Analysis of Solar-Induced Fluorescence, Carbon Dioxide, and Precipitation from OCO-2 and TRMM

In a new age of reliable satellite data, tracking and observing carbon dioxide (CO₂) from space occurs at higher resolution and accuracy than ever before. Understanding carbon dioxide sources and sinks is important to understanding the role of atmospheric CO₂ in climate change, as well as the carbon cycle. Additionally, satellite data can now be used to understand the interaction between the biosphere and the atmosphere. Solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) represents the vegetative photosynthesis process and is used to investigate CO₂ contributions from the biosphere. SIF data from OCO-2 is compared to TRMM precipitation data and ECMWF evaporation data. It was found that when SIF, or photosynthesis, is high there is more available water. Additionally, high SIF usually correlates to low CO₂ in the atmosphere; therefore, there is less CO₂ in the atmosphere when SIF is high in summer. In this study, we found there is a negative correlation between CO₂ and SIF. With the new SIF and CO₂ data from OCO-2, results in this analysis will aid in the greater understanding and quantification of the carbon cycle, carbon sources and sinks, as well as interaction between biosphere and atmosphere.