NACP MTNS
Text by Steve Running

7 Sept 2001

	At least one third of the North American continent has topography 
too complex for eddy flux towers or low altitude aircraft measurements. 
These mountainous regions also are heavily forested , so may have a 
disproportionate carbon sink potential. In order to produce regular NEE 
estimates for these regions without the flux measurements, we plan a 
multi-step procedure. Remote sensing data will cover these areas, 
providing landcover and a weekly GPP estimate from MODIS as a first 
approximation.  Daily surface meteorology observations from NWS can 
then be extrapolated from topoclimatology principles such as elevational 
lapse rates and aspect defined incoming solar radiation to provide a 
1km mapping of the complex surface microclimate. Photosynthesis, auto 
and heterotrophic respiration  can be computed if initial landcover 
and carbon content of the landsurface has been pre-defined. These 
model based estimates of NEE in the mountains may best be tested using 
gauged watersheds to estimate hydrologic fluxes, and biomass inventories 
to validate carbon fluxes. Although this procedure is not as direct a 
test of surface NEE as the flux measurements, it can provide complete 
and consistent NEE estimates for all mountain areas that can resolve 
topographic complexity to any resolution desired.