Greenhouse gases in the North: from local to regional scale

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Carbon dioxide, CH4 and N2O are the three most important greenhouse gases (GHG) with direct emissions from human activity. Their concentrations in the atmosphere have increased strongly during the industrial era. All three gases have both natural and huma n-related sources. During the last years there has been an increased focus on the natural sources and sinks of these gases, and the climate feedback on the emission and removal processes. Quantifying and understanding the fluxes of CO2, CH4 and N2O over the terrestrial landmass is central to predicting the evolution of the Earth's climate. Measuring GHG concentration and fluxes and estimating sources requires the deployment of advanced instruments, including new generations of laser spectrometers, and co mplex processing algorithms. This quantification requires both ecosystem GHG-flux measurements at the local level and atmospheric GHG-concentration measurements. Combining both types of data over large land areas is required to derive: 1) an integrated an d meaningful picture of GHG emissions from terrestrial ecosystems, 2) the reasons behind their variations, and 3) their effects of our atmosphere. For this reason, large international networks and research infrastructures are being developed to conduct su ch GHG measurements. For example, the European Integrated Carbon Observation System is a pioneering European infrastructure on GHG. Nordic Centers of Excellence, such as DEFROST currently and NECC previously, also aim at understanding GHG fluxes over arct ic and Nordic domains. The main objective of the present project is to develop the technological capacity for monitoring greenhouse-gas concentrations and fluxes over the Norwegian territory and analyze these fluxes as a function of environmental drivers . The present project is developed in collaboration between Bioforsk and NILU and takes place as a contribution to pan-arctic, pan-nordic and pan-european networks.