Remote sensing evaluation of CLM4 GPP for the period 2000 to 2009

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2012 · Journal of Climate

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-11-00401.1· OSTI ID:1050285

Mao, Jiafu ^[1]; Thornton, Peter E ^[1]; Shi, Xiaoying ^[1]; Zhao, Maosheng ^[1]; Post, Wilfred M ^[1]

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1. ORNL

The ability of a process-based ecosystem model like Version 4 of the Community Land Model (CLM4) to provide accurate estimates of CO2 flux is a top priority for researchers, modelers and policy makers. Remote sensing can provide long-term and large scale products suitable for ecosystem model evaluation. Global estimations of gross primary production (GPP) at the 1 km spatial resolution from years 2000 to 2009 from the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor offer a unique opportunity for evaluating the temporal and spatial patterns of global GPP and its relationship with climate for CLM4. We compare monthly GPP simulated by CLM4 at half-degree resolution with satellite estimates of GPP from the MODIS GPP (MOD17) dataset for the 10-yr period, January 2000 December 2009. The assessment is presented in terms of long-term mean carbon assimilation, seasonal mean distributions, amplitude and phase of the annual cycle, and intra-annual and inter-annual GPP variability and their responses to climate variables. For the long-term annual and seasonal means, major GPP patterns are clearly demonstrated by both products. Compared to the MODIS product, CLM4 overestimates the magnitude of GPP for tropical evergreen forests. CLM4 has longer carbon uptake period than MODIS for most plant functional types (PFTs) with an earlier onset of GPP in spring and later decline of GPP in autumn. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis of the monthly GPP changes indicates that on the intra-annual scale, both CLM4 and MODIS display similar spatial representations and temporal patterns for most terrestrial ecosystems except in northeast Russia and the very dry region in central Australia. For 2000-2009, CLM4 simulates increases in annual averaged GPP over both hemispheres, however estimates from MODIS suggest a reduction in the Southern Hemisphere (-0.2173 PgC/year) balancing the significant increase over the Northern Hemisphere (0.2157 PgC/year).

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE Office of Science; SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1050285
• Journal Information: Journal of Climate, Journal Name: Journal of Climate Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 25; ISSN JLCLEL; ISSN 0894-8755
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AMPLITUDES
CARBON
CLIMATES
ECOSYSTEMS
EVALUATION
FORESTS
FUNCTIONALS
NORTHERN HEMISPHERE
PRODUCTION
REMOTE SENSING
RESOLUTION
SATELLITES
SENSORS
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE
SPATIAL RESOLUTION
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS