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High‐Resolution Global Contiguous SIF of OCO‐2

December 11, 2018

L. Yu, J. Wen, C. Y. Chang, C. Frankenberg, Y. Sun

Summary:

Newly available observations of solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) from satellite sensors represent a major step toward quantifying photosynthesis globally in real time. However, existing satellite SIF records are restricted to low spatial resolutions, sparse data acquisition, or both. These limitations impede the full capability of SIF for improving our understanding of dynamics of photosynthesis and its response to environmental changes (particularly in heterogeneous landscapes) to better support carbon source/sink attribution and verification. This study developed a novel high‐resolution time series of spatially contiguous SIF for the globe, leveraging NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory‐2 measurements. We combined machine learning algorithms with known physiological constraints for this effort. Comparison with independent airborne SIF measurements revealed strong consistency, confirming the high quality of this new SIF data set. The high‐resolution and global contiguous coverage of this data set will greatly enhance the synergy between satellite SIF and photosynthesis measured on the ground at consistent spatial scales. Potential applications with this data set include advancing dynamic drought monitoring and mitigation, informing agricultural planning and yield estimation in a more spatially explicit way, and providing a benchmark for upcoming satellite missions with SIF capabilities at higher spatial resolutions.