Surface characteristics and carbon dioxide fluxes in a suburban area of Baltimore, MD

As part of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES), carbon dioxide flux (FCO2) has been measured using eddy-covariance techniques in suburban Baltimore, MD. Eddy-covariance instruments are mounted on a 40.5 m tower and have been collecting data since May, 2001. Missing periods of FCO2 have been filled using an artificial neural network. This technique may prove more accurate in predicting land-atmosphere fluxes than more commonly used regression models. The neighborhood surrounding the tower is extensively forested and is primarily made up of one-story single-family homes. Trees in the area are ~20-25 m tall and are a mix of yellow poplar and oak hickory. The area has also seen recent increases in building and development that have resulted in land-cover changes. A GIS database centered on the tower with detailed land-cover, elevation, and slope datasets has been constructed to use with source area models to analyze spatial FCO2 patterns. Variations in source-area land-cover reflect variations in FCO2 measured at the tower. Diurnal FCO2 patterns relating to traffic cycles as well as long-term seasonal and annual trends are also discussed.