New Publication New pyVPRM Framework Enhances Carbon Flux Modeling Across Europe
A study published in Geoscientific Model Development (GMD) presents a significant update to the widely used Vegetation Photosynthesis and Respiration Model (VPRM). The new implementation, called pyVPRM, offers a modular and flexible framework for estimating biospheric carbon fluxes at higher spatial and temporal resolution.
Developed by Theo Glauch and co-authored by Sanam Vardag, André Butz, and others, the study responds to the need for adaptable satellite inputs as the MODIS mission approaches the end of its operational lifetime.
pyVPRM supports a wide range of satellite products, including Sentinel-2 and VIIRS, and features improved data handling for complex conditions such as snow cover. By enabling flux estimates at resolutions down to 20 meters, the tool significantly improves performance in heterogeneous landscapes like croplands and urban environments.
The research team derived updated VPRM parameters for the European domain using an optimized set of eddy-covariance observations from 97 flux tower sites and an enhanced preprocessing pipeline. These advances result in more accurate estimates of photosynthetic uptake, ecosystem respiration, and net carbon exchange, showing better agreement with atmospheric inversion models than previous versions.
This open-source framework represents a major step forward in regional carbon budget assessments and offers enhanced integration of dynamic land cover changes and satellite observations in biospheric flux modeling.