| Volumes and Issues Contents of Issue 1 Special Issue |
www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci.net/3/39/1999/
© Author(s) 1999. This work is licensed
under a Creative Commons License.
Carbon dioxide measurements in the nocturnal boundary layer over Amazonian forest
1Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford, OX10 8BB, U.K.
2Centro Técnico Aeroespacial, São José dos Campos, 12228-904, SP, Brazil
3Institute of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Edinburgh, EH9 3JU, U.K.
4Centro de Previsão de Tempo e Estudos Climaticos, Cachoeira Paulista, 12630-000, SP, Brazil
5Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, CP478, 69011, AM, Brazil
Abstract. Measurements of carbon dioxide concentration, temperature and windspeed were made in the nocturnal boundary layer over a tropical forest near Manaus, Brazil using a tethered balloon system. The measurements were made up to a maximum height of 300 m on ten consecutive nights in November 1995. Simultaneous surface flux and in-canopy concentration measurements were made at the surface close to the site. The observation period included several different types of conditions. Generally strong windshear and relatively weak temperature gradients prevented the formation of a strong capping inversion to the nocturnal boundary layer. On some nights, however, the inversion was sufficiently strong that the CO2 concentration at 100 m above the surface exceeded 400 ppm. The concentration within the canopy was largely controlled by the presence of an inversion very close to the canopy surface. The temperature and wind profiles are contrasted with conditions in Randônia, Brazil, where the windshear was found to be weaker and higher carbon dioxide concentrations were observed in the early morning. The difference in carbon dioxide concentrations in the nocturnal boundary layer between dusk and dawn is used to estimate the regional nighttime flux of carbon dioxide. The value obtained generally exceeds the measured surface flux and sometimes exceeds the sum of the surface flux and the in-canopy storage made at the tower site. The reasons for the discrepancy are not clear; either one of the methods is in error or the regional carbon dioxide budget differs significantly from the local budget measured at the tower site.
Final Revised Paper (PDF, 2077 KB)
Citation: Culf, A. D., Fisch, G., Malhi, Y., Carvalho Costa, R., Nobre, A. D., de O. Marques Filho, A., Gash, J. H. C., and Grace, J.: Carbon dioxide measurements in the nocturnal boundary layer over Amazonian forest, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 3, 39-53, 1999. Bibtex EndNote Reference Manager
