres in the mid-1970s.     

Carbon Capture and Storage From Fossil Fuels and Biomass – Costs and Potential Role in Stabilizing the Atmosphere

The capture and storage of CO₂ from combustion of fossil fuels is gaining attraction as a means to deal with climate change. CO₂ emissions from biomass conversion processes can also be captured. If that is done, biomass energy with CO₂ capture and storage (BECS) would become a technology that removes CO₂ from the atmosphere and at the same time deliver CO₂-neutral energy carriers (heat, electricity or hydrogen) to society. Here we present estimates of the costs and conversion efficiency of electricity, hydrogen and heat generation from fossil fuels and biomass with CO₂ capture and storage. We then insert these technology characteristics into a global energy and transportation model (GET 5.0), and calculate costs of stabilizing atmospheric CO₂ concentration at 350 and 450 ppm. We find that carbon capture and storage technologies applied to fossil fuels have the potential to reduce the cost of meeting the 350 ppm stabilisation targets by 50% compared to a case where these technologies are not available and by 80% when BECS is allowed. For the 450 ppm scenario, the reduction in costs is 40 and 42%, respectively. Thus, the difference in costs between cases where BECS technologies are allowed and where they are not is marginal for the 450 ppm stabilization target. It is for very low stabilization targets that negative emissions become warranted, and this makes BECS more valuable than in cases with higher stabilization targets. Systematic and stochastic sensitivity analysis is performed. Finally, BECS opens up the possibility to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. But this option should not be seen as an argument in favour of doing nothing about the climate problem now and then switching on this technology if climate change turns out to be a significant problem. It is not likely that BECS can be initiated sufficiently rapidly at a sufficient scale to follow this path to avoiding abrupt and serious climate changes if that would happen.     

A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY OF FEEDBACK MECHANISM IN GREENHOUSE EFFECTS SIMULATED BY NCAR CCM1

This paper describes a diagnostic study of the feedback mechanism in greenhouse effects of increased CO_2 and oth-er trace gases(CH_4,N_2O and CFCs),simulated by general circulation model.The study is based on two sensitivity exper-iments for doubled CO_2 and the inclusion of other trace gases,respectively,using version one of the community climatemodel(CCM1)developed at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research.A one-dimensional(1-D)and atwo-dimensional(2-D)radiative-convective models are used to diagnose the feedback effect.It shows that thefeedback factors in global and annual mean conditions are in the sequence of surface albedo,water vapor amount,watervapor distribution,cloud height,critical lapse rate and cloud cover,while in zonal and annual mean conditions in thetropical region the above sequence does not change except the two water vapor terms being the largest feedback compo-nents.Among the feedback components,the total water vapor feedback is the largest(about 50%).The diagnosis alsogives a very small feedback of either the cloud cover or the lapse rate,which is substantially different from the 1-Dfeedback analysis by Hansen et al.(1984).The small lapse rate feedback is considered to be partly caused by theconvective adjustment scheme adopted by CCM1 model.The feedback effect for doubled CO_2 is very different from that of the addition of other trace gases because of theirdifferent vertical distributions of radiative forcing although the non-feedback responses of surface air temperature forboth cases are almost the same.For instance,the larger forcing at surface by the addition of other trace gases can causestronger surface albedo feedback than by doubled CO_2.Besides,because of the negative forcing of doubled CO_2 in thestratosphere,cloud height feedback is more intense.The larger surface forcing in the case of other trace gases can also in-fluence atmospheric water vapor amount as well as the water vapor distribution,which will in turn have strongerfeedback effects.All these indicate that it is incorrect to use“effective CO_2”to replace other trace gases in the generalcirculation model.     

RESPONSES OF A GLOBAL CGCM TO CO2 INCREASE

The responses of the climate system to increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide(CO₂)arestudied by using a new version of the Bureau of Meteorological Research Centre(BMRC)globalcoupled general circulation model(CGCM).Two simulations are run:one with atmospheric CO₂concentration held constant at 330 ppm,the other with a tripling of atmospheric CO₂(990 ppm).Results from the 41-year control coupled integration are applied to analyze the mean state,seasonal cycle and interannual variability in the model.Comparisons between the greenhouseexperiment and the control experiment then provide estimations of the influence of increased CO₂on climate changes and climate variability.Especially discussed is the question on whether theclimate changes concerned with CO₂ inerease will impact interannual variability in tropical Pacific,such as ENSO.     

Benchmarking Climate-Carbon Model Simulations against Forest FACE Data

Terrestrial carbon fluxes are an important factor in regulating concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂). In this study, we use a coupled climate model with interactive biogeochemistry to benchmark the simulation of net primary productivity (NPP) and its response to elevated atmospheric CO₂. Short-term field experiments such as Free-Air Carbon Dioxide Enrichment (FACE) studies have examined this phenomenon but it is difficult to infer trends from only a few years of field data. Here, we employ the University of Victoria's Earth System Climate Model (UVic ESCM) version 2.8 to compare simulated changes in NPP due to an elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration of 550 ppm to observed increases in NPP of 23% ±2% from four temperate forest FACE studies between 1997 and 2002. We further compare two scenarios: elevated CO₂ with climate change, and elevated CO₂ without climate change, the latter being consistent with FACE methodology. In the climate change scenario global terrestrial and forest-only NPP increased by 24.5% and 27.9%, respectively, while these increases were 21.0% and 17.2%, respectively, in the latitude band most representative of the location of the FACE studies. In the scenario without climate change, terrestrial and forest-only NPP increased instead by 28.3% and 30.6%, respectively, while these increases were 24.3% and 14.4%, respectively, in the FACE latitudes. This suggests that the model may underestimate temperate forest NPP increases when compared to results from temperate forest FACE studies and highlights the need for both increased experimental study of other forest biomes and further model development.     

Designing policy for deployment of CCS in industry

Attaining deep greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in industry in order to support a stringent climate change control target will be difficult without recourse to CO₂ capture and storage (CCS). Using the insights from a long-term bottom-up energy systems model, and undertaking a sectoral assessment, we investigated the importance of CCS in the industrial sector. Under climate policy aimed at limiting atmospheric concentration of GHGs to 650 ppm CO₂e, costs could increase fivefold when CCS is excluded from the portfolio of mitigation option measures in the industry sector as compared to when CCS is excluded in the power sector. This effect is driven largely by the lack of alternatives for deep emission reductions in industry. Our main policy conclusion is that a broader recognition of CCS in industrial applications in both current policy discussions and research, development, and demonstration funding programmes is justified. In recognition of the heterogeneity of the many types of industrial production processes, the size and location of industrial CO₂ sources, the specific need for CCS-retrofitting, and the exposure of most industrial sectors to international trade, policies aimed at supporting CCS must distinguish between the different challenges faced by the power and industrial sectors.     

A Simple Method of Estimating Scalar Fluxes Over Forests

A simple aerodynamic-variance method is proposed to fill gaps in continuous CO₂ flux measurements in rainy conditions, when open-path analysers do not function. The method requires turbulent conditions (friction velocity greater than 0.1 ms^–1), and uses measurements of mean wind speed, and standard deviations of temperature and CO₂ concentration fluctuations to complement, and at times replace, eddy-covariance measurements of friction velocity, sensible heat flux and CO₂ flux. Friction velocity is estimated from the mean wind speed with a flux-gradient relationship modified for the roughness sublayer. Since normalised standard deviations do not follow Monin-Obukhov similarity theory in the roughness sublayer, a simple classification scheme according to the scalar turbulence scale was used. This scheme is shown to produce sensible heat and CO₂ flux estimates that are well correlated with the measured values.     

Aridity and the Potential Physiological Response of C 3 Crops to Doubled Atmospheric Co 2 : A Simple Demonstration of the Sensitivity of the Canadian Prairies

Since cultivated annual C₃ field crops cover about50% of the land surface of the Canadian Prairie grassland eco-climatic zone, this vegetationinfluences the aridity of the climate during the growing season. The physiological response of these cropsto a doubling of the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ may be a doubling of canopyresistance. If this physiological effect is not counteracted by interactive feedbacks, such as increasedleaf area, evapotranspiration rates could be reduced. To demonstrate the sensitivity of thearidity of the Prairie climate to this potential physiological effect, representative spring wheatgrowing-season soil moisture and Bowen ratio curves for a doubled canopy resistance(2 × CO₂) scenario were compared with a control (1 × CO₂) scenario.Lower evapotranspiration in the 2 × CO₂ scenario: (1) Increased root-zone soilmoisture levels, and (2) weakened the atmospheric component of the hydrologic cycle by raisingBowen ratios, which reduces the convective available energy, and reduces the regionalcontribution to the atmospheric water vapour over the Prairies. A weakened hydrologic cycleimplies less rainfall, and possibly, lower soil moisture levels. Thus, the net impact of a doublingof the atmospheric concentration of CO₂ on the aridity of the Canadian Prairies is uncertain.This simple sensitivity demonstration did not consider most of the potential feedback mechanisms,nor interactions of other processes. Nevertheless, the result illustrates that the physiologicaleffect should be explicitly included in climate change models for the Canadian Prairies.     

Two-Year Observation of Fossil Fuel Carbon Dioxide Spatial Distribution in Xi'an City

The need for atmospheric carbon dioxide(CO_2) reduction in the context of global warming is widely acknowledged by the global scientific community.Fossil fuel CO_2(CO_(2ff)) emissions occur mainly in cities,and can be monitored directly with radiocarbon(~(14) C).In this research,annual plants [Setaria viridis(L.) Beauv.] were collected from 26 sites in 2013 and2014 in the central urban district of Xi'an City.The △~(14)C content of the samples were analyzed using a 3 MV Accelerator Mass Spectrometer,and CO_(2ff) concentrations were calculated based on mass balance equations.The results showed that the CO_(2ff) mixing ratio ranged from 15.9 to 25.0 ppm(part per million,equivalent to μmol mol~(-1)),with an average of 20.5 ppm in 2013.The range of measured values became larger in 2014,from 13.9 ppm to 33.1 ppm,with an average of 23.5 ppm.The differences among the average CO_(2ff) concentrations between the central area and outer urban areas were not statistically significant.Although the year-to-year variation of the CO_(2ff) concentration was significant(P 0.01),there was a distinctly low CO_(2 ff) value observed in the northeast corner of the city.CO_(2 ff) emiissions from vehicle exhaust and residential sources appeared to be more significant than two thermal power plants,according to our observed CO_(2 ff) spatial distribution.The variation of pollution source transport recorded in our observations was likely controlled by southwesterly winds.These results could assist in the optimal placement of regional CO_2 monitoring stations,and benefit the local government in the implementation of efficient carbon emission reduction measures.     

Consequences of Incomplete Surface Energy Balance Closure for CO2 Fluxes from Open-Path CO2/H2O Infrared Gas Analysers

We present an approach for assessing the impact of systematic biases in measured energy fluxes on CO₂ flux estimates obtained from open-path eddy-covariance systems. In our analysis, we present equations to analyse the propagation of errors through the Webb, Pearman, and Leuning (WPL) algorithm [Quart. J. Roy. Meteorol. Soc. 106, 85–100, 1980] that is widely used to account for density fluctuations on CO₂ flux measurements. Our results suggest that incomplete energy balance closure does not necessarily lead to an underestimation of CO₂ fluxes despite the existence of surface energy imbalance; either an overestimation or underestimation of CO₂ fluxes is possible depending on local atmospheric conditions and measurement errors in the sensible heat, latent heat, and CO₂ fluxes. We use open-path eddy-covariance fluxes measured over a black spruce forest in interior Alaska to explore several energy imbalance scenarios and their consequences for CO₂ fluxes.