The carbon cycle from a different perspective

Satellite measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) promise an improved understanding of the carbon cycle due to their higher spatial coverage. Measurements of atmospheric concentrations of CO­₂ are interpreted with the help of inverse techniques in order to estimate fluxes between the surface and the atmosphere. However, fluxes derived using satellite measurements show significant systematic difference compared to those using surface-based measurements. These differences need to be understood in order to properly exploit this promising new data stream.