Constructing Precise Methane Models with MethaneSAT
In a significant breakthrough for atmospheric research, initial data analysis shows that the MethaneSAT satellite's observations over local agricultural targets in New Zealand align well with modeling and ground-based measurements.
What the satellite measures is the methane concentration in the air column. This data is crucial for understanding and monitoring methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change.
The gold standard for testing in the MethaneSAT project is the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON). New Zealand is home to one of the two founding TCCON stations, providing a robust foundation for the project's validation.
Dr Beata Bukosa, an Atmospheric Modeller at NIWA, and Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, a Principal Scientist (Carbon, Chemistry and Climate) at NIWA and a Science Leader for MethaneSAT, are key figures in this project.
The MethaneSAT mission involves developing the ability to use satellite measurements to detect agricultural emissions from both animals and rice paddies by creating modeling tools. These tools will include the actual measurement that the satellite is going to collect, ground-based measurements, and information about winds and other meteorological fields.
The MethaneSAT satellite, during its operation, captured 97 measurements over various agricultural areas worldwide, including 13 over New Zealand.
Ground-based sensors, such as the SCOUT sensor system and drone-mounted spectrometers, provide high-fidelity measurements with rapid response times, enabling the capture of rapid, localized changes in methane emissions affected by animal behavior or emissions site dynamics.
Atmospheric (airborne and satellite) measurements complement this by providing broader spatial coverage and the ability to detect methane plumes over large areas, including hard-to-reach or industrial sources. These data help inform and constrain transport models by supplying information on plume dispersion patterns, atmospheric mixing influences, and emission source distribution at scale.
Together, these measurement types reduce uncertainties in atmospheric transport models by improving the temporal resolution of emission estimates, enhancing spatial resolution and coverage, enabling cross-validation between ground and atmospheric data, and supporting calibration of emission source rates and plume dispersion characteristics under real atmospheric conditions.
Professor David Noone, the Buckley-Glavish Professor of Climate Physics at the Department of Physics, University of Auckland, is also involved in the project, although specific details about his role are not provided.
In conclusion, the integration of high temporal fidelity ground measurements with spatially extensive atmospheric observations strengthens model parameterization, validation, and ultimately the reliability of methane emission estimates derived from atmospheric transport models in research and mitigation efforts.
Science and technology play a crucial role in the MethaneSAT project, as the satellite utilizes advanced technology to measure methane concentrations in the air column, essential for environmental science and understanding climate-change impacts. The project aims to develop modeling tools using satellite measurements, ground-based measurements, and meteorological data, thus reducing uncertainties in atmospheric transport models and enhancing the precision of methane emission estimates.
