Remote Sensing Soil Freeze‐Thaw Status and North American N2O Emissions From a Regional Inversion

Abstract

AbstractNorth American nitrous oxide (N2O) 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 N2O 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 N2O 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 N2O dominates the FT peak in the Midwestern Corn‐Soybean region of the United States.