International Research Fellowship Program: The Role of Advection on CO2 Flux Measurements at the Cabauw Tall Tower, the Netherlands

Werner Cynthia A, Univeristy Park PA

Investigators

Abstract

0202636 Werner The International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct three to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad. This award will support a ten month research fellowship by Dr. Cynthia A. Werner to work with Dr. Fred Bosveld at the Royal Netherland Meteorological Institute in De Bilt, The Netherlands. This project will evaluate the CO2 fluxes by instrumenting the Cabauw meteorological tower in the Netherlands. This experiment should yield the first realistic estimates of the errors in CO2 flux measurement and in advective CO2 flux. The Cabauw site affords a unique opportunity because of its height and lack of surface heterogeneity. Dr. Werner will establish a baseline value for advective flux which will determine the minimal amount of error that sites located in more complicated terrain can expect due to the advective component. This baseline value is particularly significant because only a few sites have the ability to assess the advective componenet and typically this is performed only when very large errors are expected. The data collected will complement research done by others studying the carbon cycle and global climate change across Europe. In addition to working with Dr. Bosveld, who is in charge of all measurements made at Cabauw, the PI will also work with Dr. Peter Duynkerke of the Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research (IMAU), Dr. Alex Vermeulen of the Energy Research center of the Netherlands (ECN).