1. The North American contribution to the Regional Carbon Cycle Assessment and Processes (RECCAP) Ken Davis 1 and Mac Post 2 1 The Pennsylvania State University 2 Oak Ridge National Lab 2011 AmeriFlux Meeting and 3 rd NACP All- Investigators’ Meeting 2 February, 2011, New Orleans, LA

2. What is RECCAP?

3. RECCAP REgional Carbon Cycle Assessment and Processes Version: 6 October 2010

4. To establish the mean carbon balance of large regions of the globe at the scale of continents and large ocean basins, including their component fluxes. To do it by comparing and reconciling multiple bottom-up estimates with the results of regional top-down atmospheric inversions, with attribution to main flux components. To evaluate the regional ‘hot-spots’ of interannual variability and possibly the trends and underlying processes over the past two (or more) decades by combining available long-term observations and modeling. Scope

5. Why RECCAP? To provide higher spatial resolution of the global carbon balance with the aim to improve attribution to processes and hot-spots regions essential to understand the future evolution of the carbon- climate feedback. To address a growing demand for a capacity to Measure, Report, and Verify (MRV) the evolution of regional fluxes and the outcomes of climate mitigation policies. To develop the technical capacity in regions with regional carbon balances of global significance but with little or not technical capabilities. To respond to the Group on Earth Observations (EOS) in establishing a global carbon observatory to track the evolution of natural and anthropogenic carbon sources and sinks.

6. Establishing a large global coordination effort. How we expect to achieve it Developing of a “soft protocol” to guide and ensure consistency among regional syntheses (so they can be compared and add up at the end). Relying secondarily on: –the establishment of new synthesis teams in regions where there is not an established carbon program. Relying primarily on: –existing analyses, –ongoing analyses from regional and national programs (eg, North American Carbon Plan, CarboEurope, Australian NCAS), –global modeling and assessment efforts (eg, GCP Carbon Budget, GCP-TRENDY, TRANSCOM, SOCAT).

7. Multiple Constraints to Understand One Carbon Budget Atmospheric CO 2 Inversion Models + ghg observations Atmospheric CO 2 Inversion Models + ghg observations Observations (in situ + remote sensing) Observations (in situ + remote sensing) Land, Ocean models Land, Ocean models + Regional Carbon Balance Top-down Bottom-up RECCAP Principle

8. Atmospheric CO 2 Inversion Models TransCom (Low resolution) Atmospheric CO 2 Inversion Models TransCom (Low resolution) Regional cuts from global land & ocean models (Low resolution) Regional cuts from global land & ocean models (Low resolution) Regional cuts from global data products Regional cuts from global data products + Regional Carbon Balance Global Products Tier 1 Regional fluxes Components of Regional Synthesis Tier 1 model outputs are coordinated by RECCAP

9. Regional fluxes Atmospheric CO 2 Inversion Models TransCom (Low resolution) + Global Obs. Network Regional fluxes Atmospheric CO 2 Inversion Models TransCom (Low resolution) + Global Obs. Network Regional application Atmospheric CO 2 Inversions Model (High resolution) + Regional ghg obs. Regional application Atmospheric CO 2 Inversions Model (High resolution) + Regional ghg obs. Regional specific observations (fluxes, pCO 2, remote sensing, forest inv., others) Regional specific observations (fluxes, pCO 2, remote sensing, forest inv., others) Regional specific Models (continental, ocean basin, biome, land use change, others) Regional specific Models (continental, ocean basin, biome, land use change, others) Regional cuts from global land & ocean models (Low resolution) Regional cuts from global land & ocean models (Low resolution) Regional cuts from global data products Regional cuts from global data products + ++ Regional Carbon Balance + Global ProductsRegional-Specific Products Tier 1 Tier 2 Components of Regional Synthesis Tier 1 model outputs are coordinated by RECCAP

10. Reconciliation of flux estimates (independently assessed and often partially overlapping) as a means to build confidence in our understanding of the component fluxes, mean estimates, and inter-annual variability. Synthesis Approach (top-down and bottom-up) Although we are ultimately interested in building a mathematically-formalized multiple constraint approach, model data fusion or data assimilation, RECCAP is not pursuing this approach in its first phase with a completion date of end of 2011. Uncertainties need to be quantitatively estimated.

11. Global Model Outputs for Regional Syntheses ProductSpecificationsCoordinator Atmospheric CO 2 inversions TransCom (12 models), 1° x 1° grid, regional integrated fluxes according to RECCAP mask. To 2008 Kevin Gurney, Rachel Law, Philippe Peylin Ocean forward biogeochemical models Five global models at 1° x 1° for all major flux components. To 1958-2009 Corinne Le Quere Ocean inversion 1 model.Niki Gruber Terrestrial biogeochemical models and NEP-flux model Five Dynamic Global Vegetation Models, gridded output for all major flux components. To 2009. GPP and NEP from eddy flux data-driven model Stephen Sitch, Pierre Friedlingstein, Markus Reichstein Fire emissions 0.5° x 0.5°, monthly, burned area and fire emissions (C,CO 2,CO,CH 4,NOx, N 2 O, BC others) 1997-2009. Guido van Werf

12. Data Fair-Use Policy Inspired on the successful model of the AmeriFlux data policy (also used in FluxNet): –Request permission to use. –Assess possible clashes with other users. –Determine which arrangement are appropriate: co-authorship acknowledgements Note: We clarified at the October RECCAP meeting that AmeriFlux does not require a proposal to use data, or attempt to approve proposals based on potential conflicts. I argued strongly that the data should follow the true “fair- use” policy of AmeriFlux. I find the LaThuile data policy (data controlled by a steering committee and restricted to contributors) to be an embarrassment to our community.

13. Aside on US data in Fluxnet, RECCAP Go to http://www.fluxdata.org/DataInfo/Dataset%20Do c%20Lib/SynthDataSummary.aspxhttp://www.fluxdata.org/DataInfo/Dataset%20Do c%20Lib/SynthDataSummary.aspx and find the restrictions placed on the public’s (not your) flux tower data. Most US data are still “La Thuile” – that is, open only to data providers, and restricted for use by proposal to a steering committee. E.g. Howland, FL Slashpine, UMBS. Should AmeriFlux data be withdrawn from LaThuile and future Fluxnet data products if the global data base is not opened?

14. Species: Minimum requirement : CO 2 Additiona l : CH 4 (N 2 O, others) Spatially explicit: Minimum requirement : Biological fluxes of CO 2 (CH 4, N 2 O, others) Additional : Fossil Fuel emissions Which ghgs?

15. RECCAP period Variable but centered around: Budget period:1990-2007/9 Trend analyses: 1958-2007/9 1983-2007/9 (ocean trends observations)

16. Global Assessments RECCAP (2008-2011) Fossil fuel emissions Land use change emissions Global atmospheric budget Global ocean surface CO 2 Global ocean storage Coastal Ocean Rivers fluxes Embedded fluxes in international trade

17. Land and Ocean Regional Syntheses RECCAP (2007-2011) Land L1Africa L2Arctic tundra L3Australia L4Europe L5North America L6Russia L7South America L8East Asia L9Southeast Asia 10South Asia Oceans O2Pacific O3Atlantic and Arctic O4Southern Ocean O5Indian

18. Global Syntheses of Syntheses RECCAP (2007-2011) Ch-S1 Comparison of top & bottom up Ch-S2 Inter-annual var. region. Ch-S3 Attribution to regional processes Ch-S4Past and future trends in regional C budgets Ch-S5 Final recommendations

19. Timetable Draft & Scope Last Consultation at ICDC8, Jena Sept. 2009 Aug. 2007 Invitation to Lead-authors Dec. 2009 April 2008 Sept. 2009 Community and Programs’ consultation RECCAP Session AGU Fall Meeting Dec. 2010 First Draft Mss. submitted April 2011 Nov. 2011 Syntheses of Syntheses submitted Progress May. 2011 2 nd All-Lead Authors Meeting 1 st All-Lead Authors Meeting May-Oct. 2010 Global Products Available

20. 2 nd Workshop U.S. F&W National Conservation Training Center, West Virginia, USA 23-27 May 2011

21. Scientific Steering Committee Philippe Ciais, Chair (France) Pep Canadell, Coordinator (Australia) Han Dolman (The Netherlands) Niki Gruber (Switzerland) Kevin Gurney (USA) Corinne Le Quere (UK) Mac Post (USA) Mike Raupach (Australia) Chris Sabine (USA) Piao Shilong (China) Stephen Sitch (UK)

22. Partners and Sponsors COordination action Carbon Observation System (COCOS), Europe Carbon Cycle Science Program - CCIWG, USA International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP) Chinese Science Academy (CAS), China CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Australia National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan Carbo-Africa Quantifying and Understanding the Earth System (QUEST), UK

23. www.globalcarbonproject.org/RECCAP

24. North American contribution

25. protocol The RECCAP “soft protocol” appears to be modeled after the NACP regional interim synthesis protocol.

26. “Tier 2” flux estimates Merge NACP regional synthesis results (Post, 8:30am, Friday) with the RECCAP global products. How do our “region specific” products compare? Extend beyond the regional synthesis fluxes (terrestrial biosphere models and atmospheric inversions) to other important fluxes where N. America has “tier 2” contributions. (Disturbance fluxes, riverine and coastal fluxes, fossil fuel emissions, biomass inventories) Extend some NACP model products beyond the 2000-2005 time frame of the regional synthesis to the 1990-2009 time frame for RECCAP.

27. Participation in overarching syntheses Ideas welcome, news to come. Initiate at the May workshop in West Virginia.

28. Request for contributions! We are asked to have a draft N. American document by 25 April, 2011. We are asked to submit a document for publication before November(?), 2011. You are invited to contribute, especially longer model runs and regional fluxes not included in the regional synthesis project. –Contact Mac Post or me if you would like to contribute. –Mac has already contacted some of you.