BOREAS TE-01 CH4 Flux data over the SSA-OA Summary The BOREAS TE-01 team collected various data to characterize the soil-plant systems in the BOREAS SSA. Particular emphasis was placed on nutrient biochemistry, the stores and transfers of organic carbon, and how the characteristics were related to measured methane fluxes. The overall transect in the Prince Albert National Park (Saskatchewan, Canada) included the major plant communities and related soils that occurred in that section of the boreal forest. Soil physical, chemical and biological measurements along the transect were used to characterize the static environment, which allowed them to be related to methane fluxes. Chamber techniques were used to provide a measure of methane production/uptake. Chamber measurements coupled with flask sampling were used to determine the seasonality of methane fluxes. This particular data set contains methane flux and soil profile methane concentration values from the SSA-OA site. The data were collected from 29-MAY to 17-SEP-1994. Table of Contents * 1. Data Set Overview * 2. Investigator(s) * 3. Theory of Measurements * 4. Equipment * 5. Data Acquisition Methods * 6. Observations * 7. Data Description * 8. Data Organization * 9. Data Manipulations * 10. Errors * 11. Notes * 12. Application of the Data Set * 13. Future Modifications and Plans * 14. Software * 15. Data Access * 16. Output Products and Availability * 17. References * 18. Glossary of Terms * 19. List of Acronyms * 20. Document Information 1. Data Set Overview 1.1 Data Set Identification BOREAS TE-01 CH4 Flux data over the SSA-OA 1.2 Data Set Introduction This data set contains methane flux and soil profile methane concentration measurements taken at the BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Southern Study Area (SSA) Old Aspen flux tower site (SSA-OA). Chamber techniques were used to provide a measure of methane production/uptake. Chamber measurements coupled with flask sampling were used to determine the seasonality of methane fluxes. 1.3 Objective/Purpose The objective of the research was to characterize the various soil-plant systems along a transect in one of the ecosystems selected for study at the Southern Study Area (SSA). 1.4 Summary of Parameters The main parameters are soil methane fluxes and concentrations. 1.5 Discussion None given. 1.6 Related Data Sets BOREAS TGB-01 CH4 Tower flux data over NSA BOREAS TGB-01 CO2 and CH4 Chamber Flux data over the NSA BOREAS TGB-03 NEE and air and water temperature data over the NSA Fen BOREAS TGB-03 CO2 and CH4 Chamber Flux data over the NSA BOREAS TGB-05 CO, CO2, and CH4 Chamber Flux data over the NSA 2. Investigator(s) 2.1 Investigator(s) Name and Title Dr. Darwin Anderson Research Professor University of Saskatchewan 2.2 Title of Investigation Stores and Dynamics of Organic Matter in Boreal Ecosystems 2.3 Contact Information Contact 1 Dr. Darwin Anderson Department of Soil Science University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (306)966-6827 (306)966-6881 (fax) Contact 2 Andrea Papagno Raytheon ITSS NASA GSFC Greenbelt, MD (301) 286-3134 (301) 286-0239 (fax) Andrea.Papagno@gsfc.nasa.gov 3. Theory of Measurements None given. 4. Equipment 4.1 Sensor/Instrument Description 4.1.1 Collection Environment Methane fluxes were measured during all ambient environmental conditions at the sites. 4.1.2 Source/Platform Ground. 4.1.3 Source/Platform Mission Objectives The mission objective was to determine the methane fluxes over at the SSA-OA. 4.1.4 Key Variables The key variables measured were the methane fluxes. 4.1.5 Principles of Operation None given. 4.1.6 Sensor/Instrument Measurement Geometry None given. 4.1.7 Manufacturer of Sensor/Instrument None given. 4.2 Calibration 4.2.1 Specifications None given. 4.2.1.1 Tolerance None given. 4.2.2 Frequency of Calibration None given. 4.2.3 Other Calibration Information None given. 5. Data Acquisition Methods None given. 6. Observations 6.1 Data Notes None given. 6.2 Field Notes None given. 7. Data Description 7.1 Spatial Characteristics 7.1.1 Spatial Coverage The North American Datum 1983 (NAD83) coordinates of the SSA-OA flux tower (site id C3B7T), close to where the measurements were taken, are 53.62889° N Lat, 106.19779° W Long, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Zone 13, N: 5,942,899.9, E: 420,790.5. 7.1.2 Spatial Coverage Map Not available. 7.1.3 Spatial Resolution These are point source measurements along a transect near the given location. 7.1.4 Projection Not applicable. 7.1.5 Grid Description Not applicable. 7.2 Temporal Characteristics 7.2.1 Temporal Coverage The data were collected from 29-MAY to 17-SEP-1994. 7.2.2 Temporal Coverage Map Not available. 7.2.3 Temporal Resolution Measurements were taken on a daily basis. Three methane flux measurements, one obtained from each of the closed chambers, were averaged every two days from 29- MAY to 17-SEP-1994. 7.3 Data Characteristics Data characteristics are defined in the companion data definition file (te1ch4fx.def). 7.4 Sample Data Record Sample data format shown in the companion data definition file (te1ch4fx.def). 8. Data Organization 8.1 Data Granularity All the soil methane data are in one file. 8.2 Data Format(s) The data files contain American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) numerical and character fields of varying length separated by commas. The character fields are enclosed with single apostrophe marks. There are no spaces between the fields. Sample data records are shown in the companion data definition file (te1ch4fx.def). 9. Data Manipulations 9.1 Formulae 9.1.1 Derivation Techniques and Algorithms None given. 9.2 Data Processing Sequence 9.2.1 Processing Steps None given. 9.2.2 Processing Changes None given. 9.3 Calculations 9.3.1 Special Corrections/Adjustments None given. 9.3.2 Calculated Variables None given. 9.4 Graphs and Plots None. 10. Errors 10.1 Sources of Error None given. 10.2 Quality Assessment 10.2.1 Data Validation by Source None given. 10.2.2 Confidence Level/Accuracy Judgment None given. 10.2.3 Measurement Error for Parameters None given. 10.2.4 Additional Quality Assessments None given. 10.2.5 Data Verification by Data Center Data were examined for general consistency and clarity. 11. Notes 11.1 Limitations of the Data None given. 11.2 Known Problems with the Data None given. 11.3 Usage Guidance None given. 11.4 Other Relevant Information None given. 12. Application of the Data Set None given. 13. Future Modifications and Plans This data set is in its final format. 14. Software 14.1 Software Description None given. 14.2 Software Access None given. 15. Data Access 15.1 Contact Information Ms. Beth Nelson BOREAS Data Manager NASA GSFC Greenbelt, MD (301) 286-4005 (301) 286-0239 (fax) beth@ltpmail.gsfc.nasa.gov 15.2 Data Center Identification See Section 15.1. 15.3 Procedures for Obtaining Data Users may place requests by telephone, electronic mail, or . 15.4 Data Center Status/Plans These data are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The BOREAS contact at ORNL is: ORNL DAAC User Services Oak Ridge National Laboratory (86541-3952 ornldaac@ornl.gov ornl@eos.nasa.gov 16. Output Products and Availability 16.1 Tape Products None. 16.2 Film products None. 16.3 Other Products Comma separated ASCII files. 17. References 17.1 Platform/Sensor/Instrument/Data Processing Documentation None. 17.2 Journal Articles and Study Reports Sellers, P. and F. Hall. 1994. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study: Experiment Plan. Version 1994-3.0, NASA BOREAS REPORT (EXPLAN 94). Sellers, P., F. Hall, H. Margolis, B. Kelly, D. Baldocchi, G. den Hartog, J. Cihlar, M.G. Ryan, B. Goodison, P. Crill, K.J. Ranson, D. Lettenmaier, and D.E. Wickland. 1995. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS): an overview and early results from the 1994 field year. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. V76: 1549-1577. Sellers, P., F. Hall, and K.F. Huemmrich. 1996. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study: 1994 Operations. NASA BOREAS REPORT (OPS DOC 94). Sellers, P. and F. Hall. 1996. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study: Experiment Plan. Version 1996-2.0, NASA BOREAS REPORT (EXPLAN 96). Sellers, P., F. Hall, and K.F. Huemmrich. 1997. Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study: 1996 Operations. NASA BOREAS REPORT (OPS DOC 96). Sellers, P.J., F.G. Hall, R.D. Kelly, A. Black, D. Baldocchi, J. Berry, M. Ryan, K.J. Ranson, P.M. Crill, D.P. Lettenmaier, H. Margolis, J. Cihlar, J. Newcomer, D. Fitzjarrald, P.G. Jarvis, S.T. Gower, D. Halliwell, D. Williams, B. Goodison, D.E. Wickland, and F.E. Guertin. 1997. BOREAS in 1997: Experiment Overview, Scientific Results and Future Directions. Journal of Geophysical Research 102 (D24): 28,731-28,770. 17.3 Archive/DBMS Usage Documentation None. 18. Glossary of Terms None. 19. List of Acronyms AES - Atmospheric Environment Services ASCII - American Standard Code for Information Interchange BOREAS - BOReal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study BORIS - BOREAS Information System BP - Beaver Pond CMDL - Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory DAAC - Distributed Active Archive Center ECD - Electron Capture Detector EOS - Earth Observing System EOSDIS - EOS Data and Information System FID - Flame Ionization Detector GC - Gas Chromatograph GSFC - Goddard Space Flight Center HTML - Hypertext Markup Language NAD83 - North American Datum 1983 NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration NSA - Northern Study Area OBS - Old Black Spruce ORNL - Oak Ridge National Laboratory PANP - Prince Albert National Park SSA - Southern Study Area TE - Terrestrial Ecology TCD - Thermal Conductivity Detector TGB - Trace Gas Biogeochemistry URL - Uniform Resource Locator UTM - Universal Transverse Mercator 20. Document Information 20.1 Document Revision Date Written: 07-Aug-1998 Last Updated: 08-Dec-1998 20.2 Document Review Date(s) BORIS Review: 01-Dec-1998 Science Review: 20.3 Document ID 20.4 Citation 20.5 Document Curator 20.6 Document URL Keywords Methane flux Carbon dioxide flux Trace Gas Soil Profile TE01_CH4_FLUX.doc 01/13/99