Remote Sensing Soil Freeze‐Thaw Status and North American N <sub>2</sub> O Emissions From a Regional Inversion
C. D. Nevison, Xin Lan, Stephen M. Ogle
Abstract
Abstract North American nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions over 2011–2018 are estimated using the CarbonTracker‐Lagrange regional inversion framework. Emissions are strongest in the Midwestern corn/soybean belt and display a distinct dual maxima seasonal pattern. The first maximum occurs in late winter/early spring, suggestive of freeze‐thaw (FT) effects on denitrification rates and associated N 2 O emissions. The second maximum occurs in late spring/early summer, consistent with a growing season nitrogen fertilizer‐driven source, although fertilizer applied in late fall may contribute to the FT pulse as well. Interannual variability in the first maximum correlates significantly to soil freeze thaw status derived from remote sensing data. A requisite frozen period in the preceding early winter appears necessary to create conditions for the N 2 O pulse after thawing. The FT pulse is a prominent feature of the annual cycle in Canadian cropland, where it may be of comparable magnitude to growing season emissions. In contrast, the growing season peak in N 2 O dominates the FT peak in the Midwestern Corn‐Soybean region of the United States.