On error estimation in atmospheric CO2 inversions

Richard J. Engelen; A. Scott Denning; Kevin R. Gurney; K. R. Gurney; R. M. Law; A. S. Denning; P. J. Rayner; D. Baker; P. Bousquet; L. Bruhwiler; Y. H. Chen; P. Ciais; S. Fan; I. Y. Fung; M. Gloor; M. Heimarm; K. Higuchi; J. John; T. Maki; S. Maksyutov; K. Masarie; P. Peylin; M. Prather; B. C. Pak; Jorge Louis Sarmiento; S. Taguchi; T. Takahashi; C. W. Yuen

doi:10.1029/2002JD002195

On error estimation in atmospheric CO₂ inversions

Richard J. Engelen, A. Scott Denning, Kevin R. Gurney, K. R. Gurney, R. M. Law, A. S. Denning, P. J. Rayner, D. Baker, P. Bousquet, L. Bruhwiler, Y. H. Chen, P. Ciais, S. Fan, I. Y. Fung, M. Gloor, M. Heimarm, K. Higuchi, J. John, T. Maki, S. MaksyutovK. Masarie, P. Peylin, M. Prather, B. C. Pak, Jorge Louis Sarmiento, S. Taguchi, T. Takahashi, C. W. Yuen

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper explores various sources of error in atmospheric CO₂ synthesis inversions using global circulation models. The estimation of prior, observation, model transport, and representation errors is described, and the latter two error sources are explored in more detail. Not accounting for these errors will act as a hard constraint on the inversion and will produce incorrect solutions to the problem as is shown in some example inversions. The magnitude of these errors falls generally between about 10% and 100% in the retrieved fluxes but can be even larger. This makes it highly desirable to avoid hard constraints and apply any prior information we have about the surface fluxes as a weak constraint to the inversion problem.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	XXIX-XXX
Journal	Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres
Volume	107
Issue number	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002195
State	Published - Jan 1 2002

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Geophysics
Forestry
Oceanography
Aquatic Science
Ecology
Water Science and Technology
Soil Science
Geochemistry and Petrology
Earth-Surface Processes
Atmospheric Science
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
Space and Planetary Science
Palaeontology

Keywords

0315 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions
0322 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Constituent sources and sinks
0330 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Geochemical cycles

Access to Document

10.1029/2002JD002195

Cite this

Engelen, R. J., Scott Denning, A., Gurney, K. R., Gurney, K. R., Law, R. M., Denning, A. S., Rayner, P. J., Baker, D., Bousquet, P., Bruhwiler, L., Chen, Y. H., Ciais, P., Fan, S., Fung, I. Y., Gloor, M., Heimarm, M., Higuchi, K., John, J., Maki, T., ... Yuen, C. W. (2002). On error estimation in atmospheric CO₂ inversions. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 107(22), XXIX-XXX. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002195

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abstract = "This paper explores various sources of error in atmospheric CO2 synthesis inversions using global circulation models. The estimation of prior, observation, model transport, and representation errors is described, and the latter two error sources are explored in more detail. Not accounting for these errors will act as a hard constraint on the inversion and will produce incorrect solutions to the problem as is shown in some example inversions. The magnitude of these errors falls generally between about 10% and 100% in the retrieved fluxes but can be even larger. This makes it highly desirable to avoid hard constraints and apply any prior information we have about the surface fluxes as a weak constraint to the inversion problem.",

keywords = "0315 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions, 0322 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Constituent sources and sinks, 0330 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Geochemical cycles",

author = "Engelen, {Richard J.} and {Scott Denning}, A. and Gurney, {Kevin R.} and Gurney, {K. R.} and Law, {R. M.} and Denning, {A. S.} and Rayner, {P. J.} and D. Baker and P. Bousquet and L. Bruhwiler and Chen, {Y. H.} and P. Ciais and S. Fan and Fung, {I. Y.} and M. Gloor and M. Heimarm and K. Higuchi and J. John and T. Maki and S. Maksyutov and K. Masarie and P. Peylin and M. Prather and Pak, {B. C.} and Sarmiento, {Jorge Louis} and S. Taguchi and T. Takahashi and Yuen, {C. W.}",

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Engelen, RJ, Scott Denning, A, Gurney, KR, Gurney, KR, Law, RM, Denning, AS, Rayner, PJ, Baker, D, Bousquet, P, Bruhwiler, L, Chen, YH, Ciais, P, Fan, S, Fung, IY, Gloor, M, Heimarm, M, Higuchi, K, John, J, Maki, T, Maksyutov, S, Masarie, K, Peylin, P, Prather, M, Pak, BC, Sarmiento, JL, Taguchi, S, Takahashi, T & Yuen, CW 2002, 'On error estimation in atmospheric CO₂ inversions', Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, vol. 107, no. 22, pp. XXIX-XXX. https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD002195

TY - JOUR

T1 - On error estimation in atmospheric CO2 inversions

AU - Engelen, Richard J.

AU - Scott Denning, A.

AU - Gurney, Kevin R.

AU - Gurney, K. R.

AU - Law, R. M.

AU - Denning, A. S.

AU - Rayner, P. J.

AU - Baker, D.

AU - Bousquet, P.

AU - Bruhwiler, L.

AU - Chen, Y. H.

AU - Ciais, P.

AU - Fan, S.

AU - Fung, I. Y.

AU - Gloor, M.

AU - Heimarm, M.

AU - Higuchi, K.

AU - John, J.

AU - Maki, T.

AU - Maksyutov, S.

AU - Masarie, K.

AU - Peylin, P.

AU - Prather, M.

AU - Pak, B. C.

AU - Sarmiento, Jorge Louis

AU - Taguchi, S.

AU - Takahashi, T.

AU - Yuen, C. W.

PY - 2002/1/1

Y1 - 2002/1/1

N2 - This paper explores various sources of error in atmospheric CO2 synthesis inversions using global circulation models. The estimation of prior, observation, model transport, and representation errors is described, and the latter two error sources are explored in more detail. Not accounting for these errors will act as a hard constraint on the inversion and will produce incorrect solutions to the problem as is shown in some example inversions. The magnitude of these errors falls generally between about 10% and 100% in the retrieved fluxes but can be even larger. This makes it highly desirable to avoid hard constraints and apply any prior information we have about the surface fluxes as a weak constraint to the inversion problem.

AB - This paper explores various sources of error in atmospheric CO2 synthesis inversions using global circulation models. The estimation of prior, observation, model transport, and representation errors is described, and the latter two error sources are explored in more detail. Not accounting for these errors will act as a hard constraint on the inversion and will produce incorrect solutions to the problem as is shown in some example inversions. The magnitude of these errors falls generally between about 10% and 100% in the retrieved fluxes but can be even larger. This makes it highly desirable to avoid hard constraints and apply any prior information we have about the surface fluxes as a weak constraint to the inversion problem.

KW - 0315 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions

KW - 0322 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Constituent sources and sinks

KW - 0330 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Geochemical cycles

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DO - 10.1029/2002JD002195

M3 - Article

SN - 0148-0227

VL - 107

SP - XXIX-XXX

JO - Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

JF - Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres

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