Adjoint-Based Methods for Estimating CO2 Sources and Sinks from Atmospheric Concentration Data

Abstract

Work to develop adjoint-based methods for estimating CO2 sources and sinks from atmospheric concentration data was initiated in preparation for last year's summer institute on Carbon Data Assimilation (CDAS) at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, CO. The workshop exercises used the GSFC Parameterized Chemistry and Transport Model and its adjoint. Since the workshop, a number of simulations have been run to evaluate the performance of the model adjoint. Results from these simulations will be presented, along with an outline of challenges associated with incorporating a variety of disparate data sources, from sparse, but highly precise, surface in situ observations to less accurate, global future satellite observations.