SUMMARY

The ESA Methane+ project aims at exploiting the SWIRShort Wave Infra Red and TIRThermal Infra Red CH₄ observations from different satellites in order to better differentiate between sources and sinks of CH₄ on the regional and global scale. For this we will use the CH₄ observations of TROPOMI on Copernicus Sentinel-5p, IASI on MetOp-B, and CrIS on Suomi NPP in combination with atmospheric inversion models.

OBJECTIVES

Given the identified opportunities and challenges of the current generation of space borne methane sensors, and the scope of the current study, the specific study objectives are as follows:

• Providing support for the algorithm development for the CH₄ SWIR retrieval from TROPOMI, TIR from IASI/CrIS, and joint SWIR-TIR retrieval from TROPOMI and IASI/CrIS.
• Assess the quality of the TROPOMI, IASI and CrIS CH₄ retrievals by comparing data products generated with different algorithms and product validation using independent ''ground-based'' measurements.
• Investigate the added value of combining CH₄ SWIR and TIR in regional case studies.
• Infer global sources and sinks of CH₄ from inverse modelling of 2 years of TROPOMI and IASI (and/or CrIS) data.
• Investigate the added value of the combined use of SWIR and TIR CH₄ observations.
• Investigate the consistency of the SWIR and TIR CH₄ satellite data, with model simulated transport and chemistry.
• Formulate a road map for future CH₄ satellite remote sensing based on the outcomes of this study as well as parallel studies covering the use of CH₄ from TROPOMI across the full range of scales.

The Methane+ project started on 22-Jan-2020 with a duration of 2 years.

ESA funding is acknowledged (through project AO/1-9602/19/I-DT).

DOCUMENTS

Within the project we will generate a number of documents such as the Requirements Baseline Document, ATBDs, Product Validation Report, Auxiliary Dataset User Manual and Data Pool document, Product User Manuals, Scientific Assessment report, Scientific Roadmap, Final Report.

Available documents:

• Final Report version 1.0 (14-04-2023)
• Requirement Baseline Document version 1.1 (10-06-2020)
• Data Pool description / Auxiliary dataset User Manual version 2.0 (03-06-2020)
• Product Validation Reports: SWIR version 2.0 and TIR version 2.1
• RAL Methane Retrieval ATBD's: IASI version 2.1 and SWIR+TIR version 1.1
• RAL Product User Guide SWIR-TIR version 1.0
• Scientific Assessment Report version 2.0
• Scientific Roadmap version 3.0

PROJECT PUBLICATIONS

• Lorente et al., Accounting for surface reflectance spectral features in TROPOMI methane retrievals, Atmos.Meas.Tech. Disc. doi:10.5194/amt-2022-255 (2022).
• Lorente et al., Evaluation of the methane full-physics retrieval applied to TROPOMI ocean sun glint measurements. Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6585-6603 doi:10.5194/amt-15-6585-2022 (2022).
• Lorente et al, Methane retrieved from TROPOMI: improvement of the data product and validation of the first 2 years of measurements. Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 665–684, doi:10.5194/amt-14-665-2021 (2021).
• Schneising et al., Remote sensing of methane leakage from natural gas and petroleum systems revisited, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 9169-9182, doi:10.5194/acp-20-9169-2020 (2020).

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

• Schneising et al., Advances in retrieving XCH4 and XCO from Sentinel-5 Precursor: improvements in the scientific TROPOMI/WFMD algorithm. Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 669-694, doi:10.5194/amt-16-669-2023 (2023).
• Bousquet et al, Error budget of the MEthane Remote LIdar missioN (MERLIN) and its impact on the uncertainties of the global methane budget. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 123, 11766-11785, doi:10.1029/2018JD028907 (2018).
• Buchwitz et al, Satellite-derived methane hotspot emission estimates using a fast data-driven method, Amos. Chem. Phys., 17, 5751-5774, doi:10.5194/acp-17-5751-2017 (2017).
• Hu et al, Toward global mapping of methane with TROPOMI: First results and intersatellite comparison to GOSAT, Geophys. Res. Lett, 3682-3689, doi:10.1002/2018GL077259 (2018).
• Hu et al, The operational methane retrieval algorithm for TROPOMI, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 5423-5440, doi:10.5194/amt-9-5423-2016 (2016).
• Saunois et al, The Global Methane Budget: 2000–2012. Earth System Science Data, 8(2), 697-751, doi:10.5194/essd-8-697-2016 (2016).
• Schneising et al, A scientific algorithm to simultaneously retrieve carbon monoxide and methane from TROPOMI on-board Sentinel-5 precursor, Atmosph. Meas. Tech., 12, 6771-6802, doi:10.5194/amt-12-6771-2019 (2019).
• Siddans et al, Global height-resolved methane retrievals from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on MetOp, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 10, 4135-4164, doi:10.5194/amt-10-4135-2017 (2017).

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