Measurements of carbon dioxide and heat fluxes during monsoon-2011 season over rural site of India by eddy covariance technique

• Published in: Journal of Earth System Science 2014-02, Vol.123 (1), p.177-185
• Main Authors: PATIL, M N, DHARMARAJ, T, WAGHMARE, R T, PRABHA, T V, KULKARNI, J R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; Air temperature; Anthropogenic factors; Carbon dioxide; Carbon dioxide concentration; Carbon dioxide flux; Carbon dioxide measurements; Climate change; Convective instability; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Eddy covariance; Fluctuations; Gas analyzers; Gases; Global warming; Heat; Heat flux; Heat transfer; Infrared analysis; Latent heat; Meteorological parameters; Monsoons; Precipitation; Rural areas; Seasons; Sensible and latent heat; Sensors; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics; Traffic; Water vapor; Water vapour; Wind; Wind speed
• ISSN: 0253-4126; 0973-774X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12040-013-0374-z

An increase in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations in the atmosphere due to anthropogenic activities is responsible for global warming and hence in recent years, CO 2 measurement network has expanded globally. In the monsoon season (July–September) of year 2011, we carried out measurements of CO 2 and water vapour (H 2 O) concentrations along with wind and air temperature over a tropical site in south-east India having rural topography. To collect these observations, the instrumentations used were the sonic anemometer for wind and temperature, and the open path H 2 O/CO 2 infrared gas analyzer for CO 2 and H 2 O concentrations. Using these observations, we explored the diurnal variability of CO 2 flux along with sensible and latent heat. The CO 2 flux was positive during night-time and negative during daytime and in phase with convective instability. The CO 2 flux relationships with the meteorological parameters such as wind speed, temperature and heat fluxes have been analysed. The seasonal (monsoon) half hour mean of CO 2 flux which was −3.55 μmol m  − 2  s  − 1 indicated the experimental site as a CO 2 sink region (net seasonal uptake). An increase in CO 2 concentrations during weekends was not observed due to unavailability of heavy vehicular traffic.