Articles | Volume 26, issue 21
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15735-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-15735-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
10 Nov 2026
Research article |
| 10 Nov 2026
| 10 Nov 2026
CO emissions and NOx ∕ CO ratios from the extreme 2025 Iberian wildfires: TROPOMI-based estimates and comparison with inventories
Alberto Álvaro-Díaz
Atmospheric Research and Instrumentation Branch, National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Madrid, Spain
now at: Institute of Applied Computing with Community Code (IAC3), University of the Balearic Islands, Palma, Spain
Sanam N. Vardag
Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg Centre for the Environment (HCE), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
André Butz
Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg Centre for the Environment (HCE), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Interdisciplinary Centre for Scientific Computing (IWR), Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Olga Puentedura
Atmospheric Research and Instrumentation Branch, National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Madrid, Spain
Atmospheric Research and Instrumentation Branch, National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), Madrid, Spain
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Sanam N. Vardag, Kilian Ticks, Santiago Botía, Gerrit Eisele, Philip Papastefanou, Cleo Quaresma, Hella van Asperen, Carla Souza, Flavio A. F. D'Oliveira, Susan Trumbore, Sönke Zaehle, and Sam P. Jones
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-6034, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-6034, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
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This study introduces a 2.5-year data set of CO2 and its stable carbon isotope 13C measured at the Amazon rainforest and analyses what these observations can reveal about how the forest responds to its environment. We find clear day–night changes but much weaker seasonal changes than predicted by a vegetation model, suggesting that the real forest is better buffered against seasonal water stress than the model represents.
Tobias D. Schmitt, Moritz Sindram, Benedikt A. Löw, Lukas Weis, Ralph Kleinschek, Nicole Bobrowski, and André Butz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 6145–6157, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-6145-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-6145-2026, 2026
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Monitoring systems for volcanic gases use ultraviolet and visible light, since the sky is brightest there.
We analyzed whether the concept extends to the near-infrared, where CO2 and halogen gases such as hydrogen chloride also absorb.
We find this realistic for the halogen gases at strongly emitting volcanoes, but very difficult for CO2.
We propose pairing it with the ultraviolet instruments already in use.
This could improve our understanding of volcanic processes and eruption risks.
Tobias D. Schmitt, Romain Dubroeucq, Moritz Sindram, André Butz, Thomas Pfeifer, and Markus K. Oberthaler
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 5717–5728, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5717-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5717-2026, 2026
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Urban areas account for a substantial share of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet measuring these emissions precisely is challenging due to spatial variability. This study implemented an advanced laser measurement technique, to directly average this spatial variability by measuring over a 3.1 km path, using only commercial parts. The high measurement precision and reliable operation, demonstrates that this technique is now accessible to the broader atmospheric measurement community.
Theo Glauch, Marcia J. Kroker, Sanam N. Vardag, Santiago Botía, André Butz, and Julia Marshall
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4847, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4847, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
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Ecosystems absorb CO2 through photosynthesis and release it via respiration, but sensors only measure the combined, net effect. This paper introduces pyVPRNN, an AI model to separate these two processes using satellite imagery, land-cover, and weather data. Tested at 32 European sites, it outperforms current methods, especially in forests and grasslands, and can even estimate carbon exchange in places without physical sensors – helping track how ecosystems absorb carbon as the climate changes.
Lukas Pilz, Christopher Lüken-Winkels, Alina Fiehn, Anke Roiger, and Sanam N. Vardag
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3665, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3665, 2026
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Cities need reliable estimates of their carbon dioxide emissions to track climate progress. We combined aircraft measurements with meteorological computer simulations, improving the accuracy of the results. For Berlin, we found emissions were higher than a widely used inventory but much lower, and far more precise, than a traditional calculation. This approach can provide more trustworthy estimates to support climate action and policy.
Leonie Olivia Scheidweiler, Ida Jandl, Lukas Häffner, Marvin Knapp, Lennart Resch, Benedikt Löw, Christian Mielke, Sanam N. Vardag, and André Butz
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3730, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-3730, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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Methane is the second-most important greenhouse gas produced by humans. Satellites are able to measure methane emissions for individual facilities. We compare three approaches for converting satellite measurements into methane concentrations, which is one step needed for estimating emission rates. The three approaches have similar results for sufficiently large sources, but diverge for smaller sources. We showcase a hybrid method that combines the advantages of two popular approaches.
Sanam N. Vardag, Sourish Basu, André Butz, and Eva-Marie Metz
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4054, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4054, 2026
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Using fourteen years of satellite observations, we study how much the net carbon dioxide exchange between land and atmosphere changes from year to year. We do this to test whether current vegetation models correctly capture responses to climate. We find that many models underestimate this sensitivity, especially in Australia, boreal and temperate North America, and temperate Eurasia. This study can help improve future predictions of how land will respond to climate change.
Laura Gómez-Martín, Cristina Prados-Roman, Martyn P. Chipperfield, Michel Van Roozendael, Olga Puentedura, Monica Navarro-Comas, Hector Ochoa, and Margarita Yela
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 4393–4413, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-4393-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-4393-2026, 2026
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The Antarctic ozone hole remains a critical global challenge. Accurately measuring the gases that cause it during twilights is difficult due to rapid chemical changes. We used advanced computer simulations to reproduce observations at 2 Antarctic stations to account for these fluctuations and the Earth's curvature. Our results improve the accuracy of atmospheric monitoring, helping scientists better track the recovery of the ozone layer and understand the complex chemistry driving its depletion.
Thomas Plewa, André Butz, Christian Frankenberg, Andrew K. Thorpe, and Julia Marshall
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2572, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2572, 2026
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In this paper, we present an improved deep learning method to estimate emissions of methane plumes from 2-D imagery. We present a new neural network architecture that provides insight into the wind speed used for the emission estimation and apply it to synthetic data that were used in previous studies. Our analysis illustrates that the performance increases by around 40% compared to the previous version, and that external wind speed data can be used to verify and improve the model's predictions.
Benjamin Weyland, Simon Rosanka, Domenico Taraborrelli, Birger Bohn, Andreas Zahn, Florian Obersteiner, Eric Förster, Mariano Mertens, Patrick Jöckel, Helmut Ziereis, Katharina Kaiser, Horst Fischer, John N. Crowley, Nijing Wang, Achim Edtbauer, Jonathan Williams, Maria Dolores Andrés Hernández, John P. Burrows, Flora Kluge, Meike K. Rotermund, Andre Butz, and Klaus Pfeilsticker
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 6825–6856, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6825-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6825-2026, 2026
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The destruction by sunlight of nitrous acid (HONO) produces the so-called detergent of the atmosphere. HONO has been measured in concentrations which exceed predictions based on known chemistry for decades. Several reactions have been proposed which may explain this excess HONO. This study reports on airborne measurements of HONO; the observations exceed predictions and form a C-shaped profile in the troposphere. Together with a host of other measurements, various reactions are investigated.
Vincent Enders, Astrid Müller, Matthias Max Frey, Frank Hase, Ralph Kleinschek, Marvin Knapp, Benedikt Löw, Isamu Morino, Shin-Ichiro Nakaoka, Hideki Nara, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Sanam N. Vardag, Karolin Voss, and André Butz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2633–2655, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2633-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2633-2026, 2026
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We have deployed two spectrometers on a ship traveling along the coast of Japan. By that, we were able to repeatedly measure the greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions of power plants, large industrial facilities, and cities. Using the ratios between the different gases, we are able to identify sources based on their unique signature. In addition, we are able to show that spectrometers can be operated on a ship, while still fulfilling the high standards of land-based observation networks.
Harikrishnan Charuvil Asokan, Jochen Landgraf, Pepijn Veefkind, Stijn Dellaert, and André Butz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5247–5264, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5247-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5247-2025, 2025
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Greenhouse gases like CO2 and CH4 drive climate change. Satellites enable monitoring of these emissions from space. Our simulations show that the upcoming Twin ANthropogenic Greenhouse gas Observers (TANGO) mission can detect about 500 targets per 4 d cycle under clear skies, but cloud cover reduces detection. Integrating cloud forecasts into TANGO’s manoeuvering boosts detection, highlighting its potential for improving global emission monitoring.
Max Bechthold, Wolfram Barfuss, André Butz, Jannes Breier, Sara M. Constantino, Jobst Heitzig, Luana Schwarz, Sanam N. Vardag, and Jonathan F. Donges
Earth Syst. Dynam., 16, 1365–1390, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-16-1365-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-16-1365-2025, 2025
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Social norms are a major influence on human behaviour. In natural resource use models, norms are often included in a simplistic way leading to “black or white” sustainability outcomes. We find that a dynamic representation of norms, including social groups, determines more nuanced states of the environment in a stylised model of resource use while also defining the success of attempts to manage the system, suggesting the importance of representing both aspects well in coupled models.
Theo Glauch, Julia Marshall, Christoph Gerbig, Santiago Botía, Michał Gałkowski, Sanam N. Vardag, and André Butz
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 4713–4742, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4713-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4713-2025, 2025
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The Vegetation Photosynthesis and Respiration Model (VPRM) estimates carbon exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere by modeling gross primary production and respiration using satellite data and weather variables. Our new version, pyVPRM, supports diverse satellite products like Sentinel-2, MODIS, VIIRS, and new land cover maps, enabling high spatial and temporal resolution. This improves flux estimates, especially in complex landscapes, and ensures continuity as MODIS nears decommissioning.
Eva-Marie Metz, Sanam Noreen Vardag, Sourish Basu, Martin Jung, and André Butz
Biogeosciences, 22, 555–584, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-555-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-555-2025, 2025
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We estimate CO2 fluxes in semiarid southern Africa from 2009 to 2018 based on satellite CO2 measurements and atmospheric inverse modeling. By selecting process-based vegetation models, which agree with the satellite CO2 fluxes, we find that soil respiration mainly drives the seasonality, whereas photosynthesis substantially influences the interannual variability. Our study emphasizes the need for better representation of the response of semiarid ecosystems to soil rewetting in vegetation models.
Karolin Voss, Philip Holzbeck, Klaus Pfeilsticker, Ralph Kleinschek, Gerald Wetzel, Blanca Fuentes Andrade, Michael Höpfner, Jörn Ungermann, Björn-Martin Sinnhuber, and André Butz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4507–4528, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4507-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4507-2024, 2024
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A novel balloon-borne instrument for direct sun and solar occultation measurements of several UV–Vis absorbing gases (e.g. O3, NO2, BrO, IO, and HONO) is described. Its major design features and performance during two stratospheric deployments are discussed. From the measured overhead BrO concentration and a suitable photochemical correction, total stratospheric bromine is inferred to (17.5 ± 2.2) ppt in air masses which entered the stratosphere around early 2017 ± 1 year.
Marvin Knapp, Ralph Kleinschek, Sanam N. Vardag, Felix Külheim, Helge Haveresch, Moritz Sindram, Tim Siegel, Bruno Burger, and André Butz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 2257–2275, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2257-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-2257-2024, 2024
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Imaging carbon dioxide (CO2) plumes of anthropogenic sources from planes and satellites has proven valuable for detecting emitters and monitoring climate mitigation efforts. We present the first images of CO2 plumes taken with a ground-based spectral camera, observing a coal-fired power plant as a validation target. We develop a technique to find the source emission strength with an hourly resolution, which reasonably agrees with the expected emissions under favorable conditions.
Sanam Noreen Vardag and Robert Maiwald
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 1885–1902, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-1885-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-1885-2024, 2024
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We use the atmospheric transport model GRAMM/GRAL in a Bayesian inversion to estimate urban CO2 emissions on a neighbourhood scale. We analyse the effect of varying number, precision and location of CO2 sensors for CO2 flux estimation. We further test the inclusion of co-emitted species and correlation in the inversion. The study showcases the general usefulness of GRAMM/GRAL in measurement network design.
Astrid Müller, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Takafumi Sugita, Prabir K. Patra, Shin-ichiro Nakaoka, Toshinobu Machida, Isamu Morino, André Butz, and Kei Shiomi
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 1297–1316, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1297-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-1297-2024, 2024
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Satellite CH4 observations with high accuracy are needed to understand changes in atmospheric CH4 concentrations. But over oceans, reference data are limited. We combine various ship and aircraft observations with the help of atmospheric chemistry models to derive observation-based column-averaged mixing ratios of CH4 (obs. XCH4). We discuss three different approaches and demonstrate the applicability of the new reference dataset for carbon cycle studies and satellite evaluation.
Tobias D. Schmitt, Jonas Kuhn, Ralph Kleinschek, Benedikt A. Löw, Stefan Schmitt, William Cranton, Martina Schmidt, Sanam N. Vardag, Frank Hase, David W. T. Griffith, and André Butz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 6097–6110, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-6097-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-6097-2023, 2023
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Our new observatory measures greenhouse gas concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) along a 1.55 km long light path over the city of Heidelberg, Germany. We compared our measurements with measurements that were taken at a single point at one end of our path. The two mostly agreed but show a significant difference for CO2 with certain wind directions. This is important when using greenhouse gas concentration measurements to observe greenhouse gas emissions of cities.
Benedikt A. Löw, Ralph Kleinschek, Vincent Enders, Stanley P. Sander, Thomas J. Pongetti, Tobias D. Schmitt, Frank Hase, Julian Kostinek, and André Butz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5125–5144, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5125-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5125-2023, 2023
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We developed a portable spectrometer (EM27/SCA) that remotely measures greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere above a target region. The measurements can deliver insights into local emission patterns. To evaluate its performance, we set up the EM27/SCA above the Los Angeles Basin side by side with a similar non-portable instrument (CLARS-FTS). The precision is promising and the measurements are consistent with CLARS-FTS. In the future, we need to account for light scattering.
Alba Lorente, Tobias Borsdorff, Mari C. Martinez-Velarte, Andre Butz, Otto P. Hasekamp, Lianghai Wu, and Jochen Landgraf
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 6585–6603, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6585-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-6585-2022, 2022
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The TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) performs observations over ocean in every orbit, enhancing the monitoring capabilities of methane from space. In the sun glint geometry the mirror-like reflection at the water surface provides a signal that is high enough to retrieve methane with high accuracy and precision. We present 4 years of methane concentrations over the ocean, and we assess its quality. We also show the importance of ocean observations to quantify total CH4 emissions.
Matthias Schneider, Benjamin Ertl, Qiansi Tu, Christopher J. Diekmann, Farahnaz Khosrawi, Amelie N. Röhling, Frank Hase, Darko Dubravica, Omaira E. García, Eliezer Sepúlveda, Tobias Borsdorff, Jochen Landgraf, Alba Lorente, André Butz, Huilin Chen, Rigel Kivi, Thomas Laemmel, Michel Ramonet, Cyril Crevoisier, Jérome Pernin, Martin Steinbacher, Frank Meinhardt, Kimberly Strong, Debra Wunch, Thorsten Warneke, Coleen Roehl, Paul O. Wennberg, Isamu Morino, Laura T. Iraci, Kei Shiomi, Nicholas M. Deutscher, David W. T. Griffith, Voltaire A. Velazco, and David F. Pollard
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 4339–4371, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-4339-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-4339-2022, 2022
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We present a computationally very efficient method for the synergetic use of level 2 remote-sensing data products. We apply the method to IASI vertical profile and TROPOMI total column space-borne methane observations and thus gain sensitivity for the tropospheric methane partial columns, which is not achievable by the individual use of TROPOMI and IASI. These synergetic effects are evaluated theoretically and empirically by inter-comparisons to independent references of TCCON, AirCore, and GAW.
Gaia Pinardi, Michel Van Roozendael, François Hendrick, Andreas Richter, Pieter Valks, Ramina Alwarda, Kristof Bognar, Udo Frieß, José Granville, Myojeong Gu, Paul Johnston, Cristina Prados-Roman, Richard Querel, Kimberly Strong, Thomas Wagner, Folkard Wittrock, and Margarita Yela Gonzalez
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 3439–3463, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3439-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-3439-2022, 2022
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We report on the GOME-2A and GOME-2B OClO dataset (2007 to 2016, from the EUMETSAT's AC SAF) validation using data from nine NDACC zenith-scattered-light DOAS (ZSL-DOAS) instruments distributed in both the Arctic and Antarctic. Specific sensitivity tests are performed on the ground-based data to estimate the impact of the different OClO DOAS analysis settings and their typical errors. Good agreement is found for both the inter-annual variability and the overall OClO seasonal behavior.
Andreas Luther, Julian Kostinek, Ralph Kleinschek, Sara Defratyka, Mila Stanisavljević, Andreas Forstmaier, Alexandru Dandocsi, Leon Scheidweiler, Darko Dubravica, Norman Wildmann, Frank Hase, Matthias M. Frey, Jia Chen, Florian Dietrich, Jarosław Nȩcki, Justyna Swolkień, Christoph Knote, Sanam N. Vardag, Anke Roiger, and André Butz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5859–5876, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5859-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5859-2022, 2022
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Coal mining is an extensive source of anthropogenic methane emissions. In order to reduce and mitigate methane emissions, it is important to know how much and where the methane is emitted. We estimated coal mining methane emissions in Poland based on atmospheric methane measurements and particle dispersion modeling. In general, our emission estimates suggest higher emissions than expected by previous annual emission reports.
Carlos Alberti, Frank Hase, Matthias Frey, Darko Dubravica, Thomas Blumenstock, Angelika Dehn, Paolo Castracane, Gregor Surawicz, Roland Harig, Bianca C. Baier, Caroline Bès, Jianrong Bi, Hartmut Boesch, André Butz, Zhaonan Cai, Jia Chen, Sean M. Crowell, Nicholas M. Deutscher, Dragos Ene, Jonathan E. Franklin, Omaira García, David Griffith, Bruno Grouiez, Michel Grutter, Abdelhamid Hamdouni, Sander Houweling, Neil Humpage, Nicole Jacobs, Sujong Jeong, Lilian Joly, Nicholas B. Jones, Denis Jouglet, Rigel Kivi, Ralph Kleinschek, Morgan Lopez, Diogo J. Medeiros, Isamu Morino, Nasrin Mostafavipak, Astrid Müller, Hirofumi Ohyama, Paul I. Palmer, Mahesh Pathakoti, David F. Pollard, Uwe Raffalski, Michel Ramonet, Robbie Ramsay, Mahesh Kumar Sha, Kei Shiomi, William Simpson, Wolfgang Stremme, Youwen Sun, Hiroshi Tanimoto, Yao Té, Gizaw Mengistu Tsidu, Voltaire A. Velazco, Felix Vogel, Masataka Watanabe, Chong Wei, Debra Wunch, Marcia Yamasoe, Lu Zhang, and Johannes Orphal
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2433–2463, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2433-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2433-2022, 2022
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Space-borne greenhouse gas missions require ground-based validation networks capable of providing fiducial reference measurements. Here, considerable refinements of the calibration procedures for the COllaborative Carbon Column Observing Network (COCCON) are presented. Laboratory and solar side-by-side procedures for the characterization of the spectrometers have been refined and extended. Revised calibration factors for XCO2, XCO and XCH4 are provided, incorporating 47 new spectrometers.
Qiansi Tu, Frank Hase, Matthias Schneider, Omaira García, Thomas Blumenstock, Tobias Borsdorff, Matthias Frey, Farahnaz Khosrawi, Alba Lorente, Carlos Alberti, Juan J. Bustos, André Butz, Virgilio Carreño, Emilio Cuevas, Roger Curcoll, Christopher J. Diekmann, Darko Dubravica, Benjamin Ertl, Carme Estruch, Sergio Fabián León-Luis, Carlos Marrero, Josep-Anton Morgui, Ramón Ramos, Christian Scharun, Carsten Schneider, Eliezer Sepúlveda, Carlos Toledano, and Carlos Torres
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 295–317, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-295-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-295-2022, 2022
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We use different methane ground- and space-based remote sensing data sets for investigating the emission strength of three waste disposal sites close to Madrid. We present a method that uses wind-assigned anomalies for deriving emission strengths from satellite data and estimate their uncertainty to 9–14 %. The emission strengths estimated from the remote sensing data sets are significantly larger than the values published in the official register.
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Short summary
In August 2025, over 200 fires burned the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula and released over one million tonnes of carbon monoxide. We used satellite measurements over 15 of those wildfires , covering 70 % of the area burned, to estimate emissions of carbon monoxide and smoke composition. Satellite-based estimates were about three times higher than common fire-emission datasets, highlighting the value and complexity of tracking major wildfires from space and the limits of current inventories.
In August 2025, over 200 fires burned the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula and released over...
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