Estimating the nitrous oxide emission rate from the soil surface by means of a diffusion model

Soil cover methods are probably the most widely used methods for measuring the nitrous oxide emission rate from the soil surface. The methodology invo lves estimation of the emission rate from repeated measurements of the nitr ous oxide concentration beneath a soil cover. Based on a deterministic mode l proposed by Hutchinson & Mosier (1981) we propose to use a diffusion proc ess as a stochastic model for the evolution of the nitrous oxide concentrat ions beneath a soil cover. From this model we derive methods for statistica l inference about the emission rate that significantly extend the method pr oposed by Hutchinson & Mosier (1981). In particular, the derived methods pr ovide solutions to important problems with the method proposed by Hutchinso n & Mosier (1981).