Monitoring Greenhouse Gases from Space - Status and Perspectives

Lecture Research, Public procurement, Utilisation/promotion, Publication and dissemination, Headlines
On  January 31, 2020
In framework of H2020 SCARBO program, OSUG and CSUG are pleased to welcome Dr. Heinrich Bovensmann, lead scientist of CarbonSat, now under implementation as high priority future CO2M : Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring mission.
He is also Managing Director for Research and Deputy Head of the Department of Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere within the Institute of Environmental Physics of the University of Bremen.

This conference (in english) is intended for a general audience of scientists and students involved in earth and space science and will take place on Friday, January 31, 2020 at the IGE glaciologie building, 10am.
 

Summary

© ESA
Europe pioneered the remote sensing of the greenhouse gases (GHG) CO2 and CH4 with SCIAMACHY on ENVISAT from 2002 to 2012. This time series on greenhouse gases from space was and is continued by space based greenhouse gas sensors from Japan (GOSAT), US (OCO-2), China (TANSAT) and most recently Europe (Sentinel-5 Precursor). These data sets make it possible for the first time to examine distributions of sources and sinks of greenhouse gases as well as their temporal changes on a global comparable basis, albeit with limitations, e.g. regarding spatial and temporal resolution or coverage. Examples of the use of CO2 and CH4 satellite data include natural as well as anthropogenic processes. Parallel, the development and application of aircraft-based remote sensing technologies has demonstrated the potential to independently determine CO2 and CH4 emissions from strong point sources. The satellite and airborne GHG research laid important foundations for future satellite-based systems for monitoring GHG emissions as envisaged by the European COPERNICUS CO2 monitoring (CO2M) satellite constellation as part of an international GHG constellation. Based on examples of existing satellite missions and airborne remotes sensing data, the presentation will summarize the progress made and will outline opportunities and challenges of the space based monitoring of greenhouse gas sources and sinks.

Biography

Dr. Heinrich Bovensmann
Dr. Heinrich Bovensmann is Managing Director for Research and Deputy Head of the Department of Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere (Head : Prof. Dr. John P. Burrows) within the Institute of Environmental Physics of the University of Bremen. His research focused on remote sensing of atmospheric composition (greenhouse gases air pollutants, Ozone) using solar backscatter absorption spectroscopy from the UV to the short wave infrared as pioneered with the SCIAMACHY satellite mission. He initiated and contributed to the development of new Earth Observation missions, for example COPERNICUS Sentinel-4 (hourly air quality data from geostationary orbit) and the CarbonSat mission concept to image atmospheric CO2 and CH4 distributions to allow source and sink quantification and attribution. The CarbonSat concept evolved recently under ESA/EU responsibility into the European CO2 monitoring (CO2M) mission within the COPERNICUS program, to be launced 2025/26. He also worked with his team on the next generation of Methane imaging airborne sensors, to complement satellite remote sensing with high resolution airborne remote sensing of localised emission sources.


 

Practical information


-  Date and hour : Friday, January 31, 2020 - 10h
- Location : IGE - 54, rue Molière - Domaine universitaire 38 400 St Martin d’Hères, Louis Lliboutry room
-  Free admission, limited seating available.
- OSUG websitetwitter
- IGE websitetwitter

Published on  January 21, 2020
Updated on  October 17, 2023