Wenying Su Associate Professor Department for Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences Hampton University Hampton, Virginia 23668 (757) 864-9501 (757) 864-7996 w.su@larc.nasa.gov
Beverly Law Professor, AmeriFlux Science Chair College of Forestry Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331 (541) 737-6111 (541) 737-1393 bev.law@oregonstate.edu
Warren Wiscombe ARM Chief Scientist NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD 20771 Phone: (301) 614-6190 FAX: (301) 614-6307 warren.j.wiscombe@nasa.gov
The first NEON science question indicates, as a corollary, that it is very important to understand the effects of anthropogenic pollution and climate change on ecosystems. Anthropogenic pollution and climate change alter the radiative flux and the partition of sunlight between direct and diffuse components. Radiative flux is in turn a prime controller of the rate of photosynthesis and of carbon uptake by ecosystems. Thus, accurate surface radiative flux measurements are crucial to answer the first NEON science question.
The goal of this response is to recommend to NEON the most accurate and state of the art radiation measurement standards, as recognized by the World Meteorological Organization and widely accepted and followed by the radiation community. The requisite calibration protocol is also outlined in this response. Only by following the measurement and calibration protocols outlined in this response, will NEON provide climate quality radiation data to help answer its first science question.