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Processing and quality control of flux data during LITFASS-2003

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Abstract

Different aspects of the quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) of micrometeorological measurements were combined to create a comprehensive algorithm which was then applied to experimental data from LITFASS-2003 (Lindenberg Inhomogeneous Terrain—Fluxes between Atmosphere and Surface: a long term Study). Eddy-covariance measurements of the latent heat flux were the main focus of the QA/QC efforts. The results of a turbulence sensor intercomparison experiment showed deviations between the different eddy-covariance systems on the order of 15%, or less than 30 W m−2, for the latent heat flux and 5%, or less than 10 W m−2, for the sensible heat flux. In order to avoid uncertainties due to the post-processing of turbulence data, a comprehensive software package was used for the analysis of experimental data from LITFASS-2003, including all necessary procedures for corrections and quality control. An overview of the quality test results shows that for most of the days more than 80% of the available latent heat flux data are of high quality so long as there are no instrumental problems. The representativeness of a flux value for the target land-use type was analysed using a stochastic footprint model. Different methods to calculate soil heat fluxes at the surface are discussed and a sensitivity analysis is conducted to select the most robust method for LITFASS-2003. The lack of energy balance closure, which was found for LITFASS-2003, can probably be attributed to the presence of low-frequency flux contributions that cannot be resolved with an averaging time of 30 min. Though the QA/QC system has been developed for the requirements of LITFASS-2003, it can also be applied to other experiments dealing with similar objectives.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Micrometeorology, University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany

    Matthias Mauder, Claudia Liebethal, Mathias Göckede & Thomas Foken

  2. German Meteorological Service, Meteorological Observatory Lindenberg, Lindenberg, Germany

    Jens-Peter Leps & Frank Beyrich

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  1. Matthias Mauder
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  2. Claudia Liebethal
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  3. Mathias Göckede
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  4. Jens-Peter Leps
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  5. Frank Beyrich
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  6. Thomas Foken
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Correspondence to Matthias Mauder.

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Mauder, M., Liebethal, C., Göckede, M. et al. Processing and quality control of flux data during LITFASS-2003. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 121, 67–88 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-006-9094-0

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