Parker Kraus worked with Professor Scott Denning investigating seasonal dynamics
of land-atmosphere interactions at a site in the West African nation of Mali. He
used satellite imagery and vegetation data to run a model of the plants and
soils, and compared predicted rates of evaporation and photosynthesis to
measurements made in the field. Then he used these data to evaluate simulated
seasonal changes in atmospheric CO2 over Mali using a global model and local
measurements.
Parker found that the model predictions were too variable during the dry season,
and the simulated timing of monsoon onset was too late because the satellite
vegetation imagery was unable to see through clouds.
Parker is now a graduate student with Professor Denning at Colorado State
University and we like to think that his internship heightened his interest in
this field of study!
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