BOREAS TF-01: Weekly CH4 and N2O Flux Measurements in a Boreal Forest

NASA's BOREAS TF-01 team collected methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) flux data at the SSA-OA site in a boreal forest. Measurements were taken weekly from 16 April to 16 September 1994 to characterize temporal energy and gas exchanges. This dataset provides trace gas flux data for studying greenhouse gas dynamics in a northern ecosystem.

Use Cases

• Analyzing seasonal trends of methane and nitrous oxide emissions based on weekly flux measurements.
• Validating ecosystem models of greenhouse gas exchange using empirical data from a boreal forest site.
• Studying the relationship between trace gas fluxes and energy exchanges in northern terrestrial environments.

Strengths

• Provides a focused time series of two key greenhouse gases (CH4 and N2O) over a five-month period.
• Data originates from a well-documented, large-scale scientific campaign (BOREAS) led by NASA.
• Cross-platform presence on NASA Earthdata and Data.gov indicates established provenance and importance.

Limitations

• Specific column names and data structure are not described, limiting immediate usability.
• Conflicting 'last updated' metadata (1994 vs. 2026) creates uncertainty about data currency and maintenance.
• The dataset's size, row count, and exact file formats within the ZIP archives are unknown.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), BOREAS TF-01 team.

Collection Method

Field measurements of trace gas fluxes collected at a tower site.

Time Range

1994-04-16 to 1994-09-16

Freshness

2026-03-13 07:59:19.162616 (from Data.gov, though this conflicts with the 1994 date from NASA Earthdata)

Geography

BOREAS Southern Study Area Old Aspen (SSA-OA) site, likely in a boreal forest region (e.g., Canada).