Articles | Volume 16, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-89-2023
https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-89-2023
Research article
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10 Jan 2023
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 10 Jan 2023

Understanding the potential of Sentinel-2 for monitoring methane point emissions

Javier Gorroño, Daniel J. Varon, Itziar Irakulis-Loitxate, and Luis Guanter

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Cited articles

Berk, A., Conforti, P., Kennett, R., Perkins, T., Hawes, F., and van den Bosch, J.: MODTRAN6: a major upgrade of the MODTRAN radiative transfer code, in: Algorithms and Technologies for Multispectral, Hyperspectral, and Ultraspectral Imagery XX, edited by: Velez-Reyes, M. and Kruse, F. A., International Society for Optics and Photonics, SPIE, 9088, 113–119, https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2050433, 2014. a, b
CCAC​​​​​​​: United nations environment programme and climate and clean air coalition, Global Methane Assessment: Benefits and Costs of Mitigating Methane Emissions, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Nairobi, ISBN 978-92-807-3854-4, 2021. a
Chan, E., Worthy, D. E. J., Chan, D., Ishizawa, M., Moran, M. D., Delcloo, A., and Vogel, F.: Eight-Year Estimates of Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Operations in Western Canada Are Nearly Twice Those Reported in Inventories, Environ. Sci. Technol., 54, 14899–14909, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.0c04117, 2020. a
Cusworth, D. H., Jacob, D. J., Varon, D. J., Chan Miller, C., Liu, X., Chance, K., Thorpe, A. K., Duren, R. M., Miller, C. E., Thompson, D. R., Frankenberg, C., Guanter, L., and Randles, C. A.: Potential of next-generation imaging spectrometers to detect and quantify methane point sources from space, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 12, 5655–5668, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-12-5655-2019, 2019. a, b
Cusworth, D. H., Duren, R. M., Thorpe, A. K., Olson-Duvall, W., Heckler, J., Chapman, J. W., Eastwood, M. L., Helmlinger, M. C., Green, R. O., Asner, G. P., Dennison, P. E., and Miller, C. E.: Intermittency of Large Methane Emitters in the Permian Basin, Environ. Sci. Technol. Lett., 8, 567–573, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00173, 2021. a
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Executive editor
Accurate detection and quantification of methane emissions are urgently needed for climate change mitigation. Multiple observations and measurement approaches can contribute to this challenge. This study shows how Sentinel-2 can provide useful coverage and spatial resolution for methane plumes, despite limited spectral sensitivity for methane absorption.
Short summary
We present a methane flux rate retrieval methodology using the Sentinel-2 mission, validating the algorithm for different scenes and plumes. The detection limit is 1000–2000 kg h−1 for homogeneous scenes and temporally invariant surfaces and above 5000 kg h−1 for heterogeneous ones. Dominant quantification errors are wind-related or plume mask-related. For heterogeneous scenes, the surface structure underlying the methane plume can become a dominant source of uncertainty.