Using Image Processing Techniques to Identify and Quantify Spatiotemporal Carbon Cycle Extremes
This study addresses the critical limitations—poor temporal continuity and cross-boundary detection—in identifying carbon-cycle extreme events (STEs). We propose a novel spatiotemporal feature detection method rooted in image processing: modeling carbon flux anomalies as a 3D spatiotemporal manifold defined by local neighborhood structures, and automatically identifying contiguous, cross-regional STEs via 3D connected-component analysis. This work pioneers the integration of neighborhood-based topology and 3D connectivity into STE detection, formally defining the “spatiotemporal extreme manifold” (STE) and overcoming the constraints of conventional pixel-wise thresholding approaches. Leveraging multi-source GPP remote sensing data and Earth system model outputs, we conduct attribution analysis: among 100 detected STEs, the top contributors account for over 75% of negative carbon anomalies; STE area and intensity exhibit strong concordance with carbon loss magnitude; and climate drivers are attributed in a structurally dependent manner—revealing non-linear, spatially heterogeneous forcing mechanisms.