Methane tracing application

High-Level Project Summary

Methane tracing with satellite triangulation- 1 satellite with 2 spectrometers (or 3 spectrometers)- 1 front and 1 rear (1 down)- Narrow cone for higher resolution- Procedure: 1 front spectrometer detect methane cloud (thickness, concentration and altitude unknown) -Thick cloud with low concentration or thin cloud with high concentration- Rear spectrometer depicts methane same cloud (possible to conclude thickness, concentration and altitude).

Detailed Project Description

Methane tracing application


 Background

  • Methane is colorless and odorless hydrocarbon
  • Methane is significantly more harmful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.
  • damaging also the ozone layer.
  • methane is formed when organic material rots in an anoxic state.
  • as hydrocarbon methane can be used as fuel.


Problem

  • Sources of methane emissions is difficult to find because methane cloud is invisible
  • Methane can be detected on satellite imagery on a given spectrum
  • methane cloud is two-dimensional in images taken directly downwards
  • contentration, thickness and altitude of methane cloud is difficult to determine
  • Methane emissions could at least be reduced and at best eliminated completely by finding the sources of methane emissions
  • In the major emission sources methane could potentially be recovered and used as fuel.


Objects

  1. Detecting methane clouds in the atmosphere in three-dimensionally. 
  2. Determining concentration, thickness, altitude and shape. 
  3. Finding the source of the methane emission.
  4. Forecasting the spread of the methane cloud.


Solutions

2 satellite imaging concepts:

  • Using 1 satellite with 2 (or 3) cameras 1 front and 1 rear (also possibly downwards 2 parallel satellite


  • Using 2 satellites in parallel orbits cameras to down and trackline of other satellite


Modeling the form of the methane cloud using wind and atmosphere data.

  1. Locations of methane emission sources can be determined directly.
  2. Locations of methane emission sources can be estimated and based on them to plan more detailed satellite imaginaries.


Modeling methane spreading using atmospheric data.

  • Determining methane emission sources and spreading by using the same mathematical modelling tool.
  • collecting data from satellite imaginaries and comparing it to mathematical modelling results will improve accuracy of modelling tool.


Space Agency Data

Methane observed by Sentinel-5p TROPOMI

Carbon Monoxide observed by Sentinel-5p TROPOMI

Hackathon Journey

Data hacking, Inspiration was Nord Stream leak.

References

Karppinen, T.; Lamminpää, O.; Tukiainen, S.; Kivi, R.; Heikkinen, P.; Hatakka, J.; Laine, M.; Chen, H.; Lindqvist, H.; Tamminen, J.; Vertical Distribution of Arctic Methane in 2009–2018 Using Ground-Based Remote Sensing. Remote Sens., 2020, 12, 917. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12060917

* Tukiainen, S.; Railo, J.; Laine, M.; Hakkarainen, J.; Kivi, R.; Heikkinen, P.; Chen, H.; Tamminen, J.; Retrieval of atmospheric CH4 profiles from Fourier transform infrared data using dimension reduction and MCMC, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 2016, 121, 10, 312–10, 327, doi:10.1002/2015JD024657.

https://www.windy.com/?58.551,20.464,5,m:fs8ahdq

https://eodashboard.org/explore?poi=CH4-N1

https://eodashboard.org/explore?poi=WorldCO-N1

Tags

#methane #triangulation #Sentinel-5p TROPOMI #nordStream