The prime objective of AEROCARB is to demonstrate the feasibility of an integrated approach to estimate and monitor the net European carbon balance on monthly to decadal time scales, as a means to corroborate EU-wide controls of CO2 emissions. Closely connected to this is the study of spatial and temporal variations of the CO2 sources and sinks over the European continent.
All experimental results will be included into a mesoscale inverse modelling system, using a priori surface flux scenarios as an input, and delivering an optimised spatially and temporally resolved surface carbon balance of Europe. This synergetic approach shall eventually lead to model-based designs of a more accurate future observing system for the carbon fluxes over the European continent.
Additional to the CO2 measurements highly precise atmospheric O2 concentration measurements are performed. Atmospheric oxygen is a powerful tracer of the carbon cycle that brings key information on the ocean versus land partitioning of carbon fluxes. O2 measurements will be used for evaluating how much CO2 of marine origin is present in the European air shed.
Please contact our Webpage:
http://www.aerocarb.cnrs-gif.fr/
