Xiangmin (Sam) Sun

Xiangmin (Sam) Sun

  • Contact Information
  • My Story
  • Publications
  • Background
  • Interests
  • Grants

Contact Information

TitleMicrometeorologist
Faculty RankResearch Assistant Professor
Address720 South Hardin Hall
3310 Holdrege Street
NE
68583–0987

East Campus
Phone
  • office: 402-472-7088
E-mailxsun25@unl.edu
VitaeDownload file

 

Contact Preference

Email, open door policy

My Story

Hi, I am Xiangmin (Sam) Sun, a research assistant professor at the School of Natural Resources. My research involves measuring greenhouse gases from agricultural ecosystems (corn and soybean) and pasture sites. Modern high-frequency analyzers are deployed to measure wind speed and gas CO2, CH4, and N2O concentrations at high frequencies. This micrometeorological technology is called eddy covariance.

flow diagram

My primary studies are conducted at the MEAD site, one of the Long-Term Agro-ecosystem Research (LTAR) Network sites. https://ard.unl.edu/research-teams/long-term-agro-ecosystem-research-ltar-network/ My research goals include data visualization of the environmental variables and greenhouse gas flux measurement. Agriculture Accounts for 9.4% of total U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2022 and is the dominant driver for potent non-CO2 gas emissions. Agriculture soil management practices (including fertilizer/manure application) contribute 75% of U.S. N2O emissions, and enteric emissions from livestock production contribute 25% to total US CH4 emissions. Accurate and consistent measurements of these greenhouse gases are indispensable for developing sustainable agricultural practices and mitigating climate change's consequences.

In addition to eddy covariance, my research covers isotopic hydrology, ecology, and climate science. I am also interested in programming/coding in open-source languages (such as R) and have a passion for reproducible research (namely, sharing code and data) and typesetting with Latex.

Before I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, I lived in Texas, Illinois, and Arizona. My hobbies include playing badminton and table tennis.

Feature Stories

Selected Publications

Shehab, H., Khorchani, M., Mazis, A., Hiller, J., Erickson, G., Schmer, M., Wardlow, B., Suyker, A., Sun, X., Li, L., McDermott, R., Freidenreich, A., Birru, G., Jin, V., Awada, T., (2026). Bromus inermis forage production and quality under long-term rotational grazing and nutrient enrichment in Eastern Nebraska, U.S. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 400, 110216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2026.110216
Freidenreich, A., Schmer, M. R., Khorchani, M., Birru, G., Jin, V. L., Awada, T., Drijber, R. A., Suyker, A., Córdova, S. C., Smith, T., Kettler, T., Christofferson, S., Sun, X., & Li, L. (2024). The LTAR Cropland Common Experiment at Platte River/High Plains Aquifer. Journal of Environmental Quality, 53, 939–947. https://doi.org/10.1002/jeq2.20648Online
M. Khorchani, M. Schmer, A. Freidenreich, T. Awada, G. Birru, S. Christofferson, R. Drijber, G. Erickson, V. Jin, R. McDermott, A. Suyker, A. Watson, B. Woodbury, Y. Xiong, J. Hiller, X. Sun, and L. Li. The ltar grazing land common experiment at platte river high plains aquifer. Journal of Environmental Quality, 53(6):948–956, 2024Online
Sun, X., B.W. Bradford, et.al. 2021.Isotopic partitioning of evapotranspiration in a mesic grassland during two wetting–drying episodes. Agr. and Forest Meteo.301:15Online
Sun, X., Zou, C.B., Wilcox, B. et al. Effect of Vegetation on the Energy Balance and Evapotranspiration in Tallgrass Prairie: A Paired Study Using the Eddy-Covariance Method. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 170, 127–160 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10546-018-0388-9Online
Xaingmin, S., B.P. Wilcox, C.B. Zou. 2019.Evapotranspiration partitioning in dryland ecosystems: A global meta-analysis of in situ studies. Journal of Hydrology. 576:123-136.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.06.022Online

Background

Education

DegreeMajorInstitutionYear Awarded
Doctorate of PhilosophyEcosystem Science and ManagementTexas A&M University2019
Master of ScienceEnvironmental EngineeringChinese Academy of Sciences2011
Bachelor of ScienceHydrology and Water ResourcesLanzhou University, China2007

 

Affiliations

 

Professional Organizations

NamePosition
American Geophysics Union
FLUXNET - CH4/N2O processing committee2023 - present
FLUXNET - Early Career Committee2020 - present

 

Websites

 

SNR Program Areas

  • Environmental Science

Areas of Interest/Expertise

  • Eddy covariance
  • Greenhouse gas flux
  • Micrometeorology
  • Ecohydrology
  • Isotropic hydrology
  • Data science

Grants

Currently this page only displays grants that were awarded on 1/1/ 2009 to the present. If a grant was awarded prior to 1/1/ 2009 and is still active, it will not be displayed on this page.

Grant TitleAmerican Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2025
Starting Date10/09/2025

Investigator(s)

Ending Date10/09/2025
Funding Level$1,000.00
Funding AgencyAgricultural Research Division Travel Funds