CleanBeta

NASA Map of Carbon Sinks in Continental U.S.

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NASA generated this image from satellite data to show the amount of carbon consumed by plants in the United States through photosynthesis during the period March 26 - April 10, 2000. The map indicates how much carbon was absorbed out of the atmosphere and fixed within land vegetation. This composite false-color image shows regions where plants were more or less productive, or where they “inhaled” carbon dioxide and then used the carbon from photosynthesis to build new plant structures.

• Blue colored areas show where plants used as much as 60 grams of carbon per square meter
• Green and yellow areas indicate between 40 to 20 grams of carbon absorbed per square meter
• Red pixels show an absorption of less than 10 grams of carbon per square meter
• White pixels show little or no absorption and usually represent snow-covered or urban areas.

Leaf Index of the United States - Deciduous Forest

Combined with the preceding map, these maps illustrate the important role these forests play in the global carbon cycle absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) shows GPP, gross primary production, which essentially means carbon consumption via plant photosynthesis. Scientists want to use GPP measurements to refine computer models that simulate how the land biosphere influences the natural cycles of water, carbon, and energy throughout the Earth system. The GPP is an important tool for global carbon cycle source and sink analysis, which is important aspect of Kyoto Protocol assessments.