23 research outputs found
Eddy-covariance flux errors due to biases in gas concentration measurements: origins, quantification and correction
Errors in gas concentration measurements by infrared gas analysers can occur
during eddy-covariance campaigns, associated with actual or apparent
instrumental drifts or biases due to thermal expansion, dirt
contamination, aging of components or errors in field operations. If
occurring on long timescales (hours to days), these errors are normally
ignored during flux computation, under the assumption that errors in mean
gas concentrations do not affect the estimation of turbulent fluctuations
and, hence, of covariances. By analysing instrument theory of operation, and
using numerical simulations and field data, we show that this is not the
case for instruments with curvilinear calibrations; we further show that if
not appropriately accounted for, concentration biases can lead to roughly
proportional systematic flux errors, where the fractional errors in fluxes
are about 30–40% the fractional errors in concentrations. We quantify
these errors and characterize their dependency on main determinants. We then
propose a correction procedure that largely – potentially completely –
eliminates these errors. The correction, to be applied during flux
computation, is based on knowledge of instrument calibration curves and on
field or laboratory calibration data. Finally, we demonstrate the occurrence
of such errors and validate the correction procedure by means of a field
experiment, and accordingly provide recommendations for in situ operations
Environment and Hybrid Influences on Food-Grade Sorghum Grain Yield and Hardness
Few studies have examined grain quality of food-grade sorghum hybrids. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of environment and hybrid on grain quality of commercially available food-grade sorghums. A randomized complete block experiment with three replications was planted in 12 environments, which included the 2004 and 2005 growing seasons and irrigated and dryland water regimes in eastern, central, and west central Nebraska and a dryland low-N environment in eastern Nebraska. Environment accounted for 5 to 140 times greater variation in measured parameters than hybrid, and the hybrid × environment interaction accounted for less than 2% of the total variation. Grain yield and kernel mass varied, with low yields of 1.4 Mg ha−1 and kernels weighing 9.5 g 1000 kernels−1 in the low-N 2004 environment, high grain yields of 10.5 Mg ha−1 under irrigated conditions in central Nebraska in 2005, and kernels weighing 27.8 g 1000 kernels−1 in the eastern Nebraska dryland 2005 environment. Harder grain was produced in 2005 than in 2004, with the west central and central 2005 environments having the lowest tangential abrasive dehulling device (TADD) removals of 14%. Non-food-grade hybrids produced higher grain yields and kernel mass than food-grade hybrids. Grain hardness was greater for nonfood- grade and medium maturity hybrids when environmental means were lower (i.e., softer) but showed little or no difference in hardness when environmental means were high. Nebraska production environments have the capability to produce high quality food-grade sorghums for specific food uses to benefit both the producer and the food processor