What goes up must come down...or does it?
In collaboration with Tilden Meyers and others at the
NOAA Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division, we are studying
exchanges of materials between a forest ecosystem and the atmosphere at
the Black
Hills AmeriFlux Tower.
|
Laser forestry
We are collaborating with Horizons, Inc. of Rapid City
to develop techniques for quantifying forest structure using a discrete
return LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) instrument. See some of
our recent work by clicking here.
|
Earth System Science for all ages
With funding from NASA, we are developing the Earth Systems Connections
curriculum: an integrated mathematics, science, and technology
curriculum for helping K-5 children learn about the earth system in an
interdisciplinary way.
|
From leaves of black to leaves of green
Estimating leaf biomass and leaf health over large
areas is very important for understanding a variety of earth system
processes. We are working to improve satellite
remote sensing methods for measuring the density of leaves
(otherwise known as the leaf area index, or LAI) on the ground and in
the tree canopy after major forest fires in southern Siberia and the
Black Hills of South Dakota. This project is being done in
collaboration with Augustana College and NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center.
|
C-Lock: an assessment of agricultural
carbon sequestration
Scientists in the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences
and RSEL are developing strategies for quantifying, certifying, and
marketing carbon emission reduction credits (CERCs). If you are a
farmer or land owner in South Dakota and wish to participate in this
project, please contact us.
|