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Application of a high-temporal resolution method to estimate ammonia emissions from farmland

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Abstract

A viable method—open-path tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (OPTDL) in conjunction with a backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLS) dispersion model—has been used for micrometeorological monitoring of ammonia fluxes. In this technique, the gas concentration measured with the OPTDL sensor is used to infer the surface emission rate with the aid of dispersion model calculations. On the basis of numerous assessment experiments and field trials, several beneficial strategies for using the OPTDL technique properly to monitor atmospheric NH3 concentrations in the field have been summarized. Theoretically, the location of the concentration measurement can be anywhere in the emission plume, but in practice, the concentration measurement position must be carefully selected to avoid making measurements which are on the periphery of the downwind plume or are affected by obstructions. To obtain accurate estimates, periods with low friction velocity or extreme atmospheric stability, where Monin–Obukhov similarity theory-based relationships are invalid, or unrepresentative estimates due to unsuitable wind direction, should be excluded. A validation experiment showed that there was no significant difference between the ammonia emission rates obtained by the micrometeorological mass balance method and those obtained by the bLS model combined with the OPTDL technique. This study also indicated the potential of the bLS and OPTDL technique for investigation of diurnal emission patterns and environmental influences.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program No. 2011CB100504), the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-JS408) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Contract No. 41071150). The authors would like to acknowledge Brian Crenna for elucidating responses to questions about WindTrax and Dr. Xiuli Xin for her helpful comments. The authors also thank anonymous referees for their serious reviewing and constructive comments/suggestions that improved the manuscript greatly.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 71 East Beijing Road, Nanjing, 210008, China

    Wen-Liang Yang, An-Ning Zhu, Jia-Bao Zhang, Wen-Chao Chen & Xiao-Hui Xu

  2. College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing, 210095, China

    Wen-Liang Yang & Xiao-Min Chen

  3. Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 350 Shushanhu Road, Hefei, 230031, China

    Yu-Jun Zhang & Ying He

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  1. Wen-Liang Yang
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  2. An-Ning Zhu
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  3. Jia-Bao Zhang
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  4. Xiao-Min Chen
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  5. Yu-Jun Zhang
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  7. Wen-Chao Chen
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Correspondence to An-Ning Zhu.

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Yang, WL., Zhu, AN., Zhang, JB. et al. Application of a high-temporal resolution method to estimate ammonia emissions from farmland. Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst 97, 1–12 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-013-9589-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-013-9589-2

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