Jeroen Smits
Business Development Manager
LI-COR Carbon Node
The LI-COR Carbon Node is a next-generation, all-in-one eddy covariance (EC) carbon monitoring solution. It enables researchers to obtain direct measurements of carbon-dioxide flux with outstanding simplicity, speed and scalability. With cloud connectivity and automatic data processing, it offers actionable results in near real-time.
The Carbon Node integrates a built-in Li-720 Carbon Flux Sensor, solar-battery power, communications and mounting hardware in a compact module. With a setup time of just about 30 minutes, it delivers carbon-dioxide flux data (10 Hz sampling) every 30 minutes, along with complementary measurements such as latent heat flux, sensible heat flux and micrometeorological variables. Data is sent automatically to the LI-COR Cloud and processed so you can focus on interpretation rather than raw data handling.
Key Features
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Ready-to-go package: sensor, solar panel, battery, communications, mounting hardware
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10 Hz measurement of CO₂ flux; processed output every 30 minutes
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Complementary measurement of energy and heat fluxes (LE, H) and micrometeorology
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Real-time cloud access to data and diagnostics
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Scalable: deploy multiple nodes across your ecosystem at significantly lower cost than traditional EC towers
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Built-in diagnostics and automatic processing ensure reliable, accurate, defensible data
Applications
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Carbon-flux measurement in agriculture, grasslands, wetlands, forests
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Ecosystem research and nature-based-solutions monitoring
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Carbon-credits verification, sustainability initiatives and corporate ESG reporting
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Distributed sensor networks for large-scale environmental monitoring
Technische specificaties
Technical Specifications – LI-COR Carbon Node
General
Total system weight: 2.02 kg
Operating temperature range: –25 °C to 50 °C
Power Requirements
Input voltage: 9–33 V DC
Typical power consumption: ~1.5 W
Communication & Interfaces
SDI-12 interface
RS-232 interface (10 Hz raw data)
Integrated GNSS (GPS) for positioning and precise timing
CO₂ Measurement (LI-720 Carbon Flux Sensor)
Calibration range: 0–1500 µmol mol⁻¹
Accuracy: within 1.5% of reading
Noise (RMS @ 10 Hz): ~1.0 ppm at 400 µmol mol⁻¹ CO₂
H₂O (Water Vapor) Measurement
Calibration range: 0–60 mmol mol⁻¹
Accuracy: within 1.5% of reading
Wind & Temperature (Ultrasonic Anemometer)
Wind measurement range (horizontal): 0–30 m/s
Sonic temperature accuracy: ±0.7 °C at 20 °C
Air temperature measurement range: –40 °C to 60 °C
Atmospheric pressure range: ~50–110 kPa
Atmospheric pressure accuracy: ±0.2 kPa
Solar Power & Energy System
(applies when used with complete Carbon Node field package)
Solar panel: 100 W monocrystalline
Battery: 12 V, 100 Ah AGM
Battery weight: approx. 25 kg
Charge controller: 9 A MPPT
Data & Connectivity
Data storage: removable industrial 8 GB micro-SD card
Data formats: text and CSV
Data buffering when modem connection is unavailable
Cellular communication: LTE CAT-1
Standard data transmission interval: every 30 minutes
Measured Variables
CO₂ flux (eddy covariance)
Optional methane flux
Latent heat flux (LE)
Sensible heat flux (H)
3-D wind components
Air temperature
Relative humidity
Ambient pressure
PAR (photosynthetically active radiation), depending on configuration