Abstract
A comprehensive evaluation of energy balance closure is performed across 22 sites and 50 site-years in FLUXNET, a network of eddy covariance sites measuring long-term carbon and energy fluxes in contrasting ecosystems and climates. Energy balance closure was evaluated by statistical regression of turbulent energy fluxes (sensible and latent heat (LE)) against available energy (net radiation, less the energy stored) and by solving for the energy balance ratio, the ratio of turbulent energy fluxes to available energy. These methods indicate a general lack of closure at most sites, with a mean imbalance in the order of 20%. The imbalance was prevalent in all measured vegetation types and in climates ranging from Mediterranean to temperate and arctic. There were no clear differences between sites using open and closed path infrared gas analyzers. At a majority of sites closure improved with turbulent intensity (friction velocity), but lack of total closure was still prevalent under most conditions. The imbalance was greatest during nocturnal periods. The results suggest that estimates of the scalar turbulent fluxes of sensible and LE are underestimated and/or that available energy is overestimated. The implications on interpreting long-term CO2 fluxes at FLUXNET sites depends on whether the imbalance results primarily from general errors associated with the eddy covariance technique or from errors in calculating the available energy terms. Although it was not entirely possible to critically evaluate all the possible sources of the imbalance, circumstantial evidence suggested a link between the imbalance and CO2 fluxes. For a given value of photosynthetically active radiation, the magnitude of CO2 uptake was less when the energy imbalance was greater. Similarly, respiration (estimated by nocturnal CO2 release to the atmosphere) was significantly less when the energy imbalance was greater. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 223-243 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Agricultural and Forest Meteorology |
| Volume | 113 |
| Issue number | 1-4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2 2002 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Eddy covariance technique
- Energy balance
- FLUXNET
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Forestry
- Atmospheric Science
Cite this
Energy balance closure at FLUXNET sites. / Wilson, Kell; Goldstein, Allen; Falge, Eva; Aubinet, Marc; Baldocchi, Dennis; Berbigier, Paul; Bernhofer, Christian; Ceulemans, Reinhart; Dolman, Han; Field, Chris; Grelle, Achim; Ibrom, Andreas; Law, B. E.; Kowalski, Andy; Meyers, Tilden; Moncrieff, John; Monson, Russell; Oechel, Walter; Tenhunen, John; Valentini, Riccardo; Verma, Shashi.
In: Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Vol. 113, No. 1-4, 02.12.2002, p. 223-243.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Energy balance closure at FLUXNET sites
AU - Wilson, Kell
AU - Goldstein, Allen
AU - Falge, Eva
AU - Aubinet, Marc
AU - Baldocchi, Dennis
AU - Berbigier, Paul
AU - Bernhofer, Christian
AU - Ceulemans, Reinhart
AU - Dolman, Han
AU - Field, Chris
AU - Grelle, Achim
AU - Ibrom, Andreas
AU - Law, B. E.
AU - Kowalski, Andy
AU - Meyers, Tilden
AU - Moncrieff, John
AU - Monson, Russell
AU - Oechel, Walter
AU - Tenhunen, John
AU - Valentini, Riccardo
AU - Verma, Shashi
PY - 2002/12/2
Y1 - 2002/12/2
N2 - A comprehensive evaluation of energy balance closure is performed across 22 sites and 50 site-years in FLUXNET, a network of eddy covariance sites measuring long-term carbon and energy fluxes in contrasting ecosystems and climates. Energy balance closure was evaluated by statistical regression of turbulent energy fluxes (sensible and latent heat (LE)) against available energy (net radiation, less the energy stored) and by solving for the energy balance ratio, the ratio of turbulent energy fluxes to available energy. These methods indicate a general lack of closure at most sites, with a mean imbalance in the order of 20%. The imbalance was prevalent in all measured vegetation types and in climates ranging from Mediterranean to temperate and arctic. There were no clear differences between sites using open and closed path infrared gas analyzers. At a majority of sites closure improved with turbulent intensity (friction velocity), but lack of total closure was still prevalent under most conditions. The imbalance was greatest during nocturnal periods. The results suggest that estimates of the scalar turbulent fluxes of sensible and LE are underestimated and/or that available energy is overestimated. The implications on interpreting long-term CO2 fluxes at FLUXNET sites depends on whether the imbalance results primarily from general errors associated with the eddy covariance technique or from errors in calculating the available energy terms. Although it was not entirely possible to critically evaluate all the possible sources of the imbalance, circumstantial evidence suggested a link between the imbalance and CO2 fluxes. For a given value of photosynthetically active radiation, the magnitude of CO2 uptake was less when the energy imbalance was greater. Similarly, respiration (estimated by nocturnal CO2 release to the atmosphere) was significantly less when the energy imbalance was greater. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
AB - A comprehensive evaluation of energy balance closure is performed across 22 sites and 50 site-years in FLUXNET, a network of eddy covariance sites measuring long-term carbon and energy fluxes in contrasting ecosystems and climates. Energy balance closure was evaluated by statistical regression of turbulent energy fluxes (sensible and latent heat (LE)) against available energy (net radiation, less the energy stored) and by solving for the energy balance ratio, the ratio of turbulent energy fluxes to available energy. These methods indicate a general lack of closure at most sites, with a mean imbalance in the order of 20%. The imbalance was prevalent in all measured vegetation types and in climates ranging from Mediterranean to temperate and arctic. There were no clear differences between sites using open and closed path infrared gas analyzers. At a majority of sites closure improved with turbulent intensity (friction velocity), but lack of total closure was still prevalent under most conditions. The imbalance was greatest during nocturnal periods. The results suggest that estimates of the scalar turbulent fluxes of sensible and LE are underestimated and/or that available energy is overestimated. The implications on interpreting long-term CO2 fluxes at FLUXNET sites depends on whether the imbalance results primarily from general errors associated with the eddy covariance technique or from errors in calculating the available energy terms. Although it was not entirely possible to critically evaluate all the possible sources of the imbalance, circumstantial evidence suggested a link between the imbalance and CO2 fluxes. For a given value of photosynthetically active radiation, the magnitude of CO2 uptake was less when the energy imbalance was greater. Similarly, respiration (estimated by nocturnal CO2 release to the atmosphere) was significantly less when the energy imbalance was greater. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.
KW - Eddy covariance technique
KW - Energy balance
KW - FLUXNET
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=18644376215&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=18644376215&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0168-1923(02)00109-0
DO - 10.1016/S0168-1923(02)00109-0
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:18644376215
VL - 113
SP - 223
EP - 243
JO - Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
JF - Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
SN - 0168-1923
IS - 1-4
ER -