Simulations of Solar Induced Fluorescence compared to observations from GOSAT and GOME-2 Satellites

Abstract:

Observations of Solar-Induced Fluorescence (SIF) are currently retrieved from the GOSAT and GOME-2 satellites, and will become available from OCO-2 shortly. The GOSAT (and OCO-2) satellite has a midday overpass time, while GOME-2 has a variable observation of approximately 0800-1100 local time. Previous studies have demonstrated a linear relationship between SIF and Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), but lack the ability to investigate causes of spatiotemporal variability. We demonstrate an ability to simulate SIF using a landsurface model (the Simple Biosphere Model; SIB) for direct comparison to observations. We calculate fluorescence yield based on known relationships between photosynthesis and fluorescence, and calculate total SIF using existing leaf-to-canopy scaling factors.

We find that simulated SIF exceeds GOSAT retrieved SIF, especially in tropical and Boreal forests. Simulated SIF exceeds GOME-2 values in Boreal forest and in lower-productivity areas such as marginal desert and tundra. Observed SIF GOME-2 in croplands is significantly higher than simulations. SIF simulated for low- and high-productivity grassland and savanna show much less seasonal and interannual amplitude when compared to values from both satellites, implicating that model phenology and/or response to meteorological forcing is damped. Simulated SIF seasonal cycles are similar to observed from both satellites, and simulations are able to reproduce drought events such as occurred in Russia in 2010 and the Central USA in 2012. As simulated SIF more closely resembles observations, model estimates of GPP become more robust, as does our ability to understand and recreate the mechanisms involved in vegetation response to seasonal cycles and anomalous stress events such as drought.