Carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides are two of the most problematic human-generated air pollutants that negatively impact air quality, the climate, and human health. Satellites are an important tool for monitoring emissions of these pollutants, but they have limitations. For the most part, satellites have limited spatial resolution, meaning that they can’t reliably narrow down the source of emissions sufficiently to pin down a specific location such as a power plant.
Until now, there have been no instruments that can detect both carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide simultaneously with high spatial resolution. Often just nitrogen oxide measurements are made, and carbon dioxide levels estimated based on the fact that both are emitted together with typical ratios.
A German research team from the Max Planck Institute and the Heidelberg Institute have developed a technology for the EnMAP environmental satellite to detect both gases with an unprecedented spatial resolution of 30 meters. Data from the satellite makes it possible to track multiple sources of emission plumes over several tens of kilometers.
The EnMAP system was originally designed for remote sensing of land surfaces. The new research demonstrates that reliable measurements of trace gases are possible even with an instrument not specifically designed for atmospheric observations. When using it, it’s possible to determine the distribution of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide in emission plumes from individual power plants. The ability to measure both gases individually means that conclusions can be drawn about the technology, efficiency, and operating mode of the systems being measured.
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German satellite measures CO2 and NO2 simultaneously from power plant emissions for the first time
Photo, posted September 19, 2020, courtesy of Sandor Somkuti via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio
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