SeaWiFS HighlightsOctober 2002SeaWiFS Views Plume from Mt. Etna Eruption

On 30 October 2002, SeaWiFS viewed this plume emanating from the continuing eruption of Mt. Etna, a volcano on the island of Sicily. The last time Mt. Etna erupted was in July–August 2001, although it had a vigorous ash emissions event, which started in late March 2002.

Mt. Etna is Europe’s highest (3,310 m), largest (its volume is at least 350 km ), and most active volcano. To date, the lava has not gone past an altitude of about 2,200 m, posing no threats to towns or villages, according to the National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology.

POC: 970.2/Gene Feldmangene@seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov

SeaWiFS Views Plume from Mt. Etna Eruption

Sydney

Italy

October 30, 2002

Overall LDAS Objective: An 1/8 degree (~10-15 km) global land modeling and assimilation system using relevant observed forcing, storages, and validation. Eventual 1km global land surface resolution.

Benefits: Enable improved land-atmosphere understanding, hydrological and climate prediction, transfer research and applications (flood and drought assessment, water allocation, ecosystem dynamics, etc.) .

Coupled Connections: LDAS is an off-line land-surface development strategy for DAO, NCEP, NCAR, and NSIPP, encouraging international participation through code and data access and joint evaluation.

Study Objective: Validate “Enhanced” features of LDAS using “Ameriflux” surface heat energy fluxes over seven sites. One of several LDAS related Validation studies.

Enhanced Features Evaluated: 1) Improve atmospheric forcing (i.e., merge model with remote sensing SW & Precip data).

2) Improve Leaf Area Index (LAI) using satellite data and plant canopy modeling.

3) Improve soil parameterization (Reynolds et al. 1999 & Mitchell et al. 2002).

4) Update and add new Land Surface Models (LSM) such as “MOSIAC” and “CLM” .

“Validation of LDAS Enhanced Features Using Surface Heat Flux Data”by D. Toll, P. Houser, B. Cosgrove & J. Gottschalck

Merged (Model + Satellite) SW Merged (Model + Satellite) Precip.LDAS/Atmosphere

Model Links

(W/m-2) (mm)

SUMMARY OF LDAS ENANCEMENTS

Differenced Leaf Area Index. Satellite and Modeling (left) Minus Vegetation Classification Based

Incorporating Several Land Surface Models Including MOSAIC, NOAH & Community Land Model (CLM)

Reynolds et al. 1999 BasedSoils Data Used in LDAS vs.Vegetation Based Soils

LDAS Soil Based Inputs - Porosity

MOSAIC LSM DerivedSensible Heat Flux (Wm-2)

June 17, 1998

-100

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Late

nt H

eat W

m-2

155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163JULIAN DAY

LH 723 (ETA)

LH 703 (NASA)

LH (AMERIFLUX)

Little Washita, OK

Shidler, OK

Walker Branch, TN

Duke Forest, NC

Bondville, IL Harvard Forest, MA

  

Baseline Upgrade Latent

Heat Flux Sensible Heat Flux

 Total(H+LH+G

)NOAA EDAS NASA Model Satellite Merge

+22.1 +0.4 +13.2

Mosaic LSM CLM LSM +46.5 -40.3 +2.8

Veg Based “Reynolds” Soil Soil

-3.5 -3.7 -0.6

Veg Based “NLDAS” Soil Soil

-14.7 +1.1 -3.0

Veg Based Satellite/Model LAI LAI

+1.8 +4.5 +0.3

 

Validation of LDAS Feature Enhancements Using “Ameriflux” Surface Heat Flux Data

Ponca City, OK

Validation for 7 “Ameriflux” sites(n=5760 per site) representing grass, crop and forest lands. Analysis of results showed largest improvementsfrom improved “NASA” forcing (i.e., Radiation & Ppt). Overall, LDAS results such as LH flux (lower left) closely matched validation data. {Validation data courtesy of Ameriflux & ORNL}

LH

Day of Year

LDAS FEATURE Avg. RMS Error Difference

HEAT FLUX VALIDATION SITES

1998

Ameriflux ••• NOAA EDAS ••• NASA Sat •••

Latent Heat Flux Diurnal Plot – Walker, TN

Black Carbon & Terrestrial Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter - Antonio Mannino, Oceans and Ice Branch

• Black carbon (soot or charred material) is produced by incomplete combustion during biomass burning (such as forest fires and vegetation burns) and fossil fuel combustion (such as diesel and gasoline combustion). Most black carbon is deposited close to its origin, but significant amounts of black carbon aerosols are emitted to the atmosphere. Such aerosols enhance global warming due to the strong capacity of black carbon to absorb and scatter sunlight. Over time, black carbon aerosols are transported and deposited into the ocean. In fact, satellite images have demonstrated that aerosols originating from vegetation burns in Africa are transported across the Atlantic Ocean. Because black carbon is inert, it could be an important long-term sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide, an important greenhouse gas implicated in global warming. The scattering and absorption of sunlight by black carbon in the coastal ocean could affect the remote sensing of chlorophyll and colored dissolved materials by satellites. Furthermore, contributions of black carbon and terrestrial plant matter to the ocean are not well defined. This research will contribute the first optical measurements of black carbon within the ocean. Initial research will focus on developing a new protocol to isolate and measure black carbon from coastal waters. In early November, exploratory samples were collected from Delaware Bay and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean. By discovering the optical signatures for black carbon and land plant materials, satellite remote sensing can be employed to study and measure the amounts of black carbon and terrestrial material within the ocean’s surface. Such information is essential to understand the global carbon cycle and future climate change.

TerrestrialDOC & POC

BlackCarbon

CDOM

BC in Particles& DOC ?

Sedimentary BC

Coastal2000-5000 Pg BC

Open Ocean400-1000 Pg BC

Soil BC ?

Atmospheric Transport BC

Deposition BC1.4-5.4 Tg/yr 2.4-4.8 Tg/yr

Fossil Fuel Combustion

6-9 Tg/yr

Biomass Burning5-6 Tg/yr

Kuhlbusch 1998; Schmidt & Noack 2000; and references therein)

CDOMT

CDOMBC

Black Carbon & Terrestrial Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter

BC in Particles& DOC ?

Carbon CycleResearch