A pre-whitening with block-bootstrap cross-correlation procedure for temporal alignment of data sampled by eddy covariance systems


Loading...

Date

2024-06

Publication Type

Journal Article

ETH Bibliography

yes

Citations

Altmetric

Data

Abstract

The eddy covariance (EC) method is a standard micrometeorological technique for monitoring the exchange rate of the main greenhouse gases across the interface between the atmosphere and ecosystems. One of the frst EC data processing steps is the temporal alignment of the raw, high frequency measurements collected by the sonic anemometer and gas analyser. While diferent methods have been proposed and are currently applied, the application of the EC method to trace gases measure ments highlighted the difculty of a correct time lag detection when the fuxes are small in magnitude. Failure to correctly synchronise the time series entails a system atic error on covariance estimates and can introduce large uncertainties and biases in the calculated fuxes. This work aims at overcoming these issues by introducing a new time lag detection procedure based on the assessment of the cross-correlation function (CCF) between variables subject to (i) a pre-whitening based on autore gressive flters and (ii) a resampling technique based on block-bootstrapping. Com bining pre-whitening and block-bootstrapping facilitates the assessment of the CCF, enhancing the accuracy of time lag detection between variables with correlation of low order of magnitude (i.e. lower than −1) and allowing for a proper estimate of the associated uncertainty. We expect the proposed procedure to signifcantly improve the temporal alignment of the EC time-series measured by two physically separate sensors, and to be particularly benefcial in centralised data processing pipelines of research infrastructures (e.g. the Integrated Carbon Observation System, ICOS-RI) where the use of robust and fully data-driven methods, like the one we propose, con stitutes an essential prerequisite.

Publication status

published

Editor

Book title

Volume

31 (2)

Pages / Article No.

219 - 244

Publisher

Springer

Event

Edition / version

Methods

Software

Geographic location

Date collected

Date created

Subject

Bootstrap; Eddy covariance; Greenhouse gases; Large dataset; Pre-whitening; Time lag

Organisational unit

03648 - Buchmann, Nina / Buchmann, Nina check_circle

Notes

Funding

101059548 - Open-Earth-Monitor Cyberinfrastructure (SBFI)
154245 - Robust models for assessing the effectiveness of technologies and managements to reduce N2O emissions from grazed pastures (Models4Pastures) (SNF)

Related publications and datasets