Articles | Volume 26, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1931-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-1931-2026
Research article
 | 
06 Feb 2026
Research article |  | 06 Feb 2026

How can we trust TROPOMI based methane emissions estimation: calculating emissions over unidentified source regions

Bo Zheng, Jason Blake Cohen, Lingxiao Lu, Wei Hu, Pravash Tiwari, Simone Lolli, Andrea Garzelli, Hui Su, and Kai Qin

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Evaluating When and Where TROPOMI XCH4 Uncertainties Yield Consistent Flux Estimation over East, South, and Central Asia
Wei Hu, Jason Blake Cohen, Lingxiao Lu, Bo Zheng, Pravash Tiwari, Simone Lolli, Andrea Garzelli, Jun Li, and Kai Qin
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4468,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4468, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary

Cited articles

Balasus, N., Jacob, D. J., Lorente, A., Maasakkers, J. D., Parker, R. J., Boesch, H., Chen, Z., Kelp, M. M., Nesser, H., and Varon, D. J.: A blended TROPOMI + GOSAT satellite data product for atmospheric methane using machine learning to correct retrieval biases, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 3787–3807, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-3787-2023, 2023. 
Boersma, K. F., Eskes, H. J., Richter, A., De Smedt, I., Lorente, A., Beirle, S., van Geffen, J. H. G. M., Zara, M., Peters, E., Van Roozendael, M., Wagner, T., Maasakkers, J. D., van der A, R. J., Nightingale, J., De Rudder, A., Irie, H., Pinardi, G., Lambert, J.-C., and Compernolle, S. C.: Improving algorithms and uncertainty estimates for satellite NO2 retrievals: results from the quality assurance for the essential climate variables (QA4ECV) project, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 6651–6678, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-6651-2018, 2018. 
Chen, C., Dubovik, O., Schuster, G. L., Chin, Mian., Henze, D. K., Lapyonok, T., Li, Z., Derimian, Y., and Zhang, Y.: Multi-angular polarimetric remote sensing to pinpoint global aerosol absorption and direct radiative forcing, Nat. Commun., 13, 7459, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35147-y, 2022. 
Chen, L., Song, Z., Yao, N., Xi, H., Li, J., Gao, P., Chen, Y., Su, H., Sun, Y., Jiang, B., Chen, J., Zhang, Y., Zhu, Y., Li, P., Pang, X., and Yu, S.: Photostationary state assumption seriously underestimates NOx emissions near large point sources at 10 to 60 m pixel resolution, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci, 122, e2423915122, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2423915122, 2025. 
Cohen, J. B. and Prinn, R. G.: Development of a fast, urban chemistry metamodel for inclusion in global models, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 7629–7656, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-7629-2011, 2011. 
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Short summary
This study provides TROPOMI (TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument) with a new methane emission estimation method that can accurately identify emission sources. Our results generate non-negative emission datasets using objective selection and filtering methods. The results include lower minimum emission thresholds for all power grids and fewer false positives. The new method provides more robust emission quantification in the face of data uncertainty, going beyond traditional plume identification and background subtraction.
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