MEC655B 2022 Chapter6

MEC655B
Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations
Lecture 6
The GHG global observing system
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-
day/2013/3/methane-bubbles-thiessen/
MEC655B GHG 2022 1

MEC655B
Lecture 5
1. Need for observa.on

2. Ground-based measurements
3. Airborne measurements
4. Spaceborne measurements
MEC655B GHG 2022 2

Need for observation
Various kinds of observations Satellites
Flux towers Balloons Aircrafts
Sea campaigns Buoys Observatory
Forest inventories
MEC655B GHG 2022 3

Objectives
- Measuring GHG atmospheric burden to better understand underlying driving processes,
especially through so-called ‘atmospheric inversions’.
- Fill the spatio-temporal gaps (both horizontally and vertically).
- Contribute to the monitoring of emissions.
Spaceborne
observation
Aircraft measurements
Ground-based
networks
Various measurements at various spatio-

Ice cores temporal scales are required.
MEC655B GHG 2022 4
Various kinds of observa9ons Satellites
1-10 km2
Forest inventories
Bottom-up approach:
•Extrapolation of the observations to the scale of
local (1ha) biogeochemical models of biosphere or oceans.
•Local to regional scale.
MEC655B GHG 2022 5

Various kinds of observations Satellites
1-10 km2
Forest inventories
Top-down approach:
•Inverse modelling of atmospheric transport.
local (1ha) •Global to regional scale.
MEC655B GHG 2022 6

The atmospheric inversion approach to estimate surface fluxes
ObservaOons
A priori fluxes
Estimated fluxes
Ocean Atmospheric
transport Optimisation
model
Emissions Concentration
J(x) = (x – xb)T B-1 (x – xb) + (y – H[x])T R-1 (y – H[x])
MEC655B GHG 2022 7

MEC655B
Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observaAons
Lecture 5
1. Need for observation

MEC655B GHG 2022 8

Ground-based networks
Measurements of concentration
Since January 1984
This Micromass Isoprime con<nuous

flow mass spectrometer runs 20 flasks
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/ per day for C13 in CH4, which are from
globalview/ch4/ch4_intro.html 22 of the NOAA CMDL Coopera<ve
Sampling Network sites. Photo: Bruce
MEC655B GHG 2022 Vaughn 9
Measurements of concentration
The flying carpet for CH4
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/globalview/ch4/ch4_intro.html
MEC655B GHG 2022 10
Flasks measurements
Some aspects of CO2 analysis require old-school methods,

as used at Scripps Institution of Oceanography San Diego
« Keeling bags » “Hold your breath and walk into the wind, then open the
valve.”
MEC655B GHG 2022 11

Continuous measurements: CRDS
Cavity Ring Down Spectrometer (CRDS)
© CNES, 2019
K.W. Busch and M.A. Busch (1997)

MEC655B GHG 2022 12
Continuous measurements: CRDS
Light signal at the photodetector:

I(t, λ) = I0 e-t/τ( λ)
where
I0 = transmitted light intensity at the time the laser
is switched off
1/τ(λ) = ring down decay rate.
The sample absorption can be written as:

α(λ) = 1/c [1/τ(λ) - 1/τ0]
If the absorption cross section and lineshape parameters of the sample are known, then
the concentration of the sample can be computed.
K.W. Busch and M.A. Busch (1997)
MEC655B GHG 2022 13

ICOS: Integrated Carbon Observing System
• ICOS is a pan-European research infrastructure which provides harmonized and high
precision scientific data on carbon cycle and greenhouse gas budget and perturbations.
• ICOS data is openly available at the Carbon Portal, a one-stop shop for all ICOS data
products.
MEC655B GHG 2022 14

Ground-based networks for labellization
First stations envisioned
ICOS: Integrated Carbon Observing System
Gartow Hohenpeissenberg Jungfrauhoch
GAT (341 m) Germany

HPB (131 m) Germany
JFJ (mountain) Switzerland
KRE (250 m) Czech Rep.
OPE (120 m) France
Mesures de CO2 et CH4 aux stations sols
Kresin OPE/Andra Hyytiala Trainou SMR (125 m) Finland
COMET
CO2 TRN (180m) France

Saclay (100m)
Trainou (180m)
Puy de dôme
Biscarrosse
Pic du Midi
CH4
https://www.icos-cp.eu/.
MEC655B GHG 2022 15

Mai 2018
Remote sensing: the Total Column Carbon Observatory Network
TCCON is a network of ground-based Fourier Transform Spectrometers recording direct
solar spectra in the near-infrared spectral region. From these spectra, accurate and precise
column-averaged abundance of CO2, CH4, N2O, HF, CO, H2O, and HDO are retrieved.
Spitsbergen Bialystock
Lauder
Bremen Ascension
http://www.tccon.caltech.edu/ MEC655B GHG 2022 17
Fourier Transform Spectrometers
Inverse radiative transfer
Sun tracker
Total columns of gas: XCO2, XCH4, …
MEC655B GHG 2022 18
Wunch et al. 2011
MEC655B GHG 2022 19

• From spectra recorded in

the SWIR, only total
columns of gases can be
retrieved through inverse
radiative transfer.
• These total columns,
denoted XCO2, XCH4, etc
are characterized by an
averaging kernel, which
varies wirth the Solar
Zenital Angle (SZA).
Examples of column averaging kernels for the Lamont TCCON

site, plotted as a function of pressure. The colours represent
the solar zenith angle (Wunch et al. 2011)
MEC655B GHG 2022 21

TCCON-Paris : the first TCCON site in an European megacity
FTS-Paris
T45-46, Floor 5
Courtesy of Y. Té MEC655B GHG 2022 22

to ry
c
traje
Su n
(Té et al., RSI, 2010)
Sun-tracker
Dome
Courtesy of Y. Té Jussieu (Paris)

MEC655B GHG 2022 23
The LERMA FTS-Paris installed @ Jussieu (QualAir platform)
Scanning mirror
Detectors (MPD = 258 cm)
Solar
beam
Beamsplitter
Spectrometer

TCCON & NDACC configurations
aF2
h C
w it
O N
C
TC
#15
ell
l c
HC
aAs
InG

The daily median time series of column-averaged DMFs of (a) XCO2, (b) XCO, (c) XCH4 and (d) XN2O from
a selection of TCCON sites. Note that the majority of the variability in XN2O and some of the
variability in XCH4 and XCO are due to changes in the tropopause height and hence stratospheric
overburden, and not to tropospheric variability. Sites: Lauder, black; Wollongong, dark blue; Darwin,
mid blue; JPL, light blue; Lamont, dark green; Park Falls, light green; Orléans, yellow; Białystok, red.
MEC655B GHG 2022 26
Google!Maps https://www.google.fr/maps/@48.401814,2.1807
Surface measurements vs. total columns

Paris
TCCON: total column XCO2 from Fourier Transform
Spectrometer
ICOS: measurement of CO2 mixing ratio at the surface.
~100 km
Trainou
+,(#%*&-./01&2%33('%4356*7&8"99:%*&6(34"#3();5<=%*&-./01&!""#$% >3(96% .
2 sur 2
TCCON Trainou ICOS Trainou

TCCON Paris ICOS Paris
M. Ramonet MEC655B GHG 2022 27

Surface measurements vs. total columns Trainou
Jussieu
Trainou
Multi-instruments campaign at Trainou in April Paris
2016:
- Vertical prodiles with balloon-borne AirCore. AIRCORE
- TCCON XCO2 Observations
- ICOS surface CO2 mixing ratio.
ΔXCO2 = 6 ppm… ΔCO2 @ surface = 75 ppm
TCCON Trainou ICOS Trainou

TCCON Paris ICOS Paris
MEC655B GHG 2022 28

Towards miniaturization…
Container Lab Portable FTS
MEC655B GHG 2022 29

COCCON campaign @Paris
EM27/sun #3 Collaborative Carbon

Column Observing Network
Measurement during
Spring 2015
EM27/sun #1
5 EM27/sun from KIT
were deployed around
Paris
EM27/sun #5 Impact of urban
emission on atmospheric
CO2 and CH4
EM27/sun #2
EM27/sun #4
(Courtesy of Y. Té)
MEC655B GHG 2022 30

Daily XCO2 and XCH4 [07/05/2015]

407
406
405
XCO2 (ppmv)
404
Mitry Mory
403 Gif Sur Yvette
Piscop
Saulx-les-Chartreux
Jussieu
402
04:48 07:12 09:36 12:00 14:24 16:48
Date (dd/MM/yyyy)
1.835
1.830
XCH4 (ppmv)
1.825
1.820 Mitry Mory

Gif Sur Yvette
Piscop
Saulx-les-Chartreux
Jussieu
1.815
04:48 07:12 09:36 12:00 14:24 16:48
(Courtesy of M. Frey) Date (dd/MM/yyyy)
MEC655B GHG 2022 31

MEC655B
Lecture 5

MEC655B GHG 2022 33

Airborne observations
Commercial aircrafts: CARIBIC
Commercial aircrafts by Lufthansa from 2005 to 2013
at 10-12 km altitude
http://www.caribic-atmospheric.com/
MEC655B GHG 2022 34
Commercial aircrafts: CONTRAIL
Comprehensive Observation Network

for TRace gases by AIrLiner
Japan Air Lines flights from 2006 to 2009

at 10-12 km d’altitude
http://www.cger.nies.go.jp/contrail/index.html
MEC655B GHG 2022 35
Commercial aircrafts: CONTRAIL
120 SCIENCE IN CHINA (Series C) Vol. 45
Longest time period covered by aircraft.
Clear impact of fire emissions on CO2

growth rate.
Since 2004, profiles are available at

airports.
Fig. 2. Time variations of relative CO2 mixing ratios (a) and their growth rates (b) for 12 latitudinal bands from
30N to 30S at about 10 km over the western Pacific during April 1993 to March 2001. Matsueda et al., 2002
The most significant year-to-year change was found in an anomalousMEC655B
increase inGHG 2022
the CO2 36
NOAA ESRL aircraft network: 0-8 km profiles at 20 stations in the US
In the framework of NACP, NOAA/ESRL/GMD is measuring vertical profiles of CO2 and other
trace-gases at 20 stations in North America, at least twice a month, up to 8 km.
•Study of CO2 transport pathways over North America.
•Design of new methods to estimate CO2 sources and sinks in North America.
•Since 2008, some

sites have been
discontinued
because of funding
cuts…
•We focus here on

the 2004-06 period.
http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/aircraft/index.html
MEC655B GHG 2022 37
Observations Detrended using MLO trend
-6
Mean over the 7 years

6
-6
MEC655B GHG 2022 38
MEC655B GHG 2022 39

NOAA ESRL aircraft network
•Strong CO2 gradient between the boundary layer
and the free troposphere.
•West coast show well mixed CO2 throughout column
relative to east coast (influence of oceanic air).
•South to North and West to East CO2 gradients due
to transport and flux distribution (vegetation uptake,
respiration, and fossil fuel emission).
West à East Transect
THD
•West coast sites
CAR lagged by one
HAA month
NHA
OIL
MEC655B GHG 2022 40

NOAA ESRL aircraft network: estimation of horizontal fluxes
0-8km
Interpolated CO2 NCEP wind
Horizontal transport fluxes (GtC.yr-1)

MEC655B GHG 2022 41
Research campaigns: HIPPO
5 campaigns, of 1 month each
12
8
http://www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/hippo
MEC655B GHG 2022 42
Research campaigns: HIPPO
Wecht et al., ACP, 2012

MEC655B GHG 2022 43
Balloon-borne observations
• Main advantage: vertical profiles of trace gases from the surface, up to 30-40 km.
• Various types of balloons available:
• Stratospheric balloons (BSO): payload up to 1 ton.
• Meteorological balloons: payload up to 3 kg in Europe.
http://ara.abct.lmd.polytechnique.fr/index.php?page=aircore
MEC655B GHG 2022 44
CNES/CSA Stratopheric Balloon Campaign

Timmins, Ontario, Canada
(20/08/2014 – 31/08/2014)
Flight departure multi-instrument Gondola In field analysis
Flight : 28 - 29 August Analysis was achieved in the field

Duration : 11h • GSMA : Pico-SDLA (CH4 & CO2) Less than 3 hours after landing!
• Frankfurt University :
AirCore-GUF (CO/CO2/CH4)
Timmins • LMD:
AirCore-HR (CO2 & CH4)
350 km • Other instruments
Landing
Trajectory of the “Eds-Stratéole” flight © CNES Bad landing avoided!!
MEC655B GHG 2022 45
Joint LMD/LSCE campaigns in France at Trainou
ICOS/TCCON station near Orléans with
meteorological balloons
Trajectories for 7 flights in October 2016
http://ara.abct.lmd.polytechnique.fr/index.php?page=aircore
MEC655B GHG 2022 46
Balloon-borne observations: the AirCore instrument
Ceiling
3. Descent
Tube empties 30km
Tube samples ambient air
2. Ascent
Tube is filled with

calibrated standard
1. Preparation Surface 4. Closed
5. Analysis
Mixing ratios of gases
CO2, CH4, CO… depending
on the analyzer
Calibrated Gas Standard
Continuous Gas Analyzer
≠ Fill Gas
MEC655B GHG 2022 48

AirCore profile datasets
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
MEC655B GHG 2022 49

Application: validation of atmospheric transport models
XCH4 LMDz - AirCore = 12 ppbv

XCH4 TM5 - AirCore = 13 ppbv
XCH4 C-IFS - AirCore = 19ppbv
à Systematic overestimation of
CH4 in the stratosphere by the
models
MEC655B GHG 2022 50

A combination of ground-based, balloon and aircraft
MAGIC : Monitoring of Atmospheric composition and Greenhouse gases through multi-Instruments
Campaign
Trainou
Cognac
Altitude (km)
ASA
Toulouse
ASA
Cognac
Trainou
©CNES/A. Hollier
Toulouse
©CNES/A. Hollier
©CNES/A. Hollier MEC655B GHG 2022 51

Surface and airborne networks
Scarcity of observations
Ground-based nerwork
Aircraft measurements
High spatio-temporal heterogeneity

à Observation from space
MEC655B GHG 2022 52
MEC655B
Lecture 5

MEC655B GHG 2022 53

Observation from space
Space constellations
Among the various space missions dedicated to observing Earth…
… only 3 recent missions provide information on GHG.

•IASI (CNES) : 2007-2025
•GOSAT (JAXA) : 2009-2018
•OCO-2 (NASA) :2014-2018
MEC655B GHG 2022 54
Example of SCIMACHY: 10 years of CH4 in the mid-troposphere
MEC655B GHG 2022 Frankenberg et al., 2011 55

Example of IASI: 10 years of CO2 in the mid-troposphere
Integrated column of CO2 in the mid-troposphere
Average over July 2007-June 2015
Annual growth rate: 2.1 ppm.yr-1
56
MEC655B GHG 2022
Example of IASI: 10 years of CH4 in the mid-troposphere
2007 2015
From 2007 to 2015, CH4 has increased by 60 ppbv
MEC655B GHG 2022 57

Relatively new space missions

… and an extremely rich international program
2020
CH4
CO2
CO2 / CH4
Terminated Operational To be launched In preparation
MEC655B GHG 2022 58

Relatively new space missions

… and an extremely rich international program
2020
CH4
CO2
CO2 / CH4
Terminated Operational To be launched In preparation
MEC655B GHG 2022 59

AÉROSPATIALE - ENVIRONNEMENT - GAZ À EFFET DE SERRE - ESPACE - GAZ À EFFET DE SERRE - NASA - RÉCHAUFFEMENT
JAPON CLIMATIQUE
Un satellite japonais pour Lancement raté d'un

observer les gaz à effet de satellite à vocation
serre environnementale
JEUDI 22 JANVIER 2009 MARDI 24 FÉVRIER 2009
L'Agence d'exploration spatiale japonaise a lancé, Le premier satellite de la Nasa destiné à étudier
vendredi, le premier satellite destiné à collecter les émissions de gaz à effet de serre n'a pu être
des informations sur les émissions de gaz à effet placé sur orbite. Le module qui le transportait
de serre. "Ibuki" ("souffle" en japonais") évoluera n'a pas réussi à se détacher de la fusée qui l'a
en orbite à 660 km de la Terre. lancée.
JAXA/GOSAT NASA/OCO
MEC655B GHG 2022 60

Principle
The principle of the measurement is always the same:

Top of the
1. A radiation goes through the amosphere.
atmosphere
2. It is absorbed/reemiited/scattered by gas gas,
molecules/particules in a proportion driven by particules
the concentration and their altitude (T, P).
3. The modified radiation is measured by an
instrument (outside of the atmosphere for a
satellite). Earth
MEC655B GHG 2022 61

Forward and inverse radiative transfer
Spectroscopic Instrument
data Foward modeling characteristics
(RT code)
Atmospheric state Radiances
Radiative
transfer equation
Inverse
modeling
a priori data on the
atmospheric state
MEC655B GHG 2022 62
Spectrum in the shortwave infrared
GOSAT coverage: 3 bands
Access to absorption lines of O2 (0.76 µm), CO2 (1,6 and

2.0 µm) and CH4 (1.67 µm).
MEC655B GHG 2022 63

Various techniques are needed to fully monitor GHG from space.
Thermal IR SWIR Lidar
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Mid- Total Total

Boundary layer
troposphere column column
IASI, IASI-NG GOSAT, OCO-2, Merlin

AIRSMEC655B GHG 2022
MicroCarb 64
Mid-tropospheric vs. total columns
CH4 columns retrieved from IASI (TIR) and GOSAT (SWIR) missions at the same time
1880 1820
CH4 [ppb]
1820 1780
IASI GOSAT
Integrated column over 4-15 km Integrated column over 0-30 km
MEC655B GHG 2022 65

Spatial coverage
•FOV: 12 km •FOV: 10 km
•Swath: 2100km •Swath: 900km
•60 FOVS per swath •5 FOVS per swath
MEC655B GHG 2022 68

Remote
Neededsensing Space based measurements
observation of CO2 from space
Capabilities
of atmospheric CO2
European mission
SCIAMACHY GOSAT OCO-2 Microcarb
GOSAT for monitoring CO2
(stopped)
GOSAT (sounder) (sounder) OCO-2
(sounder) emissions (imager)
CO2 and CH4 CO2 and CH4 CO2 CO2
Resolution too low Sampling too sparse Sampling sparse Imager : Sampling dense
Accuracy too low Accuracy moderate Accuracy good Accuracy good
Needed attributes of space observations of column CO2 for emission monitoring

ü Dense sampling (imagery) : images of CO2 plumes produced by emitting areas
ü High spatial resolution : capture emission hotspots and avoid clouds, pixel size < 3 km
ü High accuracy : resolve the small atmospheric gradients, individual precision ≈ 1 ppm
ü Global coverage
Ciais et al., 2014

MEC655B GHG 2022 69
Remote
observation of CO2 from space
Capabilities
of atmospheric CO2
The XCO2 distribution over 780 km by 670 km region centered over Berlin, Germany
(adapted from Kuhlmann et al. 2018) is shown along with the spatial coverage and
resolution (roughly to scale) for GOSAT (red dots), OCO-2 (blue tracks) and a
proposed CO2 Sentinel mission with a 250 km-wide swath (light grey region)
MEC655B GHG 2022 70
Remote
observation of CH4 from space
Capabilities
of atmospheric CO2
MEC655B GHG 2022 71

Remote
observation of CH4 from space
Capabilities
of atmospheric CO2
MEC655B GHG 2022 72

MEC655B 2022 Chapter6

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

MEC655B 2022 Chapter6

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MEC655B

Greenhouse gases (GHG) - Challenges and observations

MEC655B GHG 2022 1

1. Need for observa.on

MEC655B GHG 2022 2

Sea campaigns Buoys Observatory

MEC655B GHG 2022 3

Various measurements at various spatio-

Sea campaigns Buoys Observatory

MEC655B GHG 2022 5

Sea campaigns Buoys Observatory

MEC655B GHG 2022 6

J(x) = (x – xb)T B-1 (x – xb) + (y – H[x])T R-1 (y – H[x])

MEC655B GHG 2022 7

1. Need for observation

MEC655B GHG 2022 8

Since January 1984

This Micromass Isoprime con<nuous

Some aspects of CO2 analysis require old-school methods,

MEC655B GHG 2022 11

Cavity Ring Down Spectrometer (CRDS)

K.W. Busch and M.A. Busch (1997)

Light signal at the photodetector:

The sample absorption can be written as:

K.W. Busch and M.A. Busch (1997)

MEC655B GHG 2022 13

MEC655B GHG 2022 14

Gartow Hohenpeissenberg Jungfrauhoch

GAT (341 m) Germany

CO2 TRN (180m) France

MEC655B GHG 2022 15

Fourier Transform Spectrometers

Inverse radiative transfer

Wunch et al. 2011

MEC655B GHG 2022 19

• From spectra recorded in

Examples of column averaging kernels for the Lamont TCCON

MEC655B GHG 2022 21

Courtesy of Y. Té MEC655B GHG 2022 22

(Té et al., RSI, 2010)

Courtesy of Y. Té Jussieu (Paris)

Courtesy of Y. Té MEC655B GHG 2022 24

Courtesy of Y. Té MEC655B GHG 2022 25

Surface measurements vs. total columns

TCCON Trainou ICOS Trainou

M. Ramonet MEC655B GHG 2022 27

ΔXCO2 = 6 ppm… ΔCO2 @ surface = 75 ppm

TCCON Trainou ICOS Trainou

MEC655B GHG 2022 28

Container Lab Portable FTS

MEC655B GHG 2022 29

EM27/sun #3 Collaborative Carbon

MEC655B GHG 2022 30

Daily XCO2 and XCH4 [07/05/2015]

1.820 Mitry Mory

(Courtesy of M. Frey) Date (dd/MM/yyyy)

MEC655B GHG 2022 31

1. Need for observation

MEC655B GHG 2022 33

Comprehensive Observation Network

Japan Air Lines flights from 2006 to 2009

Longest time period covered by aircraft.