Real-Time Measurement of Atmospheric CO2, CH4 and N2O above Rice Fields Based on Laser Heterodyne Radiometers (LHR)

High-precision observations provide an efficient way to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural fields and their spatial and temporal distributions. Two high-resolution laser heterodyne radiometers (LHRs) were deployed in the suburb of Hefei (31.9 degrees N 117.16 degrees E) for the remote sensing of atmospheric CO2, CH4 and N2O above rice paddy fields. The atmospheric transmittance spectra of CO2, CH4 and N2O were measured simultaneously in real time, and the atmospheric total column abundance was retrieved from the measured data based on the optimal estimation algorithm, with errors of 0.7 ppm, 4 ppb and 2 ppb, respectively. From July to October, the abundance of CO2 in the atmospheric column that was influenced by emissions from rice fields increased by 0.7 ppm CH4 by 30 ppb, and by 4 ppb N2O. During the rice growth season, rice paddy fields play a role in carbon sequestration. CH4 and N2O emissions from paddy fields are negatively correlated. The method of baking rice paddy fields reduces CH4 emissions from rice fields, but N2O emissions from rice fields are usually subsequently increased. The measurement results showed that LHRs are highly accurate in monitoring atmospheric concentrations and have promising applications in monitoring emissions from rice paddy fields. In the observation period, rice paddy fields can sequester carbon, and CH4 and N2O emissions from rice fields are negatively correlated. The LHRs have strong application prospects for monitoring emissions from agricultural fields.

Automated summary

High-precision observations using LHRs were conducted to calculate greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural fields. The measurements showed that CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions from rice paddy fields had specific trends and responses to different agricultural practices. LHRs demonstrated high accuracy in monitoring atmospheric concentrations and have potential applications in monitoring emissions from rice paddy fields.