Abstract:

Efforts to understand and reduce anthropogenic methane (CH4) emissions are complicated by persistent inconsistencies between atmospheric measurements, model-based emission inventories, and self-reporting programs. Contributing to these discrepancies are a relatively small number of poorly characterized point-sources with disproportionately high emissions (aka “super emitters”) that often occur in a stochastic and intermittent fashion. Insufficient measurement precision, spatio-temporal completeness, data transparency, and finance are barriers to quantifying and mitigating CH4 emissions. Building on over a decade of research and technology development at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the non-profit organization Carbon Mapper was established to help address these challenges by offering global delivery and translation of actionable CH4 and carbon dioxide emissions data. I will summarize science and policy motivations, observational methods, and key research findings.  I will discuss initial results from the recently launched Tanager-1 satellite, the first of a constellation being deployed by the Carbon Mapper coalition through an innovative public-private partnership. I will close with a summary of remaining challenges and potential collaboration opportunities.