Seasonal carbon dioxide balance and respiration of a high-arctic fen ecosystem in NE-Greenland

Summary  Turbulent fluxes of CO₂ were continuously measured by eddy correlation for three months in 1997 over a gramineous fen in a high-arctic environment at Zackenberg (74°28′12″N, 20°34′23″W) in NE-Greenland. The measurements started on 1 June, when there was still a 1–2 m cover of dry snow, and ended 26 August at a time that corresponds to late autumn at this high-arctic site. During the 20-day period with snow cover, fluxes of CO₂ to the atmosphere were small, typically 0.005 mg CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ (0.41 g CO₂ m⁻² d⁻¹), wheres during the thawed period, the fluxes displayed a clear diurnal variation. During the snow-free period, before the onset of vegetation growth, fluxes of CO₂ to the atmosphere were typically 0.1 mg CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ in the afternoon, and daily sums reached values up to almost 9 g CO₂ m⁻² d⁻¹. After 4 July, downward fluxes of CO₂ increased, and on sunny days in the middle of the growing season, the net ecosystem exchange rates attained typical values of about −0.23 mg m⁻² s⁻¹ at midday and max values of daily sums of −12 g CO₂ m⁻² d⁻¹. Throughout the measured period the fen ecosystem acted as a net-sink of 130 g CO₂ m⁻². Modelling the ecosystem respiration during the season corresponded well with eddy correlation and chamber measurements. On the basis of the eddy correlation data and the predicted respiration effluxes, an estimate of the annual CO₂ balance the calender year 1997 was calculated to be a net-sink of 20 g CO₂ m⁻² yr⁻¹. Received October 6, 1999 Revised May 2, 2000     

Temperature and snow-melt controls on interannual variability in carbon exchange in the high Arctic

Summary Net Ecosystem CO₂ Exchange (NEE) was studied during the summer season (June–August) at a high Arctic heath ecosystem for 5 years in Zackenberg, NE Greenland. Integrated over the 80 day summer season, the heath is presently a sink ranging from −1.4 g C m⁻² in 1997 to −23.3 g C m⁻² in 2003. The results indicate that photosynthesis might be more variable than ecosystem respiration on the seasonal timescale. The years focused on in this paper differ climatically, which is reflected in the measured fluxes. The environmental conditions during the five years strongly indicated that time of snow-melt and air temperature during the growing season are closely related to the interannual variation in the measured fluxes of CO₂ at the heath. Our estimates suggest that net ecosystem CO₂ uptake is enhanced by 0.16 g C m⁻² per increase in growing degree-days during the period of growth. This study emphasises that increased summer time air temperatures are favourable for this particular ecosystem in terms of carbon accumulation.     

Relationship between Net Radiation and Broadband Solar Radiation in the Tibetan Plateau

The characteristics of net radiation (R_n)(0.3--10 μm) in Lhasa and Haibei in the Tibetan Plateau were analyzed based on long-term in-situ measurements of surface radiation data. The monthly average of daily R_n reached a minimum during the winter period followed by an increase until May and then a decline until January. This variation is consistent with solar activity. The annual mean daily total R_n values were 0.92 MJ m^-2 d^-1 and 0.66 MJ m^-2d^-1 in Lhasa and Haibei, respectively. A relationship between R_n and broadband solar radiation (R_s) was demonstrated by a good linear correlation at the two sites. R_n can be an accurate estimate from R_s. The estimated R_n values were similar to the observed values, and the relative deviations between the estimates and measurements of R_n were 2.8% and 3.8% in Lhasa and Haibei, respectively. The application of the R_n estimating model to other locations showed that it could provide acceptable estimated R_n values from the R_s data. Furthermore, we analyzed the influence of clouds on R_n by different clear index (K_s), defined as the ratio of R_s to the extraterrestrial solar irradiance on a horizontal surface. The results indicate that more accurate results are associated with increased cloudy conditions. The influence of the albedo was also considered, but its inclusion in the model resulted in only a slight improvement. Because surface albedo is not usually measured, an expression based solely on global solar radiation could be of more extensive use.     

Long-term modeling of soil C erosion and sequestration at the small watershed scale

The soil C balance is determined by the difference between inputs (e.g., plant litter, organic amendments, depositional C) and outputs (e.g., soil respiration, dissolved organic C leaching, and eroded C). There is a need to improve our understanding of whether soil erosion is a sink or a source of atmospheric CO₂. The objective of this paper is to discover the long-term influence of soil erosion on the C cycle of managed watersheds near Coshocton, OH. We hypothesize that the amount of eroded C that is deposited in or out of a watershed compares in magnitude to the soil C changes induced via microbial respiration. We applied the erosion productivity impact calculator (EPIC) model to evaluate the role of erosion–deposition processes on the C balance of three small watersheds (∼1 ha). Experimental records from the USDA North Appalachian Experimental Watershed facility north of Coshocton, OH were used in the study. Soils are predominantly silt loam and have developed from loess-like deposits over residual bedrock. Management practices in the three watersheds have changed over time. Currently, watershed 118 (W118) is under a corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) no till rotation, W128 is under conventional till continuous corn, and W188 is under no till continuous corn. Simulations of a comprehensive set of ecosystem processes including plant growth, runoff, and water erosion were used to quantify sediment C yields. A simulated sediment C yield of 43 ± 22 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ compared favorably against the observed 31 ± 12 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in W118. EPIC overestimated the soil C stock in the top 30-cm soil depth in W118 by 21% of the measured value (36.8 Mg C ha⁻¹). Simulations of soil C stocks in the other two watersheds (42.3 Mg C ha⁻¹ in W128 and 50.4 Mg C ha⁻¹ in W188) were off by <1 Mg C ha⁻¹. Simulated eroded C re-deposited inside (30–212 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) or outside (73–179 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) watershed boundaries compared in magnitude to a simulated soil C sequestration rate of 225 kg C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ and to literature values. An analysis of net ecosystem carbon balance revealed that the watershed currently under a plow till system (W128) was a source of C to the atmosphere while the watersheds currently under a no till system (W118 and W188) behaved as C sinks of atmospheric CO₂. Our results demonstrate a clear need for documenting and modeling the proportion of eroded soil C that is transported outside watershed boundaries and the proportion that evolves as CO₂ to the atmosphere.     

Gap Filling and Quality Assessment of CO2 and Water Vapour Fluxes above an Urban Area with Radial Basis Function Neural Networks

Vertical turbulent fluxes of water vapour, carbon dioxide, and sensible heat were measured from 16 August to the 28 September 2006 near the city centre of Münster in north-west Germany. In comparison to results of measurements above homogeneous ecosystem sites, the CO₂ fluxes above the urban investigation area showed more peaks and higher variances during the course of a day, probably caused by traffic and other varying, anthropogenic sources. The main goal of this study is the introduction and establishment of a new gap filling procedure using radial basis function (RBF) neural networks, which is also applicable under complex environmental conditions. We applied adapted RBF neural networks within a combined modular expert system of neural networks as an innovative approach to fill data gaps in micrometeorological flux time series. We found that RBF networks are superior to multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural networks in the reproduction of the highly variable turbulent fluxes. In addition, we enhanced the methodology in the field of quality assessment for eddy covariance data. An RBF neural network mapping system was used to identify conditions of a turbulence regime that allows reliable quantification of turbulent fluxes through finding an acceptable minimum of the friction velocity. For the data analysed in this study, the minimum acceptable friction velocity was found to be 0.15 m s⁻¹. The obtained CO₂ fluxes, measured on a tower at 65 m a.g.l., reached average values of 12 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ and fell to nighttime minimum values of 3 μmol m ⁻² s⁻¹. Mean daily CO₂ emissions of 21 g CO₂ m⁻²d ⁻¹ were obtained during our 6-week experiment. Hence, the city centre of Münster appeared to be a significant source of CO₂. The half-hourly average values of water vapour fluxes ranged between 0.062 and 0.989 mmol m⁻² s⁻¹and showed lower variances than the simultaneously measured fluxes of CO₂.     

Microclimatological characteristics of a miscanthus (Miscanthus cv. giganteus) stand during stable conditionsat night in the nonvegetative winter period

Summary ?Microclimatological data obtained during a field experiment in the nongrowing winter period were used to study the microclimatologically stable night conditions of a 200 × 150 m miscanthus (Miscanthus cv. giganteus) stand and compared to open field conditions. The microclimatological pattern within the miscanthus canopy was characterized by long-wave radiative cooling of the plant stand and by an established temperature inversion within the canopy at calm nights. The results show that there are significant differences in air temperature and energy balance components between the open field and the miscanthus field during calm and clear nights. In general, net radiation difference during the cold and calm nights was relatively constant and about 20 W m⁻² less negative in miscanthus (because of lower surface temperatures) than at the open field. Air temperature differences also remained fairly constant and were up to 3 °C lower than at the open field (at the height of 1 m). Through thermal inversion cold air accumulated in the lower parts of the canopy as shown by the vertical air temperature profiles. They showed a greater amplitude within the diurnal cycle in the miscanthus stand than in the open field. Through the onset of wind, temperature profiles changed rapidly and differences diminished. Vertical katabatic air drainage into the canopy layers was estimated indirectly by using the energy balance approach. It was calculated from the significant energy balance closure gap and showed a mean air exchange rate of up to 22 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹, related to a stand volume of 1 m² area and 4 m height, during the mostly calm and clear nights, depending on the canopy net radiation and turbulent heat exchange forced by slight wind spells. Quantitative uncertainties in calculated cold air drainage which are introduced by the measurement method and certain assumptions in the calculations, were considered in a sensitivity analysis. In spite of these uncertainties evidence of katabatic cold air flow is given. Received July 29, 1999; revised June 11, 2001; accepted March 14, 2002     

Effects of Irrigation on Nitrous Oxide, Methane and Carbon Dioxide Fluxes in an Inner Mongolian Steppe

Increased precipitation during the vegetation periods was observed in and further predicted for Inner Mongolia. The changes in the associated soil moisture may affect the biosphere-atmosphere exchange of greenhouse gases. Therefore, we set up an irrigation experiment with one watered （W） and one unwatered plot （UW） at a winter-grazed Leymus chinensis-steppe site in the Xilin River catchment, Inner Mongolia. UW only received the natural precipitation of 2005 （129 mm）, whereas W was additionally watered after the precipitation data of 1998 （in total 427 mm）. In the 3-hour resolution, we determined nitrous oxide （N20）, methane （CH4） and carbon dioxide （CO2） fluxes at both plots between May and September 2005, using a fully automated, chamber-based measuring system. N20 fluxes in the steppe were very low, with mean emissions （±s.e.） of 0.9-4-0.5 and 0.7-4-0.5 μg N m^-2 h^-1 at W and UW, respectively. The steppe soil always served as a CH4 sink, with mean fluxes of -24.1-4-3.9 and -31.1-4- 5.3 μg C m^-2 h^-1 at W and UW. Nighttime mean CO2 emissions were 82.6±8.7 and 26.3±1.7 mg C m^-2 h^-1 at W and UW, respectively, coinciding with an almost doubled aboveground plant biomass at W. Our results indicate that the ecosystem CO2 respiration responded sensitively to increased water input during the vegetation period, whereas the effects on CH4 and N2O fluxes were weak, most likely due to the high evapotranspiration and the lack of substrate for N2O producing processes. Based on our results, we hypothesize that with the gradual increase of summertime precipitation in Inner Mongolia, ecosystem CO2 respiration will be enhanced and CH4 uptake by the steppe soils will be lightly inhibited.     

Analysis of Carbon Dioxide Variations in the Atmosphere of Srednja Bijambarska Cave,Bosnia and Herzegovina

The results of one year’s monitoring in Srednja Bijambarska Cave (Bosnia and Herzegovina) are presented and discussed. Temporal variations of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration are controlled by the switching between two ventilation regimes driven by outside temperature changes. A regression model with a simple perfectly mixed volume applied to a cave sector (“Music hall”) resulted in an estimate of ventilation rates between 0.02 h⁻¹ and 0.54 h⁻¹. Carbon dioxide input per plan surface unit is estimated by the model at around 50 × 10⁻⁶ mh⁻¹ during the winter season and up to more than 1000 × 10⁻⁶ mh⁻¹ during the first temperature falls at the end of summer (0.62 μmoles m⁻² s⁻¹ and 12.40 μmoles m⁻² s⁻¹ for normal conditions respectively). These values have been found to be related to the cave ventilation rate and dependent on the availability of CO₂ in the surrounding environment. For airflow close to zero the values of CO₂ input per plan surface have a range in the order of magnitude of a few units × 10⁻⁶ mh⁻¹. Based on two experiments, the anthropogenic contribution from cave visitors has been calculated, at between 0.35 l_CO2 min⁻¹ person⁻¹ and 0.45 l_CO2min⁻¹person⁻¹.     

On the vertical profile of surface radiative fluxes in southwest Germany

Summary Vertical profile of surface radiative fluxes in an area of heterogeneous terrain in south-west Germany is presented. Main data sets utilized for the study were recorded during the REgio KLIma Projekt (REKLIP). Supporting observational data were provided by the German weather service and German geophysical consultant service. Elevation of the study sites ranged from 212 m a.s.l. to 1489 m a.s.l. From May to September, monthly mean albedo was generally low at the study sites, ranging from 19% to 24%. For the other months, monthly mean albedo lie between 22% and 25% at the lowland site but extended between 27% and 71% at the highly elevated mountain site. Following the altitudinal increase in surface albedo, net radiative flux and radiation efficiency declined with elevation at an annual mean of 1.15 Wm⁻²/100 m and 0.008/100 m respectively. Absorbed shortwave radiation and effective terrestrial radiation showed mean decline of 1.54 Wm⁻²/100 m and 0.34 Wm⁻²/100 m, respectively, with the mean sky-to-earth radiation deficit amounting to about 52 Wm⁻² for the lowland site and 73 Wm⁻² for the highest elevated site. Some empirical models which express shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes in terms of meteorological variables have been validated for the lowland and mountain sites. Monthly mean daily total estimates of solar radiation obtained from ?ngst?m-Prescott relation were quite consistent with observed values. Parameterisation of downward atmospheric radiation under all sky condition was achieved by extending Brutsaert clear sky atmospheric model. Relationship between outgoing longwave radiation and screen temperature at the study sites was best described by an exponential function unlike the linear relationship proposed by Monteith and Unsworth. Net radiative flux for the lowland and mountain sites has been expressed in terms of absorbed shortwave radiation, cloud amount and screen temperature. Received March 5, 2001 Revised October 29, 2001     

Seasonal variations of net CO2 exchange in European Arctic ecosystems

Summary  The carbon dioxide exchange in arctic and subarctic terrestrial ecosystems has been measured using the eddy-covariance method at sites representing the latitudinal and longitudinal extremes of the European Arctic sea areas as part of the Land Arctic Physical Processes (LAPP) project. The sites include two fen (Kaamanen and Kevo) and one mountain birch ecosystems in subarctic northern Finland (69° N); fen, heathland, and snowbed willow ecosystems in northeastern Greenland (74° N); and a polar semidesert site in Svalbard (79° N). The measurement results, which are given as weekly average diurnal cycles, show the striking seasonal development of the net CO₂ fluxes. The seasonal periods important for the net CO₂ fluxes, i.e. winter, thaw, pre-leaf, summer, and autumn can be identified from measurements of the physical environment, such as temperature, albedo, and greenness. During the late winter period continuous efflux is observed at the permafrost-free Kaamanen site. At the permafrost sites, efflux begins during the thaw period, which lasts about 3–5 weeks, in contrast to the Kaamanen site where efflux continues at the same rate as during the winter. Seasonal efflux maximum is during the pre-leaf period, which lasts about 2–5 weeks. The summer period lasts 6 weeks in NE Greenland but 10–14 weeks in northern Finland. During a high summer week, the mountain birch ecosystem had the highest gross photosynthetic capacity, GP _max, followed by the fen ecosystems. The polar semidesert ecosystem had the lowest GP _max. By the middle of August, noon uptake fluxes start to decrease as the solar elevation angle decreases and senescence begins within the vascular plants. At the end of the autumn period, which lasts 2–5 weeks, topsoil begins to freeze at the end of August in Svalbard; at the end of September at sites in eastern Greenland; and one month later at sites in northern Finland. Received March 1, 2000 Revised October 2, 2000     

Radiation balance over low-lying and mountainous areas in south-west Germany

Summary  Surface radiative fluxes play a major role in the energy exchange process between the atmosphere and earth surface and are thus very crucial to climatic processes within the atmospheric boundary layer. Based on four years REKLIP (REgio-KLIma-Project) data set of measured radiative fluxes and additional supporting meteorological variables, the surface radiation regime for selected lowland site (Bremgarten 212 m a.s.l.) and mountain sites (Geiersnest at 870 m a.s.l.; Feldberg 1489 m a.s.l.) in the southern Upper Rhine valley region (south-west Germany) has been reported. Time series of radiative fluxes and surface albedo showed significant inter-site differences. Possible reasons for the observed differences have been made. Downward atmospheric radiation A _l at the study sites was parameterised in terms of air temperature, vapour pressure and cloud amount, all of which strongly govern the variation of A _l . Effective terrestrial radiation amounted to about 50% of absorbed shortwave radiation at the study sites annually. During clear sky conditions, global solar irradiance G _s constituted about 76.0% of the incident extraterrestrial solar irradiance at Feldberg mountain site but only 68.5% of that at Bremgarten lowland site. Annual cumulative of net radiative flux R _n amounted to 1722 MJm⁻² yr⁻¹ at the lowland site, while that at Geiersnest and Feldberg mountain sites constituted 84% and 73% respectively of the corresponding magnitude for the lowland site. In the same vein, annual mean of radiation efficiency (defined here as R _n /G _s ) amounted to 0.32 in Feldberg, 0.37 in Geiersnest and 0.41 in Bremgarten. Consequently the annual available energy, of which net radiative flux is representative, was smaller at the mountain ous sites relative to the lowland site during the study period. Inter-annual variability of net radiative flux, its constituent variables and derivatives at the study sites were generally below 10%, with longwave fluxes showing the lowest fluctuation. This renders the measured data quite suitable for modelling purposes. In winter, mean daily sums of R _n showed a slow rise with cloud amount N at the lowland site but a sharp rise with N at Feldberg mountain site. In summer however, mean daily sums of R _n declined significantly with N as well as Linke turbidity factor at the study sites. Received June 24, 1999 Revised November 2, 2000     

Methodology of analysis associating survey results by the filter-pack method with those of precipitation- Acid-base balance on acid-related and alkali-related chemical species in urban ambient air and its influence on the acidification of precipitation -

Continuous weekly monitoring on the concentration of gases and aerosols in urban ambient air by a four-stage filter-pack method was carried out for 7 years in order to study not only the acid-base balance of acid-related (HNO₃, NO₃ ⁻, and non-sea-salt-(nss-)SO₄ ²⁻) and alkali-related (NH₃, NH₄ ⁺, and nss-Ca²⁺) chemical species but also its influence on the acidification of precipitation. The concentrations of the total nitrate (= NO₃⁻ + HNO₃) and nss-SO₄²⁻ showed a similar seasonal variation: high in the summer and low in the winter. The total nitrate and nss-SO₄²⁻ accounted for 0.43 and 0.57 of the acid-related species, respectively, on an equivalent basis. The total ammonium (= NH₃ + NH₄⁺) accounted for more than 0.9 of the alkali-related species, except for a springtime nss-Ca²⁺ episodic peak. The alkali-related species were generally overabundant compared with the acid-related species in the HNO₃-NO₃⁻-nss-SO₄²⁻-NH₃-NH₄⁺-nss-Ca²⁺ system. The alkali-rich distribution was especially pronounced in the winter, but the acid-related species was comparable to the alkali-related species in the summer, which was attributed to the larger H⁺ deposition by precipitation in the summer. This study can provide a methodology to associate survey results obtained by a filter-pack method with those of precipitation.     

用微气象方法估算淮河流域能量平衡(HUBEX/IOP 1998/99)的统计分析和比较研究

In order to study energy and water cycles in the Huaihe River Basin, micrometeorological measurements were carried out in Shouxian County, Anhui Province, during HUBEX/IOP (May to August 1998 and June to July 1999). The employed techniques included Bowen Ratio-Energy Balance (BREB) and Eddy Covariance (EC) methods. In this paper, the basic characteristics of the energy balance components in the district are analyzed. Furthermore, the results are compared with those from other regions of China.The main results are as follows: (1) There was a consistency between the available energy (Rn-G) and the sum of sensible (H) and latent (E) heat fluxes measured by the EC method (H+E)ec, but Ebr was slightly larger (about 10%) than Eec; (2) Most of the net radiation (Rn) was used to evaporate water from the surface. During HUBEX/IOP in 1998 and 1999, the mean daily amounts of Rn were 13.89 MJ m-2 d-1 and 11.83 MJ m-2 d-1, and the mean Bowen Ratios (β) were 0.14 (over ruderal) and 0.06 (over paddy) respectively; (3) The diurnal variation characteristic of β was larger and unsteady at sunrise and sunset, and smaller and steady during the rest of the daytime. Local advection appeared in the afternoon over paddy areas in 1999; (4) In comparison with the results from other regions of China, the nean β was the lowest (0.06) over paddy areas in the Huaihe River Basin and the highest (0.57) during June-August 1998 in Inner Mongolia grassland. The Bowen Ratio β is mainly related to the soil humidity.     

Quantification of ecosystem carbon exchange characteristics in a dominant subtropical evergreen forest ecosystem

CO₂ fluxes were measured continuously for three years (2003?C2005) using the eddy covariance technique for the canopy layer with a height of 27 m above the ground in a dominant subtropical evergreen forest in Dinghushan, South China. By applying gapfilling methods, we quantified the different components of the carbon fluxes (net ecosystem exchange (NEE)), gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (R_eco) in order to assess the effects of meteorological variables on these fluxes and the atmospherecanopy interactions on the forest carbon cycle. Our results showed that monthly average daily maximum net CO₂ exchange of the whole ecosystem varied from ?3.79 to ?14.24 ??mol m^?2 s^?1 and was linearly related to photosynthetic active radiation. The Dinghushan forest acted as a net carbon sink of ?488 g C m^?2 y^?1, with a GPP of 1448 g Cm^?2 y^?1, and a R_eco of 961 g C m^?2 y^?1. Using a carboxylase-based model, we compared the predicted fluxes of CO₂ with measurements. GPP was modelled as 1443 g C m^?2 y^?1, and the model inversion results helped to explain ca. 90% of temporal variability of the measured ecosystem fluxes. Contribution of CO₂ fluxes in the subtropical forest in the dry season (October-March) was 62.2% of the annual total from the whole forest ecosystem. On average, 43.3% of the net annual carbon sink occurred between October and December, indicating that this time period is an important stage for uptake of CO₂ by the forest ecosystem from the atmosphere. Carbon uptake in the evergreen forest ecosystem is an indicator of the interaction of between the atmosphere and the canopy, especially in terms of driving climate factors such as temperature and rainfall events. We found that the Dinghushan evergreen forest is acting as a carbon sink almost year-round. The study can improve the evaluation of the net carbon uptake of tropical monsoon evergreen forest ecosystem in south China region under climate change conditions.     

Annual methane emission from Finnish mires estimated from eddy covariance campaign measurements

Summary  Measurements of landscape-scale methane emission were made over an aapa mire near Kaamanen in Finnish Lapland (69° 8′ N, 27° 16′ E, 155 m ASL). Emissions were measured during the spring thaw, in summer and in autumn. No effect of water table position on CH₄ emission was found as the water table remained at or above the surface of the peat. Methane emission fluxes increased with surface temperature from which an activation energy of −99 kJ mol⁻¹ was obtained. Annual emission from the site, modelled from temperature regression and short-term flux measurements made in three separate years, was calculated to be 5.5 ± 0.4 g CH₄ m⁻² y⁻¹ of which 0.6 ± 0.1 g CH₄ m⁻² y⁻¹ (11%) was released during the spring thaw which lasted 20 to 30 days. The effect of global warming on the CH₄ budget of the site was estimated using the central scenario of the SILMU (Finnish Research Programme on Climate Change) model which predicts annual mean temperature increases of 1.2, 2.4 and 4.4 °C in 2020, 2050 and 2100, respectively. Maximum enhancements in CH₄ emission due to warming were calculated to be 18, 40 and 84% for 2020, 2050 and 2100, respectively. Actual increases may be smaller because prediction of changes in water table are highly uncertain. Received September 17, 1999 Revised October 16, 2000     

The Summer Surface Energy Balance of the High Antarctic Plateau

The summertime surface energy balance (SEB) at Kohnen station, situated on the high Antarctic plateau (75°00′ S, 0°04′ E, 2892m above sea level) is presented for the period of 8 January to 9 February 2002. Shortwave and longwave radiation fluxes were measured directly; the former was corrected for problems associated with the cosine response of the instrument. Sensible and latent heat fluxes were calculated using the bulk method, and eddy-correlation measurements and the modified Bowen ratio method were used to verify these calculated fluxes. The calculated sub-surface heat flux was checked by comparing calculated to measured snow temperatures. Uncertainties in the measurements and energy-balance calculations are discussed. The general meteorological conditions were not extraordinary during the period of the experiment, with a mean 2-m air temperature of −27.5°C, specific humidity of 0.52×10⁻³kg kg⁻¹ and wind speed of 4.1ms⁻¹. The experiment covered the transition period from Antarctic summer (positive net radiation) to winter (negative net radiation), and as a result the period mean net radiation, sensible heat, latent heat and sub-surface heat fluxes were small with values of −1.1, 0.0, −1.0 and 0.7 Wm⁻², respectively. Daily mean net radiation peaked on cloudy days (16 Wm⁻²) and was negative on clear-sky days (minimum of −19 W m⁻²). Daily mean sensible heat flux ranged from −8 to +10 Wm⁻², latent heat flux from −4 to 0 Wm⁻² and sub-surface heat flux from −8 to +7 Wm⁻².     

Surface Energy Balance Measurements Above an Exurban Residential Neighbourhood of Kansas City,Missouri

Previous measurements of urban energy balances generally have been limited to densely built, central city sites and older suburban locations with mature tree canopies that are higher than the height of the buildings. In contrast, few data are available for the extensive, open vegetated types typical of low-density residential areas that have been newly converted from rural land use. We made direct measurements of surface energy fluxes using the eddy-covariance technique at Greenwood, a recently developed exurban neighbourhood near Kansas City, Missouri, USA, during an intensive field campaign in August 2004. Energy partitioning was dominated by the latent heat flux under both cloudy and near clear-sky conditions. The mean daytime Bowen ratio (β) values were 0.46, 0.48, and 0.47 respectively for the cloudy, near clear-sky and all-sky conditions. Net radiation (R _n ) increased rapidly from dawn (−34 and −58W m⁻²) during the night to reach a maximum (423 and 630W m⁻²) after midday for cloudy and near clear-sky conditions respectively. Mean daytime values were 253 and 370W m⁻², respectively for the cloudy and near clear-sky conditions, while mean daily values were 114 for cloudy and 171W m⁻² for near clear-sky conditions, respectively. Midday surface albedo values were 0.25 and 0.24 for the cloudy and near clear-sky conditions, respectively. The site exhibited an angular dependence on the solar elevation angle, in contrast to previous observations over urban and suburban areas, but similar to vegetated surfaces. The latent heat flux (Q _E ), sensible heat flux (Q _H ), and the residual heat storage ΔQ _s terms accounted for between 46–58%, 21–23%, and 18–31% of R _n , respectively, for all-sky conditions and time averages. The observed albedo, R _n , and Q _E values are higher than the values that have been reported for suburban areas with high summer evapotranspiration rates in North America. These results suggest that the rapidly growing residential areas at the exurban fringe of large metropolitan areas have a surface energy balance that is more similar to the rural areas from which they were developed than it is to the older suburbs and city centres that make up the urban fabric to which they are being joined.     

Long-term comparisons of net radiation calculation schemes

Six commonly used models for calculating daily net radiation were tested against measured net radiation. Meteorological data from 32 and 7 consecutive years obtained at two temperate sites were used. The extensive duration of the datasets ensured that all weather conditions and extreme events were captured. A set of statistical procedures was used to evaluate the performance of the models. The mean bias errors ranged from 0.0 W m⁻² to 24.8 W m⁻² and 0.1–24.7 W m⁻² and root mean square error from 11.0 W m⁻² to 28.1 W m⁻² and 10.0–27.9 W m⁻² at the two sites respectively, for days without snow cover on the ground. The best agreement was found when locally calibrated model coefficients were used. Only negligible differences in model performances were found between the two sites and the differences were lower than the inaccuracies of the net radiation instruments used. Including days with snow cover in the analysis lead to a slight increase in the bias and scatter of the predictions. Model performances were in general better during summertime than wintertime. Altered albedo values during winter caused by generally low sun angles were likely the cause of this. Analysis showed that at least 5 years of data were needed to obtain stable calibration coefficients for local calibration of the models. Based on the results from this study, and due to their physical background, two physical based models were recommended for calculating daily values of net radiation under temperate climate regimes. A simple adjustment of the calibration coefficients based on climate regime was suggested for these models.     

Atmospheric inorganic nitrogen in marine aerosol and precipitation and its deposition to the North and South Pacific Oceans

Aerosol and rain samples were collected between 48°N and 55°S during the KH-08-2 and MR08-06 cruises conducted over the North and South Pacific Ocean in 2008 and 2009, to estimate dry and wet deposition fluxes of atmospheric inorganic nitrogen (N). Inorganic N in aerosols was composed of ~68% NH₄⁺ and ~32% NO₃^– (median values for all data), with ~81% and ~45% of each species being present on fine mode aerosol, respectively. Concentrations of NH₄⁺ and NO₃⁻ in rainwater ranged from 1.7–55 μmol L⁻¹ and 0.16–18 μmol L⁻¹, respectively, accounting for ~87% by NH₄⁺ and ~13% by NO₃⁻ of total inorganic N (median values for all data). A significant correlation (r = 0.74, p < 0.05, n = 10) between NH₄⁺ and methanesulfonic acid (MSA) was found in rainwater samples collected over the South Pacific, whereas no significant correlations were found between NH₄⁺ and MSA in rainwater collected over the subarctic (r = 0.42, p > 0.1, n = 6) and subtropical (r = 0.33, p > 0.5, n = 6) western North Pacific, suggesting that emissions of ammonia (NH₃) by marine biological activity from the ocean could become a significant source of NH₄⁺ over the South Pacific. While NO₃⁻ was the dominant inorganic N species in dry deposition, inorganic N supplied to surface waters by wet deposition was predominantly by NH₄⁺ (42–99% of the wet deposition fluxes for total inorganic N). We estimated mean total (dry + wet) deposition fluxes of atmospheric total inorganic N in the Pacific Ocean to be 32–64 μmol m⁻² d⁻¹, with 66–99% of this by wet deposition, indicating that wet deposition plays a more important role in the supply of atmospheric inorganic N than dry deposition.     

Modelling the response of glaciers to climate change by applying volume-area scaling in combination with a high resolution GCM

 A seasonally and regionally differentiated glacier model is used to estimate the contribution that glaciers are likely to make to global sea level rise over a period of 70 years. A high resolution general circulation model (ECHAM4 T106) is used to estimate temperature and precipitation changes for a doubled CO₂ climate and serves as input for the glacier model. Volume-area relations are used to take into account the reduction of glacier area resulting from greenhouse warming. Each glacieriated region has a specified glacier size distribution, defined by the number of glaciers in a size class and a mean area. Changes in glacier volume are calculated by a precipitation dependent mass balance sensitivity. The model predicts a global sea level rise of 57 mm over a period of 70 years. This corresponds to a sensitivity of 0.86 mm yr⁻¹K⁻¹. Assuming a constant glacier area as done in earlier work leads to an overestimation of 19% for the contribution to sea level rise. Received: 16 August 2000 / Accepted: 21 May 2001