Last updated: 2025-05-06, AmeriFlux Management Project
Before You Start
Have all members of your site team, including PIs, register for an AmeriFlux / Fluxnet account using the email address entered in the Site General Information.
Flux-met data submitted to AmeriFlux will go through five steps: Format QA/QC, Data QA/QC, BASE Data Publish, ONEflux Processing, and FLUXNET Data Publish. Learn about the details on the Flux Data Products page.
Data Preparation
If you have several sites and are submitting data for the first time, start with 1 site first. Iterate with the AMP team until that site passes Format and Data QA/QC and is ready to be published as the BASE data product.
Prepare and submit data for your other sites. Double-check the issues identified for your first site during the Format and Data QA/QC.
Tips for Format QA/QC:
- AmeriFlux only accepts a list of standard variables. Non-standard variables will be removed from subsequent data products. It is recommended to include the variables required for ONEFlux processing.
- You can prepare a site’s data as a single file or multiple files covering different periods. If the latter, submit all files together.
- Tell us what has changed in subsequent submissions in the upload comment.
- Remember: provide non-gap-filled variables, gap-filled variables are nice-to-have, and do not use the _PI qualifier (AMP applies it where appropriate).
- Read more about the format and data preparation instructions.
Tips for Data QA/QC:
- Prepare all variables in standard units and sign conventions. Commonly missed units include CH4, FCH4, VPD, D_SNOW, WTD, SWC, H2O_SIGMA, and CO2_SIGMA. Commonly missed sign conventions include GPP, G, WTD, and TAU.
- Use local standard time without Daylight Saving Time. The time zone should match the Site General Information UTC_OFFSET provided during site registration.
- Use your site team’s assessments to apply quality control, which can include sensor diagnostics, plausible ranges, or statistical tests. Do not apply USTAR filtering for flux variables. See data preparation instructions.
- Plot all variables to double-check the expected ranges, diel, seasonal, and interannual patterns.
What To Expect After Submission
Expect iteration for each step. This is normal.
General timings:
- The format QA/QC report is sent automatically after uploading the file(s).
If you don’t receive an email with “[AmeriFlux] (QAQC-#####) Format Results…” within an hour of submission, contact ameriflux-support@lbl.gov. - Data QA/QC is reviewed in batches every few weeks, depending on AMP team availability. There is a queue. We will get to your site as soon as possible.
- BASE is typically published every 1-2 months, except during periods of maintenance. Publish frequency may increase during data campaigns.
Once your site’s flux-met data are ready for release as AmeriFlux BASE, fill out the Variable Information Tool for your site.