Novel Approaches to Interpolating N2O Flux Between Episodic Sampling Points and Improving Sampling Vial Storage Times.

Soil N2O emissions are highly episodic in nature, with a small number of large emissions events often accounting for more than half of annual emissions.  Sampling schemes that reflect this episodic activity have been suggested as a means of improving annual emissions estimates.  Episodic-based sampling schemes provide opportunities to capture and characterize individual flux events; however, methods of interpolating flux values between sampling dates have not been standardized.  We introduce an exponential decay approach to interpolation and compare results with more traditional means of interpolation.  We also introduce a method of predicting emissions over a 7 day period based on capturing fluxes on the second day following a N2O-generating event (e.g. rainfall).  Both methods can be used to decrease the number of temporal sampling points required to capture temporal dynamics of soil N2O emissions.  However, these methods need to be tested more broadly before making general recommendations.  We will also discuss vial preparation methods that allow sampling vials to be stored for at least 8 weeks after sampling without leaking.