SCALABLE MONITORING.
UNPRECEDENTED SIMPLICITY.

CARBON NODE

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THE CARBON NODE

ALL-IN-ONE

NEXT-GEN SOLUTION

The Carbon Node is an all-new, first-of-its-kind eddy covariance (EC) carbon monitoring solution, providing direct measurements researchers can be confident in. Not only is it accurate, it’s also an eddy covariance system that’s easy, fast, and scalable, too.

REDEFINING TOOLS FOR THE RESEARCH ECOSYSTEM

You’ve always had more questions than answers when it comes to understanding carbon flux in an ecosystem, because the methods of finding answers have been complex and time-consuming. The Carbon Node will dramatically simplify data collection to empower your research.

EASY

SOURCING AND SETUP

The Carbon Node includes everything needed to collect data, and can be set up in as little as 30 minutes. Even the maintenance is simple. And with built-in diagnostics, no special training is required.

FAST

ACCESS TO ACTIONABLE DATA

Activate your Carbon Node, connect to the cloud, and you’ll begin receiving actionable data within minutes. With LI-COR automatic data processing, no manual analysis or QAQC is necessary, saving you valuable time.

SCALABLE

OPERATIONS NOW POSSIBLE

With a lower cost than traditional EC systems and requiring significantly less investment in setup, data processing, and maintenance, you can place and manage multiple Carbon Nodes across an ecosystem.

FAST, ACCURATE, ANSWERS TO YOUR

CARBON QUESTIONS

Does fertilizing or irrigating a field cause carbon levels in the atmosphere to go up or down?

What are the best grazing practices for cattle to ensure more carbon is absorbed into the ground rather than emitted into the atmosphere?

What kinds of wetlands are carbon emitters and carbon sinks?

Are restoration efforts having the intended carbon mitigating effects, and are they worth the carbon credit value they’re being sold for?

Are government or corporate sustainability initiatives having the intended effect of lowering carbon emissions at the local level?

Are oil and gas companies that inject carbon into the ground (e.g., “carbon sequestration”) actually making an impact on greenhouse gas levels?

Does fertilizing or irrigating a field cause carbon levels in the atmosphere to go up or down?

What are the best grazing practices for cattle to ensure more carbon is absorbed into the ground rather than emitted into the atmosphere?

What kinds of wetlands are carbon emitters and carbon sinks?

Are restoration efforts having the intended carbon mitigating effects, and are they worth the carbon credit value they’re being sold for?

Are government or corporate sustainability initiatives having the intended effect of lowering carbon emissions at the local level?

Are oil and gas companies that inject carbon into the ground (e.g., “carbon sequestration”) actuallymaking an impact on greenhouse gas levels?

The Carbon Node can be used to answer a broad range of research questions. Everything from basic research on micrometerological phenomena, to evaluating nature-based climate solutions, to measuring progress against sustainability goals. All with speed and certainty never before possible.

CONTACT REP

CARBON NODE

SENSORS

Unique Sensing Capabilities for Direct Measurement of Carbon Flux

The Carbon Node uses a single sensor - the LI-720 Carbon Flux Sensor - to deliver accurate, actionable carbon dioxide flux measurements. It also offers a variety of complementary measurements, such as latent heat flux, sensible heat flux, and other biomet measurements for better insight into your ecosystem. Easy to install or move, data is sent automatically to cloud-based software from the sensor and is accessible in minutes.

ACTIONABLE DATA, DEFENSIBLE ANSWERS

The LI-720 Carbon Flux Sensor applies the EC method to measurements of carbon dioxide concentration at 10 Hz, providing fully processed results every 30 minutes. When compared with traditional EC, the Carbon Node reports carbon dioxide flux with similar accuracy, but with a more streamlined solution.

Figure 1: Timeseries plot of an LI-720 Carbon Flux Sensor (red) and reference Eddy Covariance (blue) CO2 Flux in July, 2024 over a rain-fed soybean field in Nebraska, USA. Diurnal trend shows uptake of carbon that is measured by the LI-720 and reference system.
Figure 2: 30-minute carbon fluxes measured by an LI-720 Carbon Flux Sensor compared against a reference Eddy Covariance (LI-7500DS) system.

CARBON NODE AND TRADITIONAL EC INSTRUMENTS

Eddy covariance is known as the gold standard for measurement of carbon dioxide flux in an ecosystem. Both the Carbon Node and traditional EC systems rely on eddy covariance, and each has benefits to researchers. While the Carbon Node was designed to work as a standalone solution, it may also be used in conjunction with a traditional EC system, creating a highly accurate and precise distributed EC site. The data from the Carbon Node increases the value of the traditional EC data.

To determine which solution is right for your research needs — the Carbon Node, traditional EC, or a combination — you should understand the differences between the two systems.

TRADITIONAL EC THE CARBON NODE
SOURCING To build your system, you'll need to source, setup and connect multiple items:
  • EC tower
  • Communications system
  • Battery or solar array
  • SIM card
  • And More
 A single purchase with everything you need (including a battery and solar panel) to start your research and connect your data to the cloud day 1, including:
  • Gas analyzer & sonic in one
  • Embedded battery and solar panel
  • Embedded communications
  • Mounting
DELIVERY A pallet of 15 boxes Three boxes
SETUP TIME Days or weeks 30 minutes
MEASUREMENT CAPABILITIES Primary Measurement
  • Carbon Dioxide flux
  • Option for methane flux
Complementary Measurements
  • Latent heat flux
  • Sensible heat flux
  • Biomet, including PAR, 3d wind, air temperature/relative humidity/ambient air pressure
 Primary Measurement
  • Carbon Dioxide flux
Complementary Measurements
  • Latent heat flux
  • Sensible heat flux
  • Biomet, including PAR, 3d wind, air temperature/relative humidity/ambient air pressure
MAINTENANCE Can require hiring a technician to perform maintenance and frequent visits to the site for calibrations Built-in diagonostic capabilities that automatically alert you to hardware issues to ensure data continuity
DATA ACCESS May be manual or cloud connected Data is automatically sent to LI-COR Cloud and is accessible within the Carbon App in minutes for real-time access anywhere.
DATA POST PROCESSING Manual analysis of Excel files requiring a deep understanding of data post processing.
  • Automatic data processing using proven, peer-reviewed best practices to remove outliers, fill in small gaps, and aggregate data.
  • Maintains data provenance and provides access to the algorithms that run the data processing, to give even the most critical researcher peace of mind.
SPATIAL COVERAGE / SCALABILITY For the same price as a single EC system you can have multiple Carbon Nodes, with post-processing spatial extrapolation capabilities built in.

YOUR LI-COR CLOUD ACCESS

Through LI-COR Cloud, you’ll have real-time access to the Carbon Node data from anywhere. Your first year of LI-COR Cloud access is included with your Carbon Node and starts at just $650/year after that.

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SPECIFICATIONS

Get detailed specifications for the Carbon Node, including weight, dimensions, power requirements, and more.

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RESOURCES

Discover additional resources, including case studies and research applications for the Carbon Node.

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