Advancing technology to support science-based action
Excessive methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are harmful to our climate and health but invisible to the naked eye. Our science-based algorithms and remote sensing technology offer a unique solution for detecting, pinpointing, and quantifying high-emission methane and CO2 point sources around the globe.
Making these emissions visible through advanced technology and accessible via our data portal helps put data in the hands of decision makers everywhere. Our science and technology contribute to an ecosystem of observing systems that work together to support mitigation action.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Why focus on methane?
Methane and CO2 are sometimes called “the big two” carbon molecules because they are critical to mitigating climate change. Measuring and quantifying these sources is crucial to enabling rapid mitigation.
Methane: A critical near-term solution
Tackling methane today is one of the most effective ways we can slow the rate of global warming while we work to accelerate reductions in CO2 emissions. This is because methane is an especially powerful greenhouse gas — it has more than 80 times the warming potential than CO2 over 20 years. Tackling methane also helps improve public health because methane emissions are often co-emitted with other harmful air toxics.
In many regions, methane super-emitters at a small number of facilities contribute disproportionately to regional emissions. These super-emitters can contribute to as much as 20-60% of emissions from some regions and sectors. While it’s important to apply a portfolio of measurement methods to detect all methane emissions, the Tanager satellite technology focuses on identifying and quantifying individual super-emitters, and Carbon Mapper makes that data publicly available to help guide leak repair efforts by facility operators and contribute to broader efforts to quantify and understand methane emissions with maximum transparency.
CO2: Important for long-term impacts
While reducing methane emissions today can slow the rate of global warming, addressing CO2. is essential for avoiding the worst impacts of climate change because it traps heat in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.
Our capability to detect large point sources of CO2 from power plants and refineries and across liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply chains will help independently verify these emissions sources globally.
Monitoring emissions from space: A comprehensive approach
Ultimately, our goal is to provide sustained monitoring of up to 90% of methane and CO2 super-emitters globally via a satellite constellation. It’s ambitious — but critical to slowing global climate change.
Image Credit: Planet Labs
Initial observing regions
The tasking deck showcases initial regions of global observations for the first two Carbon Mapper Coalition Tanager satellites. As the constellation grows, these efforts will continue to scale.
Imaging spectroscopy: Making invisible emissions visible
The satellites and aircraft used by Carbon Mapper each host an imaging spectrometer — a device like a camera, but where every pixel measures hundreds of wavelengths of light reflected by Earth’s surface and absorbed by gases in the planet’s atmosphere. These instruments can see from visible wavelengths into the infrared wavelengths beyond the range of human vision. The instruments gather high-quality data that we use to detect, image, pinpoint, and quantify methane and CO2 super-emitters.
The instruments being deployed in space on Planet Labs’ Tanager satellites were developed through the Carbon Mapper Coalition. They represent 5th generation imaging spectrometer technology designed by NASA JPL, which builds on previous versions used in our airborne observations and our analysis of EMIT observations from the International Space Station. With the planned launch of the first Tanager satellite in 2024, the new spectrometer technology will begin to scale up global operational monitoring of super-emitters.
Attributing emissions at their source
The technology not only observes methane emissions, but also attributes them at a facility-scale level — often including specific pieces of equipment or infrastructure. These plume detection and attribution capabilities pinpoint emissions within individual sectors, including fossil fuel production and use, waste management, and large livestock operations.
Detecting methane with high sensitivity
The imaging spectrometers we use on aircraft can see plumes from methane super-emitters as low as 5-10 kg/hr under moderate conditions (90% detection limits are closer to 30 kg/hr). The Tanager satellites are designed to detect methane plumes with emission rates as low as 70 kg/hr under moderate conditions (predicted 90% detection limit of about 100 kg/hr).
More frequent sampling
With the launch of the first Tanager satellites targeting 2024, we plan to provide regular monitoring of high emission methane and CO2 point sources. Depending on the sector, these emissions can be highly variable and, in some cases, intermittent. Because of this, sustained, high frequency monitoring is helpful to better understand the behavior and net impact of emission sources. Sample frequency is a function of the instrument field of view, satellite orbit, satellite agility and distribution of areas to be mapped.
High resolution, wide area coverage
The imaging spectrometers we use on aircraft and satellites combine high-spatial resolution (typically < 5 meters for aircraft and typically 30-40 meters for satellites) with the ability to rapidly image large areas (typically 2500-5000 km2/day with an aircraft and upwards of 130,000 km2/day per Tanager satellite). This allows us to pinpoint the origin of methane or CO2 plumes at or within individual facilities. Geolocation accuracy ranges from 5-15 meters for aircraft to 30-50 meters for Tanager satellites.
Leading on innovative science
Our science and research team is at the forefront of using remote sensing to detect, pinpoint, and quantify methane and CO2 emissions. Leveraging deep technical expertise and a long history of research, we work to enable science-based action through transparent and credible methods published in peer-reviewed literature.
- Read our methodology
Transparent methods
We strive to build trust in our methods through transparent and validated approaches for emissions detection and quantification.
To meet these objectives we have established Quality Control (QC) methods and procedures that govern the various stages of data analysis and internal review, prior to release of CH4 and CO2 products.
- Read our published results
Validating our methods
Our methods for detection and quantification have been informed and tested by rigorous studies of our emission quantification parameters, including through several experiments in the field. Using the Global Airborne Observatory (GAO) imaging spectrometer to measure methane emissions, we compared our calculated emissions with real-time observations from Stanford researchers. These studies successfully verified our capabilities, including a minimum detection limit and probability of detection. They also helped us characterize the instrument and ensure accuracy and sensor performance.
Courtesy Arizona State University Global Airborne Observatory
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- View our research
Peer-reviewed research
We advance cutting-edge scientific research and understanding of methane emissions, which includes publishing our findings and leading a research program.