Global Riverine Nitrous Oxide Emissions Modeled from 1900-2016

Modeled estimates of annual nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from global rivers and streams at a 0.5 x 0.5 degree scale for the period 1900-2016. The dataset, produced by NASA, distinguishes emissions from higher-order rivers and headwater streams using the MOSART and DLEM models driven by climate, land use, and nitrogen inputs. Its calibration is based on observational data from 50 river basins worldwide.

Use Cases

• Analyzing long-term trends in riverine N2O emissions driven by climate and land use changes.
• Quantifying the contribution of headwater streams versus higher-order rivers to global N2O budgets.
• Calibrating or validating other hydrological or ecosystem models with emissions data calibrated from 50 river basins.
• Studying the impact of nitrogen inputs from fertilizer, deposition, manure, and sewage on aquatic greenhouse gas emissions.

Strengths

• Provides a 117-year temporal record (1900-2016) for analyzing long-term trends.
• Model calibration incorporates observational data from 50 river basins across the globe.
• Distinguishes emissions between higher-order rivers and headwater streams, offering system-specific insights.

Limitations

• Spatial resolution is coarse (0.5 x 0.5 degree), limiting fine-scale analysis.
• Conflicting last updated dates: Data.gov lists 2026-03 13 (likely a metadata error), while NASA Earthdata lists the end of the data period, 2016-12-31.
• Specific column names, row counts, and dataset size are not provided by any source.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Collection Method

Modeled estimates derived from the MOSART water transport model coupled with the Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model (DLEM).

Time Range

1900-2016

Freshness

2016-12-31 23:59:59.999000

Geography

Global