Articles | Volume 26, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-547-2026
© 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-26-547-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
12 Jan 2026
Research article |
| 12 Jan 2026
| 12 Jan 2026
Estimation of CO2 fluxes in the cities of Zurich and Paris using the ICON-ART CTDAS inverse modelling framework
Nikolai Ponomarev
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Michael Steiner
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
now at: Environmental Defense Fund, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Erik Koene
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Pascal Rubli
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Stuart Grange
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
now at: University of Bern, Physics Institute, Climate and Environmental Physics, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Lionel Constantin
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Michel Ramonet
Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE-IPSL), CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris-Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Leslie David
Airparif, Association Agréée pour la Surveillance de la Qualité de l'Air en région Île-de-France, 7 rue Crillon, 75004 Paris, France
Arash Hamzehloo
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Lukas Emmenegger
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for Air Pollution/Environmental Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
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EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4762, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4762, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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Accurate measurements of the concentration of water vapor in the upper atmosphere are essential for reliable climate predictions. We investigated the performance of a new lightweight (less than 4 kg) hygrometer, based on laser absorption spectroscopy, in a series of atmospheric test flights using weather balloons, reaching up to 35 km altitude. The results demonstrate the high accuracy and suitability of this technique for applications in long-term climate monitoring and atmospheric research.
Jesse Juhani Soininen, Kukka-Maaria Kohonen, Stavros Stagakis, Ara Cho, Betty Molinier, Pascal Rubli, Rainer Hilland, Natascha Kljun, and Leena Järvi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4603, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4603, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Carbonyl sulfide is increasingly used to estimate how much carbon dioxide plants absorb from the atmosphere, but this is difficult in cities because human activities also emit this gas. We measured its exchange between the atmosphere and the urban area of Zurich and found that vegetation remained the main sink, while emissions from human activities reduced this uptake in densely built areas. These results improve the interpretation of urban carbon exchange.
Thomas Laemmel, Dylan Geissbühler, Stephan Henne, Ryo Fujita, Heather Graven, Christophe Espic, Matthias Bantle, Negar Haghipour, Franz Conen, Dominik Brunner, Martin Steinbacher, Giulia Zazzeri, Samuel Hammer, Markus Leuenberger, and Sönke Szidat
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 12019–12036, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-12019-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-12019-2026, 2026
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Carbon dioxide and methane are the two main anthropogenic greenhouse gases responsible for current climate change. Beside the measurement of their atmospheric concentration, the analysis of the abundance of their isotope carbon-14 (14C) gives hints about their origin, either biogenic or fossil. Here we present six years of atmospheric 14CH4 and 14CO2 measurements at a high-elevation alpine site in Switzerland (Jungfraujoch) and discuss the observed trends in both local and global views.
Hui Li, Philippe Ciais, Frédéric Chevallier, Bo Zheng, Paul I. Palmer, Frank Hase, Morgan Lopez, Elsa M. Ordway, Shushi Peng, Danielle Monteverde, Michel Ramonet, Jason M. St. Clair, Le Bienfaiteur Sagang, and Benjamin Poulter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 11893–11908, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11893-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11893-2026, 2026
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We studied how to best place methane monitoring instruments across Africa to better understand where emissions come from. Because observations can overlap in what they detect, adding more sites does not always improve results equally. Using a statistical approach, we identified both the ideal number and locations of sites (ten new sites can reduce emission uncertainty by over 65 % for total African CH4). Our results help guide cost-effective monitoring strategies in regions with limited data.
Alohotsy Rafalimanana, Thomas Lauvaux, Charbel Abdallah, Mali Chariot, Michel Ramonet, Josselin Doc, Olivier Laurent, Morgan Lopez, Anja Raznjevic, Maarten Krol, Leena Järvi, Andreas Christen, Dana Looschelders, Leslie David, Olivier Sanchez, Laura Bignotti, Benjamin Loubet, Sue Grimmond, and William Morrison
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2581, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2581, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
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Using WRF-Chem simulations over Greater Paris at resolutions from 900 m to 100 m (LES), we show that horizontal resolution critically shapes urban CO2 plume structure. Mesoscale runs underestimate spatial contrasts by a factor of 2–3, with representativeness errors of 29–61 % (near-surface) and 21–59 % (XCO2). LES improves intra-urban variability and enables more accurate spatial attribution of emissions, a key step toward reliable top-down estimates for city-scale climate mitigation.
Alice E. Ramsden, Anita L. Ganesan, Matthew Rigby, Chris Rennick, Tim Arnold, Emmal Safi, Edward Chung, Dafina Kikaj, Cameron Yeo, Dave Lowry, Pete Levy, Simon O'Doherty, Kieran M. Stanley, Dickon Young, Joe Pitt, Damien Martin, Morgan Lopez, Michel Ramonet, Grant L. Forster, Arnoud Frumau, and Alistair J. Manning
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 11421–11448, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11421-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-11421-2026, 2026
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Methane is emitted from a range of anthropogenic and natural sources, each with a characteristic isotope ratio signature. We present a method for estimating emissions from multiple sources using isotopic signatures and observations of atmospheric methane isotope ratios. We show the importance of considering isotopic signature uncertainty and demonstrate how our current understanding of these signatures may be limiting this method’s ability to reduce uncertainties in emissions estimates.
Paul M. Magyar, Nico Kueter, Simone Brunamonti, Naizhong Zhang, Ivan Prokhorov, Noémy Chénier, Lukas Emmenegger, Béla Tuzson, and Joachim Mohn
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 5267–5280, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5267-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-5267-2026, 2026
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Human activity drives increases in atmospheric nitrous oxide. Stable isotopes help trace the pathways involved. We developed a reliable way to calibrate measurements of rare isotopic variants of nitrous oxide so results from different labs can be compared. By heating nitrous oxide with a catalyst, the molecules reach well-defined equilibrium patterns suitable as a reference. To measure these isotopic variants quickly and precisely, we improved a laser-based measurement approach.
Joël Thanwerdas, Paolo Cristofanelli, Angela Fiore, Rianne Dröge, Sophie Van Mil, Yohanna Villalobos, Zhendong Wu, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 10477–10507, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-10477-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-10477-2026, 2026
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We assess how expanding Italy’s sparse ICOS (Integrated Carbon Observation System) methane network could improve methane emission estimates. Using transport modelling, data assimilation methods and synthetic observations, we test eight candidate sites. Chieti, in Central Italy and Mount Venda, in Northern Italy, provide the strongest added constraints, respectively. The framework developed here can be applied to other countries to optimize their atmospheric measurement networks and to improve constraints on greenhouse gas emissions.
Joseph R. Pitt, Dominique Rust, Anita Ganesan, Luke M. Western, Martin K. Vollmer, Jens Mühle, Tobias Bühlmann, Christina M. Harth, Stephen A. Montzka, Brad D. Hall, Isaac J. Vimont, Alistair J. Manning, Alison L. Redington, Stephan Henne, Daniela B. Melo, Saurabh Annadate, Lionel Constantin, Brendan M. Murphy, Matthew Rigby, Dickon Young, Simon O'Doherty, Angelina Wenger, Chris R. Lunder, Ove Hermansen, Thomas Wagenhäuser, Andreas Engel, Jgor Arduini, Michela Maione, Jaegeun Yun, Blagoj Mitrevski, Paul B. Krummel, Paul J. Fraser, Jooil Kim, Ray H. J. Wang, Tae Siek Rhee, Peter K. Salameh, T. Gerard Spain, Stefan Reimann, Ronald G. Prinn, Ray F. Weiss, and Kieran M. Stanley
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 10167–10195, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-10167-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-10167-2026, 2026
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1,2‑Dichloroethane (DCE) can contribute to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer. Whether DCE reaches the stratosphere depends on where and when it is emitted. We present the ongoing measurements of DCE from the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) global monitoring networks. For the period 2017–2023, our modelled average global emissions based on these observations align with another study, while regional estimates differ. This suggests remaining uncertainty in the geographical distribution of emissions.
Audrey McManemin, Catherine Juéry, Vincent Blandin, Matthew Baker, Stéphane Bauguitte, Dominik Brunner, Philippine Burdeau, James Lawrence France, Anders M. Fredenslund, Andreas Hueni, Gerrit Kuhlmann, Patryk Łakomiec, Sando Meier, Roberto Paglini, Roubina Papaconstantinou, Jean-Daniel Paris, Pierre-Yves Quehe, Thomas Röckmann, Charlotte Scheutz, Martina Schmidt, Marius Vögtli, Julia B. Wietzel, and Adam R. Brandt
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1744, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1744, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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Researchers tested five university-led systems to measure methane leaks at a facility in France. By releasing known amounts of gas, researchers checked if mobile tools on vehicles and planes could accurately detect and quantify emissions. Most sensors were excellent at finding leaks, but their accuracy in measuring the exact emission rate varied. Weather, especially low wind, significantly impacted results. These findings help improve how we track greenhouse gases to meet climate goals.
Alohotsy Rafalimanana, Thomas Lauvaux, Charbel Abdallah, Mali Chariot, Michel Ramonet, Josselin Doc, Olivier Laurent, Morgan Lopez, Anja Raznjevic, Maarten Krol, Leena Järvi, Andreas Christen, Dana Looschelders, Leslie David, Olivier Sanchez, Laura Bignotti, Benjamin Loubet, Sue Grimmond, and William Morrison
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2109, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2109, 2026
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This study explores how city design and buildings affect CO2 levels in the air over Paris. Using a transport model, we tested different urban canopy models to represent the city environment and its influence on air motion. We found that realistic descriptions of urban surfaces are crucial, especially in winter, for accurately showing how CO2 builds up and disperses, leading to better satellite monitoring of city CO2 emissions.
Josselin Doc, François-Marie Bréon, Morgan Lopez, Yao Té, Pascal Jeseck, Jinghui Lian, Guillaume Nief, Antoine Parent, Hippolyte Leuridan, and Michel Ramonet
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 8937–8959, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-8937-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-8937-2026, 2026
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A greenhouse gas monitoring network was set up around Paris. From July 2022 to December 2024, three stations placed along the main wind direction detected differences of 0.5–1 ppm between sites. Compared with WRF-Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry) simulations using the Origins.earth inventory, the data suggest that emissions are overestimated by the inventory. A reduction of about 34 % would be needed, a stronger correction than indicated by surface-based studies.
Erik Franciscus Maria Koene, Gerrit Kuhlmann, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 3999–4012, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3999-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-3999-2026, 2026
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We developed methods to reduce noise in satellite images that track air pollution. By using clearer measurements of a related gas, our techniques improve image quality by up to 80 percent, allowing more accurate identification of pollution sources. Tested with simulated and real satellite data, this approach could enhance monitoring of emissions and support better environmental decisions.
Hélène De Longueville, Daniela B. Melo, Alison L. Redington, Alice Ramsden, Alexandre Danjou, Peter Andrews, Joseph Pitt, Brendan Murphy, Lionel Constantin, Kieran M. Stanley, Simon O'Doherty, Angelina Wenger, Dickon Young, Andreas Engel, Tanja Schuck, Katharina Meixner, Thomas Wagenhaeuser, Fides Gad, Martin K. Vollmer, Stefan Reimann, Michela Maoine, Jgor Arduini, Chris Lunder, Norbert Schmidtbauer, László Haszpra, Mihály Molnár, Arnoud Frumau, Cedric Couret, Matthew Rigby, Stephan Henne, Alistair Manning, and Anita L. Ganesan
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 7647–7675, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7647-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-7647-2026, 2026
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This study estimates emissions of hydrofluorocarbons, potent greenhouse gases, in north-western Europe using atmospheric observations and atmospheric modelling. The estimates are compared with nationally reported emissions submitted to the United Nations. Overall, our results are consistent with reported values, although differences are found for some gases and countries. The findings indicate that emissions in north-western Europe are declining, reflecting the effects of climate regulations.
Alessandro Zanchetta, Steven van Heuven, Rigel Kivi, Michel Ramonet, Andreas Engel, Maarten Krol, and Huilin Chen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2799, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2799, 2026
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In this study, we calculate the mean lifetime of carbonyl sulfide (COS) and methane (CH4) in the stratosphere from continuous vertical profiles sampled with balloon-borne instruments. We used two methods based on the stratospheric relationship of these gas species with N2O. The estimated stratospheric lifetime range is 69–90 years for COS and 146–172 years for CH4. These results are consistent with other studies and suggest no long-term trends in the stratospheric lifetime of these gas species.
Paul D. Hamer, Miha Markelj, Oscar Rojas-Munoz, Bertrand Bonan, Jean-Christophe Calvet, Virginie Marécal, Alex Guenther, Heidi Trimmel, Islen Vallejo, Sabine Eckhardt, Gabriela Sousa Santos, Katerina Sindelarova, David Simpson, Norbert Schmidbauer, Heidi Hellén, Pascal Rubli, Stefan Reimann, Anja Claude, Dagmar Kubistin, Julie Cozic, James Dernie, and Leonor Tarrasón
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 18, 3635–3669, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-3635-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-3635-2026, 2026
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Plants release gases like isoprene that can form ozone and affect air quality. Using models and satellite data, we mapped the emissions of isoprene from plants across Europe and found that droughts can reduce leaf growth, leading to lower emissions. This shows that to understand and predict air quality, we must also understand how drought impacts vegetation. Our findings highlight the value of linking extreme weather, plant health, and pollution in models of the Earth system as a whole.
Emmal Safi, Joe Pitt, Grant Forster, Chris Rennick, Simon O’Doherty, Dickon Young, Kanokrat Charoenpornpukdee, Nick Garrard, Dafina Kikaj, Andrew Manning, Gerard Spain, Damien Martin, Morgan Lopez, Michel Ramonet, and Kieran Stanely
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1802, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1802, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Measurement Techniques (AMT).
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We compared whole and synthetic-air reference materials (RMs) for investigating offsets in greenhouse gas measurements so data from different sites/networks can be trusted when combined. By sending whole and synthetic-air (RMs) to six sites and measuring under routine field conditions, we found whole-air gives the most precise results, especially for carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. Synthetic-air worked fairly well for methane but synthetic-air RMs needs lower uncertainty before wide use.
Martin K. Vollmer, Joseph R. Pitt, Dickon Young, Stephan Henne, Blagoj Mitrevski, Jens Mühle, Anita Ganesan, Jgor Arduini, Alistair J. Manning, Thomas Wagenhäuser, Alison L. Redington, Daniela B. Melo, Brendan Murphy, Ray Gluckmann, Kieran M. Stanley, Paul B. Krummel, Chris R. Lunder, Jaegeun Yun, Dominique Rust, Angelina Wenger, Myriam Guillevic, Jooil Kim, Ray H. J. Wang, Tae Siek Rhee, Lionel Constantin, Arnoud Frumau, Christina M. Harth, Peter K. Salameh, Ove Hermansen, Matthew Rigby, Luke M. Western, Andreas Engel, Simon O'Doherty, Sunyoung Park, Michela Maione, Paul J. Fraser, Ronald G. Prinn, Ray F. Weiss, and Stefan Reimann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 6993–7012, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6993-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-6993-2026, 2026
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Halogenated olefins (HFOs) are newly emerging compounds in the atmosphere. They are in reach of the definition of PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) and some decay to the eternal chemical trifluoroacetate (TFA). We provide atmospheric measurements of three HFOs from the large Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE) network and estimate emissions for Northwest Europe for the first time. We find a quasi-ubiquitous presence in the atmosphere and rapidly increasing emissions.
Ann-Kristin Kunz, Samuel Hammer, Patrick Aigner, Laura Bignotti, Lars Borchardt, Jia Chen, Julian Della Coletta, Lukas Emmenegger, Markus Eritt, Xochilt Gutiérrez, Josh Hashemi, Rainer Hilland, Christopher Holst, Armin Jordan, Natascha Kljun, Richard Kneißl, Changxing Lan, Virgile Legendre, Ingeborg Levin, Benjamin Loubet, Matthias Mauder, Betty Molinier, Susanne Preunkert, Michel Ramonet, Stavros Stagakis, and Andreas Christen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 4967–5003, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-4967-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-4967-2026, 2026
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We present radiocarbon (14C)-based fossil fuel CO2 fluxes from relaxed eddy accumulation measurements on tall towers in the cities of Zurich, Paris, and Munich. By separating net CO2 fluxes into fossil and non-fossil components, these data reveal significant and variable contributions from human, plant, and soil respiration, as well as point-source emissions. These unique insights into CO2 flux composition offer crucial information for observation-based validation of urban emission estimates.
Gerrit Kuhlmann, Erik Franciscus Maria Koene, Chloe Natasha Schooling, Paul Ian Palmer, Òscar Collado López, and Marc Guevara
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 4405–4421, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-4405-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-4405-2026, 2026
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We used satellite measurements of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to estimate top-down nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from power plants in Europe and the United States. Our study shows that these observations can track seasonal and short-term changes in emissions and agree well with bottom-up estimates. This approach offers a promising way to monitor NOx and indirectly carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, supporting anthropogenic emissions monitoring systems.
Marta Via, Jure Demšar, Yufang Hao, Manousos Manousakas, Anton Rusanen, Jianhui Jiang, Stuart K. Grange, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, Vy Ngoc Thuy Dinh, Gaëlle Uzu, Griša Močnik, and Kaspar R. Daellenbach
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 2175–2195, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2175-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-2175-2026, 2026
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We introduce BAMF+HS (Bayesian Autocorrelated Matrix Factorisation+Horseshoe), an enhanced Bayesian receptor model for particulate matter (PM) source apportionment. By applying a regularised horseshoe prior to the chemical composition matrix, BAMF+HS enforces sparsity, filtering out irrelevant species and improving source separation. Tests on synthetic and real datasets show BAMF+HS consistently outperforms previous models in accuracy and clarity.
Jiaxin Wang, Sieglinde Callewaert, Minqiang Zhou, Filip Desmet, Sébastien Conil, Michel Ramonet, Pucai Wang, and Martine De Mazière
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 3541–3565, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3541-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-3541-2026, 2026
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We used a regional atmospheric transport model to simulate carbon dioxide mole fractions over Western Europe. The results show the importance of anthropogenic emission configurations, particularly near large emission sources, as well as the necessity of improving biogenic flux simulations. These findings contribute to enhancing the accuracy of carbon dioxide modeling and carbon budget inversions.
Gholam Ali Hoshyaripour, Andreas Baer, Sascha Bierbauer, Julia Bruckert, Dominik Brunner, Jochen Förstner, Arash Hamzehloo, Valentin Hanft, Corina Keller, Martina Klose, Pankaj Kumar, Patrick Ludwig, Enrico Metzner, Lisa Muth, Andreas Pauling, Nikolas Porz, Maryam Ramezani Ziarani, Thomas Reddmann, Luca Reißig, Roland Ruhnke, Khompat Satitkovitchai, Axel Seifert, Miriam Sinnhuber, Michael Steiner, Stefan Versick, Heike Vogel, Michael Weimer, Sven Werchner, and Corinna Hoose
Geosci. Model Dev., 19, 1645–1681, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-1645-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-19-1645-2026, 2026
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This paper presents recent advances in ICON-ART, a modeling system that simulates atmospheric composition – such as gases and particles – and their interactions with weather and climate. By integrating updated chemistry, emissions, and aerosol processes, ICON-ART enables detailed, scale-spanning simulations. It supports both scientific research and operational forecasts, contributing to improved air quality, weather and climate predictions.
Alessandro Zanchetta, Steven van Heuven, Joram Hooghiem, Rigel Kivi, Thomas Laemmel, Michel Ramonet, Markus Leuenberger, Peter Nyfeler, Sophie L. Baartman, Maarten Krol, and Huilin Chen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1465–1486, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1465-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1465-2026, 2026
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Continuous vertical profiles and discrete stratospheric samples of carbonyl sulfide (COS) were collected deploying the balloon-borne AirCore, LIghtweight Stratospheric Air (LISA) and BigLISA samplers and measured on a Quantum Cascade Laser Spectrometer (QCLS). Our measurements show good accordance with previous COS observations. Moreover, laboratory tests of ozone (O3) scrubbers proved squalene to remove O3 very efficiently without biasing the measurements of other trace gases.
Luce Creman, Stuart K. Grange, Pascal Rubli, Andrea Fischer, Dominik Brunner, Christoph Hueglin, Lukas Emmenegger, and Leonie Bernet
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 1441–1463, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1441-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-1441-2026, 2026
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ZiCOS-L is a network of low-cost sensors in Zurich (Switzerland) to monitor carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. After correcting for drift and checking the sensor performance, we found that local factors like traffic, public events and vegetation affect CO2 levels. Even though the sensors have higher uncertainties than other sensors, the lower cost allows for a denser network with detailed insights into CO2 levels across the city, helping cities track emissions and support climate action plans.
Patrick Aigner, Jia Chen, Felix Böhm, Mali Chariot, Lukas Emmenegger, Lars Frölich, Stuart Grange, Daniel Kühbacher, Klaus Kürzinger, Olivier Laurent, Moritz Makowski, Pascal Rubli, Adrian Schmitt, and Adrian Wenzel
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 745–773, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-745-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-745-2026, 2026
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Dense urban CO2 monitoring is challenging due to cost and operational constraints. We developed a mid-cost sensor network for Munich, deployed on 17 rooftops. Temperature-stabilized enclosures and automated 2-point calibration ensured reliable performance, assessed by side-by-side comparison with a Picarro reference. In 1.5 years, the network collected 90 million measurements and resolved urban-rural gradients and seasonal diurnal patterns, capturing spatial CO2 variability at city scale.
Constantina Rousogenous, Christof Petri, Pierre-Yves Quéhé, Thomas Laemmel, Joshua L. Laughner, Maximilien Desservettaz, Michael Pikridas, Michel Ramonet, Efstratios Bourtsoukidis, Matthias Buschmann, Justus Notholt, Thorsten Warneke, Jean-Daniel Paris, Jean Sciare, and Mihalis Vrekoussis
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 565–581, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-565-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-565-2026, 2026
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The Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East is a greenhouse gas emission hotspot but lacks atmospheric monitoring. Our study introduces the first Total Carbon Column Observing Network site in this region, in Cyprus, providing high-precision columnar measurement of key greenhouse gases. This new dataset enhances global climate monitoring efforts, supports the validation of satellites, will help assess regional emission trends, filling a critical observational gap in this climate-sensitive region.
Zoé Le Bras, Pascal Rubli, Christoph Hueglin, and Stefan Reimann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 26, 869–878, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-869-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-869-2026, 2026
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Since 1994, harmful air pollutants called BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) have declined by up to 89 % in the suburban area of Zurich thanks to the introduction of various air quality directives in Switzerland and in Europe. Although their contribution to ozone formation became less abundant, they still significantly contribute to the formation of airborne particles. While this study shows clear improvements in air quality, it also highlights the need for further efforts.
Sandro Meier, Marius Vögtli, Andreas Hueni, Audrey McManemin, Adam R. Brandt, Catherine Juéry, Vincent Blandin, Dominik Brunner, and Gerrit Kuhlmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 19, 333–358, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-333-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-19-333-2026, 2026
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We tested a new airborne imaging instrument to detect and measure methane emissions. Flying over controlled test releases in France, we compared our measurements with known release rates. The instrument detected emissions as low as 5.5 kilograms per hour in good weather and 1.45 kilograms per hour in ideal conditions. Our results show that better wind information is crucial for accurate totals. Our new instrument is important for helping target methane leaks in energy and waste systems.
Eleftherios Ioannidis, Antoon Meesters, Michael Steiner, Dominik Brunner, Friedemann Reum, Isabelle Pison, Antoine Berchet, Rona Thompson, Espen Sollum, Frank-Thomas Koch, Christoph Gerbig, Fenjuan Wang, Shamil Maksyutov, Aki Tsuruta, Maria Tenkanen, Tuula Aalto, Guillaume Monteil, Hong Lin, Ge Ren, Marko Scholze, and Sander Houweling
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 18, 167–198, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-167-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-167-2026, 2026
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This paper describes a detailed study on CH4 European emissions, using different methodologies (9 total inverse models). The study spans over 15 years and provides detailed information on European CH4 emission trends and seasonality, using in-situ data, including Integrated Carbon Observation System (ICOS) network. Our results highlight the importance of improving details in the inversion setup, such as the treatment of lateral boundary conditions to narrow the uncertainty ranges further.
Camille Yver-Kwok, Michel Ramonet, Leonard Rivier, Jinghui Lian, Claudia Grossi, Roger Curcoll, Dafina Kikaj, Edward Chung, and Ute Karstens
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 16085–16106, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16085-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-16085-2025, 2025
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Here, we use greenhouse gas and radon data from a tall tower in France to estimate their fluxes within the station footprint from January 2017 to October 2024 using the Radon Tracer Method. Using the latest radon exhalation maps and standardized radon measurements, we found the greenhouse gas fluxes to be in agreement with the literature. Compared to inventories, there is a general agreement except for carbon dioxide where we show that the biogenic fluxes are not well represented in the model.
Laura Bouillon, Valérie Gros, Morgan Lopez, Nicolas Bonnaire, Carole Philippon, Camille Yver Kwok, Leslie David, Olivier Perrussel, Olivier Sanchez, Simone Kotthaus, Jean-Eudes Petit, Philippe Ciais, and Michel Ramonet
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-602, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-602, 2025
Revised manuscript has not been submitted
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The Saclay observatory, 20 km southwest of Paris, monitored greenhouse and reactive gases, as well as aerosols, over 10 years to assess the impact of urban emissions. By comparing downwind and background conditions, the study revealed significant reductions in pollutants linked to traffic: -35.6 % for CO, -52.3 % for NOₓ, -56.7 % for eBC, and -15 % for CO2. These trends align with emission decrease estimates from AIRPARIF inventories over the same period.
Scott D. Chambers, Ute Karstens, Alan D. Griffiths, Stefan Röttger, Arnoud Frumau, Christopher T. Roulston, Peter Sperlich, Felix Vogel, Agnieszka Podstawczyńska, Dafina Kikaj, Maksym Gachkivskyi, Michel Ramonet, Blagoj Mitrevski, Janja Vaupotič, Xuemeng Chen, and Annette Röttger
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5042, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-5042, 2025
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The Radon Tracer Method (RTM) is a top-down approach to estimate greenhouse gas emissions. While simple in principle, incorrect use can complicate interpretation of results. Based on observations from a range of contrasting sites, this article reviews the underlying assumptions and key considerations for applying the RTM. It also introduces the concept of coupling RTM analyses with nocturnal stability classification, to reduce uncertainty of fetch estimates and improve interpretation of results.
Dominik Brunner, Ivo Suter, Leonie Bernet, Lionel Constantin, Stuart K. Grange, Pascal Rubli, Junwei Li, Jia Chen, Alessandro Bigi, and Lukas Emmenegger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 14387–14410, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14387-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14387-2025, 2025
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To support the city of Zurich in tracking its path to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions planned to be reached by 2040, a CO2 emission monitoring system was established. The system combines a dense network of CO2 sensors with a high-resolution atmospheric transport model GRAMM/GRAL. This study presents the setup of the model together with its numerous inputs and evaluates its performance in comparison with observations from the CO2 sensor network.
Félix Langot, Cyril Crevoisier, Thomas Lauvaux, Charbel Abdallah, Jérôme Pernin, Xin Lin, Marielle Saunois, Axel Guedj, Thomas Ponthieu, Julien Moyé, Michel Ramonet, Anke Roiger, Klaus-Dirk Gottschaldt, and Alina Fiehn
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5955–5983, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5955-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5955-2025, 2025
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Our study compares outputs from meteorological and atmospheric composition models to data from the MAGIC2021 campaign that took place in Sweden. Our results highlight performance differences among models, revealing strengths and weaknesses of different modelling techniques. We also found that wetland emission inventories overestimated emissions in regional simulations. This work helps to refine methane emission predictions, essential for understanding climate change.
Rainer Hilland, Josh Hashemi, Stavros Stagakis, Dominik Brunner, Lionel Constantin, Natascha Kljun, Ann-Kristin Kunz, Betty Molinier, Samuel Hammer, Lukas Emmenegger, and Andreas Christen
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 14279–14299, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14279-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14279-2025, 2025
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We present a study of simultaneously measured fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and co-emitted species in the city of Zurich. Flux measurements of CO2 alone cannot be attributed to specific emission sectors, such as road transport or residential heating. We present a model which uses the measured ratios of CO2 to carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) as well as sector-specific reference ratios, to attribute measured fluxes to their emission sectors.
Yuri Brugnara, Martin Steinbacher, Simone Baffelli, and Lukas Emmenegger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 14221–14236, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14221-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-14221-2025, 2025
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GAW-QC (Global Atmosphere Watch-Quality Control) is an interactive dashboard for the quality control of in-situ atmospheric composition measurements made at stations taking part in the Global Atmosphere Watch network. Even though it is mainly targeted at station operators who want to analyze recent, not yet published measurements, it allows anybody to verify the quality of already published measurements using various anomaly detection algorithms as well as visual comparisons.
Simone Brunamonti, Harald Saathoff, Albert Hertzog, Glenn Diskin, Masatomo Fujiwara, Karen Rosenlof, Ottmar Möhler, Béla Tuzson, Lukas Emmenegger, Nadir Amarouche, Georges Durry, Fabien Frérot, Jean-Christophe Samake, Claire Cenac, Julio Lopez, Paul Monnier, and Mélanie Ghysels
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5321–5348, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5321-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5321-2025, 2025
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Water vapor is a strong greenhouse gas, and accurate measurements of its concentration in the upper atmosphere (~8–25 km altitude) are crucial for reliable climate predictions. We investigated the performance of four airborne hygrometers, deployed on aircraft or stratospheric balloon platforms and based on different techniques, in a climate simulation chamber. The results demonstrate the high accuracy and reliability of the involved sensors for atmospheric monitoring and research applications.
Ann-Kristin Kunz, Lars Borchardt, Andreas Christen, Julian Della Coletta, Markus Eritt, Xochilt Gutiérrez, Josh Hashemi, Rainer Hilland, Armin Jordan, Richard Kneißl, Virgile Legendre, Ingeborg Levin, Susanne Preunkert, Pascal Rubli, Stavros Stagakis, and Samuel Hammer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 5349–5373, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5349-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-5349-2025, 2025
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We present, to our knowledge, the first relaxed eddy accumulation system explicitly tailored to a radiocarbon (14C)-based partitioning of fossil and non-fossil urban CO2 fluxes. Laboratory tests and in-depth quality and performance checks prove that the system meets the technical requirements. A pilot application on a tall tower in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, demonstrates the ability to separate fossil and non-fossil CO2 components within the typical precision of 14C measurements.
Gerrit Kuhlmann, Foteini Stavropoulou, Stefan Schwietzke, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Andrew Thorpe, Andreas Hueni, Lukas Emmenegger, Andreea Calcan, Thomas Röckmann, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5371–5385, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5371-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5371-2025, 2025
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A measurement campaign in 2019 found that methane emissions from oil and gas in Romania were significantly higher than reported. In 2021, our follow-up campaign using airborne remote sensing showed a marked decreases in emissions by 20 %–60 % due to improved infrastructure. The study highlights the importance of measurement-based emission monitoring and illustrates the value of a multi-scale assessment integrating ground-based observations with large-scale airborne remote sensing campaigns.
Marielle Saunois, Adrien Martinez, Benjamin Poulter, Zhen Zhang, Peter A. Raymond, Pierre Regnier, Josep G. Canadell, Robert B. Jackson, Prabir K. Patra, Philippe Bousquet, Philippe Ciais, Edward J. Dlugokencky, Xin Lan, George H. Allen, David Bastviken, David J. Beerling, Dmitry A. Belikov, Donald R. Blake, Simona Castaldi, Monica Crippa, Bridget R. Deemer, Fraser Dennison, Giuseppe Etiope, Nicola Gedney, Lena Höglund-Isaksson, Meredith A. Holgerson, Peter O. Hopcroft, Gustaf Hugelius, Akihiko Ito, Atul K. Jain, Rajesh Janardanan, Matthew S. Johnson, Thomas Kleinen, Paul B. Krummel, Ronny Lauerwald, Tingting Li, Xiangyu Liu, Kyle C. McDonald, Joe R. Melton, Jens Mühle, Jurek Müller, Fabiola Murguia-Flores, Yosuke Niwa, Sergio Noce, Shufen Pan, Robert J. Parker, Changhui Peng, Michel Ramonet, William J. Riley, Gerard Rocher-Ros, Judith A. Rosentreter, Motoki Sasakawa, Arjo Segers, Steven J. Smith, Emily H. Stanley, Joël Thanwerdas, Hanqin Tian, Aki Tsuruta, Francesco N. Tubiello, Thomas S. Weber, Guido R. van der Werf, Douglas E. J. Worthy, Yi Xi, Yukio Yoshida, Wenxin Zhang, Bo Zheng, Qing Zhu, Qiuan Zhu, and Qianlai Zhuang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 1873–1958, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1873-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-1873-2025, 2025
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Methane (CH4) is the second most important human-influenced greenhouse gas in terms of climate forcing after carbon dioxide (CO2). A consortium of multi-disciplinary scientists synthesise and update the budget of the sources and sinks of CH4. This edition benefits from important progress in estimating emissions from lakes and ponds, reservoirs, and streams and rivers. For the 2010s decade, global CH4 emissions are estimated at 575 Tg CH4 yr-1, including ~65 % from anthropogenic sources.
Stavros Stagakis, Dominik Brunner, Junwei Li, Leif Backman, Anni Karvonen, Lionel Constantin, Leena Järvi, Minttu Havu, Jia Chen, Sophie Emberger, and Liisa Kulmala
Biogeosciences, 22, 2133–2161, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2133-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-2133-2025, 2025
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The balance between CO2 uptake and emissions from urban green areas is still not well understood. This study evaluated for the first time the urban park CO2 exchange simulations with four different types of biosphere model by comparing them with observations. Even though some advantages and disadvantages of the different model types were identified, there was no strong evidence that more complex models performed better than simple ones.
Joël Thanwerdas, Antoine Berchet, Lionel Constantin, Aki Tsuruta, Michael Steiner, Friedemann Reum, Stephan Henne, and Dominik Brunner
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 1505–1544, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-1505-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-1505-2025, 2025
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The Community Inversion Framework (CIF) brings together methods for estimating greenhouse gas fluxes from atmospheric observations. The initial ensemble method implemented in CIF was found to be incomplete and could hardly be compared to other ensemble methods employed in the inversion community. In this paper, we present and evaluate a new implementation of the ensemble mode, building upon the initial developments.
Sebastien Conil, Gilles Bergametti, Laurent Langrene, Morgan Lopez, Olivier Masson, Cyril Pallares, and Michel Ramonet
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-148, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-148, 2025
Preprint archived
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From 2012 to 2023, hourly surface ozone, trace gases, meteorological parameters, and weekly beryllium-7 and sodium-22 activity were monitored at the OPE station in eastern France. While mean afternoon ozone concentrations showed no significant trend, baseline ozone increased by 0.7 µg·m⁻³ per year. Ozone anomalies were linked to pollutants (CO, NOx, CH4) from November to February, and to Stratosphere-to-Troposphere Transport proxies from April to September.
Stuart K. Grange, Pascal Rubli, Andrea Fischer, Dominik Brunner, Christoph Hueglin, and Lukas Emmenegger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 2781–2806, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2781-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-2781-2025, 2025
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Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a very important atmospheric pollutant, and to better understand the gas's source and sink dynamics, a mid-cost sensor network hosting 26 sites was deployed in and around Zurich, Switzerland. The sensor measurement performance was quantified, and natural and anthropogenic CO2 emission sources were explored with a focus on what drives high CO2 levels. The observations will be used further by others to validate what is thought to be known about CO2 emissions in the region.
Hossein Maazallahi, Foteini Stavropoulou, Samuel Jonson Sutanto, Michael Steiner, Dominik Brunner, Mariano Mertens, Patrick Jöckel, Antoon Visschedijk, Hugo Denier van der Gon, Stijn Dellaert, Nataly Velandia Salinas, Stefan Schwietzke, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Sorin Ghemulet, Alexandru Pana, Magdalena Ardelean, Marius Corbu, Andreea Calcan, Stephen A. Conley, Mackenzie L. Smith, and Thomas Röckmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1497–1511, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1497-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1497-2025, 2025
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This article presents insights from airborne in situ measurements collected during the ROmanian Methane Emissions from Oil and gas (ROMEO) campaign supported by two models. Results reveal Romania's oil and gas methane emissions were significantly under-reported to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2019. A large underestimation was also found in the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) v7.0 for the study domain in the same year.
Diego Santaren, Janne Hakkarainen, Gerrit Kuhlmann, Erik Koene, Frédéric Chevallier, Iolanda Ialongo, Hannakaisa Lindqvist, Janne Nurmela, Johanna Tamminen, Laia Amorós, Dominik Brunner, and Grégoire Broquet
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 211–239, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-211-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-211-2025, 2025
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This study evaluates data-driven inversion methods for estimating CO2 emissions from local sources, such as power plants and cities, using meteorological data and XCO2 and NO2 satellite images rather than atmospheric transport modeling. We assess and compare the performance of five different methods using simulations of 1 year of satellite images, taken from the upcoming Copernicus CO2 Monitoring Mission, covering 15 power plants and the city of Berlin, Germany.
Lilian Vallet, Charbel Abdallah, Thomas Lauvaux, Lilian Joly, Michel Ramonet, Philippe Ciais, Morgan Lopez, Irène Xueref-Remy, and Florent Mouillot
Biogeosciences, 22, 213–242, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-213-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-213-2025, 2025
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The 2022 fire season had a huge impact on European temperate forest, with several large fires exhibiting prolonged soil combustion reported. We analyzed CO and CO2 concentration recorded at nearby atmospheric towers, revealing intense smoldering combustion. We refined a fire emission model to incorporate this process. We estimated 7.95 Mteq CO2 fire emission, twice the global estimate. Fires contributed to 1.97 % of France's annual carbon footprint, reducing forest carbon sink by 30 % this year.
Pedro Henrique Herig Coimbra, Benjamin Loubet, Olivier Laurent, Laura Bignotti, Mathis Lozano, and Michel Ramonet
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6625–6645, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6625-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6625-2024, 2024
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This study presents direct flux measurements in tall towers using existing slow-response analysers and adding 3D sonic anemometers. This way, we can significantly improve greenhouse gas monitoring with little extra instrumental effort. Slow-response analysers may be used here as the relevant frequency ranges depend on measuring height. Tall towers offer a large footprint, amplifying spatial coverage. The presented concept is a valuable bridge between atmospheric and ecosystem communities.
Michael Steiner, Luca Cantarello, Stephan Henne, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 12447–12463, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12447-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-12447-2024, 2024
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Atmospheric greenhouse gas inversions have great potential to independently check reported bottom-up emissions; however they are subject to large uncertainties. It is paramount to address and reduce the largest source of uncertainty, which stems from the representation of atmospheric transport in the models. In this study, we show that the use of a temporally varying flow-dependent atmospheric transport uncertainty can enhance the accuracy of emission estimation in an idealized experiment.
Marie Lothon, François Gheusi, Fabienne Lohou, Véronique Pont, Serge Soula, Corinne Jambert, Solène Derrien, Yannick Bezombes, Emmanuel Leclerc, Gilles Athier, Antoine Vial, Alban Philibert, Bernard Campistron, Frédérique Saïd, Jeroen Sonke, Julien Amestoy, Erwan Bargain, Pierre Bosser, Damien Boulanger, Guillaume Bret, Renaud Bodichon, Laurent Cabanas, Guylaine Canut, Jean-Bernard Estrampes, Eric Gardrat, Zaida Gomez Kuri, Jérémy Gueffier, Fabienne Guesdon, Morgan Lopez, Olivier Masson, Pierre-Yves Meslin, Yves Meyerfeld, Nicolas Pascal, Eric Pique, Michel Ramonet, Felix Starck, and Romain Vidal
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 6265–6300, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6265-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-6265-2024, 2024
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The Pyrenean Platform for Observation of the Atmosphere (P2OA) is a coupled plain–mountain instrumented platform in southwestern France for the monitoring of climate variables and the study of meteorological processes in a mountainous region. A comprehensive description of this platform is presented for the first time: its instrumentation, the associated dataset, and a meteorological characterization the site. The potential of the P2OA is illustrated through several examples of process studies.
Noémie Taquet, Wolfgang Stremme, María Eugenia González del Castillo, Victor Almanza, Alejandro Bezanilla, Olivier Laurent, Carlos Alberti, Frank Hase, Michel Ramonet, Thomas Lauvaux, Ke Che, and Michel Grutter
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 11823–11848, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11823-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-11823-2024, 2024
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We characterize the variability in CO and CO2 emissions over Mexico City from long-term time-resolved Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy solar absorption and surface measurements from 2013 to 2021. Using the average intraday CO growth rate from total columns, the average CO / CO2 ratio and TROPOMI data, we estimate the interannual variability in the CO and CO2 anthropogenic emissions of Mexico City, highlighting the effect of an unprecedented drop in activity due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Jinghui Lian, Olivier Laurent, Mali Chariot, Luc Lienhardt, Michel Ramonet, Hervé Utard, Thomas Lauvaux, François-Marie Bréon, Grégoire Broquet, Karina Cucchi, Laurent Millair, and Philippe Ciais
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 5821–5839, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5821-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-5821-2024, 2024
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We have designed and deployed a mid-cost medium-precision CO2 sensor monitoring network in Paris since July 2020. The data are automatically calibrated by a newly implemented data processing system. The accuracies of the mid-cost instruments vary from 1.0 to 2.4 ppm for hourly afternoon measurements. Our model–data analyses highlight prospects for integrating mid-cost instrument data with high-precision measurements to improve fine-scale CO2 emission quantification in urban areas.
Ana Maria Roxana Petrescu, Glen P. Peters, Richard Engelen, Sander Houweling, Dominik Brunner, Aki Tsuruta, Bradley Matthews, Prabir K. Patra, Dmitry Belikov, Rona L. Thompson, Lena Höglund-Isaksson, Wenxin Zhang, Arjo J. Segers, Giuseppe Etiope, Giancarlo Ciotoli, Philippe Peylin, Frédéric Chevallier, Tuula Aalto, Robbie M. Andrew, David Bastviken, Antoine Berchet, Grégoire Broquet, Giulia Conchedda, Stijn N. C. Dellaert, Hugo Denier van der Gon, Johannes Gütschow, Jean-Matthieu Haussaire, Ronny Lauerwald, Tiina Markkanen, Jacob C. A. van Peet, Isabelle Pison, Pierre Regnier, Espen Solum, Marko Scholze, Maria Tenkanen, Francesco N. Tubiello, Guido R. van der Werf, and John R. Worden
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4325–4350, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4325-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4325-2024, 2024
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This study provides an overview of data availability from observation- and inventory-based CH4 emission estimates. It systematically compares them and provides recommendations for robust comparisons, aiming to steadily engage more parties in using observational methods to complement their UNFCCC submissions. Anticipating improvements in atmospheric modelling and observations, future developments need to resolve knowledge gaps in both approaches and to better quantify remaining uncertainty.
Josselin Doc, Michel Ramonet, François-Marie Bréon, Delphine Combaz, Mali Chariot, Morgan Lopez, Marc Delmotte, Cristelle Cailteau-Fischbach, Guillaume Nief, Nathanaël Laporte, Thomas Lauvaux, and Philippe Ciais
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2826, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2826, 2024
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Description of the network for measuring greenhouse gas concentrations in the Paris region and analysis of eight years of continuous monitoring.
Pierre Tulet, Joel Van Baelen, Pierre Bosser, Jérome Brioude, Aurélie Colomb, Philippe Goloub, Andrea Pazmino, Thierry Portafaix, Michel Ramonet, Karine Sellegri, Melilotus Thyssen, Léa Gest, Nicolas Marquestaut, Dominique Mékiès, Jean-Marc Metzger, Gilles Athier, Luc Blarel, Marc Delmotte, Guillaume Desprairies, Mérédith Dournaux, Gaël Dubois, Valentin Duflot, Kevin Lamy, Lionel Gardes, Jean-François Guillemot, Valérie Gros, Joanna Kolasinski, Morgan Lopez, Olivier Magand, Erwan Noury, Manuel Nunes-Pinharanda, Guillaume Payen, Joris Pianezze, David Picard, Olivier Picard, Sandrine Prunier, François Rigaud-Louise, Michael Sicard, and Benjamin Torres
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3821–3849, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3821-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3821-2024, 2024
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The MAP-IO program aims to compensate for the lack of atmospheric and oceanographic observations in the Southern Ocean by equipping the ship Marion Dufresne with a set of 17 scientific instruments. This program collected 700 d of measurements under different latitudes, seasons, sea states, and weather conditions. These new data will support the calibration and validation of numerical models and the understanding of the atmospheric composition of this region of Earth.
Rodrigo Rivera-Martinez, Pramod Kumar, Olivier Laurent, Gregoire Broquet, Christopher Caldow, Ford Cropley, Diego Santaren, Adil Shah, Cécile Mallet, Michel Ramonet, Leonard Rivier, Catherine Juery, Olivier Duclaux, Caroline Bouchet, Elisa Allegrini, Hervé Utard, and Philippe Ciais
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 17, 4257–4290, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4257-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-17-4257-2024, 2024
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We explore the use of metal oxide semiconductors (MOSs) as a low-cost alternative for detecting and measuring CH4 emissions from industrial facilities. MOSs were exposed to several controlled releases to test their accuracy in detecting and quantifying emissions. Two reconstruction models were compared, and emission estimates were computed using a Gaussian dispersion model. Findings show that MOSs can provide accurate emission estimates with a 25 % emission rate error and a 9.5 m location error.
Sandro Meier, Erik F. M. Koene, Maarten Krol, Dominik Brunner, Alexander Damm, and Gerrit Kuhlmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 7667–7686, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7667-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-7667-2024, 2024
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Nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO + NO2) are important air pollutants. This study addresses the challenge of accurately estimating NOx emissions from NO2 satellite observations. We develop a realistic model to convert NO2 to NOx by using simulated plumes from various power plants. We apply the model to satellite NO2 observations, significantly reducing biases in estimated NOx emissions. The study highlights the potential for a consistent, high-resolution estimation of NOx emissions using satellite data.
Gerrit Kuhlmann, Erik Koene, Sandro Meier, Diego Santaren, Grégoire Broquet, Frédéric Chevallier, Janne Hakkarainen, Janne Nurmela, Laia Amorós, Johanna Tamminen, and Dominik Brunner
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 4773–4789, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4773-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-4773-2024, 2024
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We present a Python software library for data-driven emission quantification (ddeq). It can be used to determine the emissions of hot spots (cities, power plants and industry) from remote sensing images using different methods. ddeq can be extended for new datasets and methods, providing a powerful community tool for users and developers. The application of the methods is shown using Jupyter notebooks included in the library.
Michael Steiner, Wouter Peters, Ingrid Luijkx, Stephan Henne, Huilin Chen, Samuel Hammer, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2759–2782, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2759-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2759-2024, 2024
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The Paris Agreement increased interest in estimating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of individual countries, but top-down emission estimation is not yet considered policy-relevant. It is therefore paramount to reduce large errors and to build systems that are based on the newest atmospheric transport models. In this study, we present the first application of ICON-ART in the inverse modeling of GHG fluxes with an ensemble Kalman filter and present our results for European CH4 emissions.
Robert Hanfland, Dominik Brunner, Christiane Voigt, Alina Fiehn, Anke Roiger, and Margit Pattantyús-Ábrahám
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 2511–2534, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2511-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2511-2024, 2024
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To show that the three-dimensional dispersion of plumes simulated by the Atmospheric Radionuclide Transport Model within the planetary boundary layer agrees with real plumes, we identify the most important input parameters and analyse the turbulence properties of five different turbulence models in very unstable stratification conditions using their deviation from the well-mixed state. Simulations show that one model agrees slightly better in unstable stratification conditions.
Paolo Cristofanelli, Cosimo Fratticioli, Lynn Hazan, Mali Chariot, Cedric Couret, Orestis Gazetas, Dagmar Kubistin, Antti Laitinen, Ari Leskinen, Tuomas Laurila, Matthias Lindauer, Giovanni Manca, Michel Ramonet, Pamela Trisolino, and Martin Steinbacher
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5977–5994, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5977-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5977-2023, 2023
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We investigated the application of two automatic methods for detecting spikes due to local emissions in greenhouse gas (GHG) observations at a subset of sites from the ICOS Atmosphere network. We analysed the sensitivity to the spike frequency of using different methods and settings. We documented the impact of the de-spiking on different temporal aggregations (i.e. hourly, monthly and seasonal averages) of CO2, CH4 and CO 1 min time series.
Douglas E. J. Worthy, Michele K. Rauh, Lin Huang, Felix R. Vogel, Alina Chivulescu, Kenneth A. Masarie, Ray L. Langenfelds, Paul B. Krummel, Colin E. Allison, Andrew M. Crotwell, Monica Madronich, Gabrielle Pétron, Ingeborg Levin, Samuel Hammer, Sylvia Michel, Michel Ramonet, Martina Schmidt, Armin Jordan, Heiko Moossen, Michael Rothe, Ralph Keeling, and Eric J. Morgan
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5909–5935, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5909-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5909-2023, 2023
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Network compatibility is important for inferring greenhouse gas fluxes at global or regional scales. This study is the first assessment of the measurement agreement among seven individual programs within the World Meteorological Organization community. It compares co-located flask air measurements at the Alert Observatory in Canada over a 17-year period. The results provide stronger confidence in the uncertainty estimation while using those datasets in various data interpretation applications.
Ioannis Katharopoulos, Dominique Rust, Martin K. Vollmer, Dominik Brunner, Stefan Reimann, Simon J. O'Doherty, Dickon Young, Kieran M. Stanley, Tanja Schuck, Jgor Arduini, Lukas Emmenegger, and Stephan Henne
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 14159–14186, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14159-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-14159-2023, 2023
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The effectiveness of climate change mitigation needs to be scrutinized by monitoring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Countries report their emissions to the UN in a bottom-up manner. By combining atmospheric observations and transport models someone can independently validate emission estimates in a top-down fashion. We report Swiss emissions of synthetic GHGs based on kilometer-scale transport and inverse modeling, highlighting the role of appropriate resolution in complex terrain.
Simone Brunamonti, Manuel Graf, Tobias Bühlmann, Céline Pascale, Ivan Ilak, Lukas Emmenegger, and Béla Tuzson
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4391–4407, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4391-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4391-2023, 2023
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The abundance of water vapor (H2O) in the upper atmosphere has a significant impact on the rate of global warming. We developed a new lightweight spectrometer (ALBATROSS) for H2O measurements aboard meteorological balloons. Here, we assess the accuracy and precision of ALBATROSS using metrology-grade reference gases. The results demonstrate the exceptional potential of mid-infrared laser absorption spectroscopy as a new reference method for in situ measurements of H2O in the upper atmosphere.
Foteini Stavropoulou, Katarina Vinković, Bert Kers, Marcel de Vries, Steven van Heuven, Piotr Korbeń, Martina Schmidt, Julia Wietzel, Pawel Jagoda, Jaroslav M. Necki, Jakub Bartyzel, Hossein Maazallahi, Malika Menoud, Carina van der Veen, Sylvia Walter, Béla Tuzson, Jonas Ravelid, Randulph Paulo Morales, Lukas Emmenegger, Dominik Brunner, Michael Steiner, Arjan Hensen, Ilona Velzeboer, Pim van den Bulk, Hugo Denier van der Gon, Antonio Delre, Maklawe Essonanawe Edjabou, Charlotte Scheutz, Marius Corbu, Sebastian Iancu, Denisa Moaca, Alin Scarlat, Alexandru Tudor, Ioana Vizireanu, Andreea Calcan, Magdalena Ardelean, Sorin Ghemulet, Alexandru Pana, Aurel Constantinescu, Lucian Cusa, Alexandru Nica, Calin Baciu, Cristian Pop, Andrei Radovici, Alexandru Mereuta, Horatiu Stefanie, Alexandru Dandocsi, Bas Hermans, Stefan Schwietzke, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Huilin Chen, and Thomas Röckmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10399–10412, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10399-2023, 2023
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In this study, we quantify CH4 emissions from onshore oil production sites in Romania at source and facility level using a combination of ground- and drone-based measurement techniques. We show that the total CH4 emissions in our studied areas are much higher than the emissions reported to UNFCCC, and up to three-quarters of the detected emissions are related to operational venting. Our results suggest that oil and gas production infrastructure in Romania holds a massive mitigation potential.
Jinghui Lian, Thomas Lauvaux, Hervé Utard, François-Marie Bréon, Grégoire Broquet, Michel Ramonet, Olivier Laurent, Ivonne Albarus, Mali Chariot, Simone Kotthaus, Martial Haeffelin, Olivier Sanchez, Olivier Perrussel, Hugo Anne Denier van der Gon, Stijn Nicolaas Camiel Dellaert, and Philippe Ciais
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 8823–8835, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8823-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-8823-2023, 2023
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This study quantifies urban CO2 emissions via an atmospheric inversion for the Paris metropolitan area over a 6-year period from 2016 to 2021. Results show a long-term decreasing trend of about 2 % ± 0.6 % per year in the annual CO2 emissions over Paris. We conclude that our current capacity can deliver near-real-time CO2 emission estimates at the city scale in under a month, and the results agree within 10 % with independent estimates from multiple city-scale inventories.
Rodrigo Andres Rivera Martinez, Diego Santaren, Olivier Laurent, Gregoire Broquet, Ford Cropley, Cécile Mallet, Michel Ramonet, Adil Shah, Leonard Rivier, Caroline Bouchet, Catherine Juery, Olivier Duclaux, and Philippe Ciais
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2209–2235, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2209-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2209-2023, 2023
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A network of low-cost sensors is a good alternative to improve the detection of fugitive CH4 emissions. We present the results of four tests conducted with two types of Figaro sensors that were assembled on four chambers in a laboratory experiment: a comparison of five models to reconstruct the CH4 signal, a strategy to reduce the training set size, a detection of age effects in the sensors and a test of the capability to transfer a model between chambers for the same type of sensor.
Nadia K. Colombi, Daniel J. Jacob, Laura Hyesung Yang, Shixian Zhai, Viral Shah, Stuart K. Grange, Robert M. Yantosca, Soontae Kim, and Hong Liao
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 4031–4044, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4031-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-4031-2023, 2023
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Surface ozone, detrimental to human and ecosystem health, is very high and increasing in South Korea. Using a global model of the atmosphere, we found that emissions from South Korea and China contribute equally to the high ozone observed. We found that in the absence of all anthropogenic emissions over East Asia, ozone is still very high, implying that the air quality standard in South Korea is not practically achievable unless this background external to East Asia can be decreased.
Anna Agustí-Panareda, Jérôme Barré, Sébastien Massart, Antje Inness, Ilse Aben, Melanie Ades, Bianca C. Baier, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Tobias Borsdorff, Nicolas Bousserez, Souhail Boussetta, Michael Buchwitz, Luca Cantarello, Cyril Crevoisier, Richard Engelen, Henk Eskes, Johannes Flemming, Sébastien Garrigues, Otto Hasekamp, Vincent Huijnen, Luke Jones, Zak Kipling, Bavo Langerock, Joe McNorton, Nicolas Meilhac, Stefan Noël, Mark Parrington, Vincent-Henri Peuch, Michel Ramonet, Miha Razinger, Maximilian Reuter, Roberto Ribas, Martin Suttie, Colm Sweeney, Jérôme Tarniewicz, and Lianghai Wu
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 3829–3859, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3829-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-3829-2023, 2023
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We present a global dataset of atmospheric CO2 and CH4, the two most important human-made greenhouse gases, which covers almost 2 decades (2003–2020). It is produced by combining satellite data of CO2 and CH4 with a weather and air composition prediction model, and it has been carefully evaluated against independent observations to ensure validity and point out deficiencies to the user. This dataset can be used for scientific studies in the field of climate change and the global carbon cycle.
Ana Maria Roxana Petrescu, Chunjing Qiu, Matthew J. McGrath, Philippe Peylin, Glen P. Peters, Philippe Ciais, Rona L. Thompson, Aki Tsuruta, Dominik Brunner, Matthias Kuhnert, Bradley Matthews, Paul I. Palmer, Oksana Tarasova, Pierre Regnier, Ronny Lauerwald, David Bastviken, Lena Höglund-Isaksson, Wilfried Winiwarter, Giuseppe Etiope, Tuula Aalto, Gianpaolo Balsamo, Vladislav Bastrikov, Antoine Berchet, Patrick Brockmann, Giancarlo Ciotoli, Giulia Conchedda, Monica Crippa, Frank Dentener, Christine D. Groot Zwaaftink, Diego Guizzardi, Dirk Günther, Jean-Matthieu Haussaire, Sander Houweling, Greet Janssens-Maenhout, Massaer Kouyate, Adrian Leip, Antti Leppänen, Emanuele Lugato, Manon Maisonnier, Alistair J. Manning, Tiina Markkanen, Joe McNorton, Marilena Muntean, Gabriel D. Oreggioni, Prabir K. Patra, Lucia Perugini, Isabelle Pison, Maarit T. Raivonen, Marielle Saunois, Arjo J. Segers, Pete Smith, Efisio Solazzo, Hanqin Tian, Francesco N. Tubiello, Timo Vesala, Guido R. van der Werf, Chris Wilson, and Sönke Zaehle
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 1197–1268, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-1197-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-1197-2023, 2023
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This study updates the state-of-the-art scientific overview of CH4 and N2O emissions in the EU27 and UK in Petrescu et al. (2021a). Yearly updates are needed to improve the different respective approaches and to inform on the development of formal verification systems. It integrates the most recent emission inventories, process-based model and regional/global inversions, comparing them with UNFCCC national GHG inventories, in support to policy to facilitate real-time verification procedures.
Dominik Brunner, Gerrit Kuhlmann, Stephan Henne, Erik Koene, Bastian Kern, Sebastian Wolff, Christiane Voigt, Patrick Jöckel, Christoph Kiemle, Anke Roiger, Alina Fiehn, Sven Krautwurst, Konstantin Gerilowski, Heinrich Bovensmann, Jakob Borchardt, Michal Galkowski, Christoph Gerbig, Julia Marshall, Andrzej Klonecki, Pascal Prunet, Robert Hanfland, Margit Pattantyús-Ábrahám, Andrzej Wyszogrodzki, and Andreas Fix
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 2699–2728, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2699-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-2699-2023, 2023
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We evaluated six atmospheric transport models for their capability to simulate the CO2 plumes from two of the largest power plants in Europe by comparing the models against aircraft observations collected during the CoMet (Carbon Dioxide and Methane Mission) campaign in 2018. The study analyzed how realistically such plumes can be simulated at different model resolutions and how well the planned European satellite mission CO2M will be able to quantify emissions from power plants.
Lars Mächler, Daniel Baggenstos, Florian Krauss, Jochen Schmitt, Bernhard Bereiter, Remo Walther, Christoph Reinhard, Béla Tuzson, Lukas Emmenegger, and Hubertus Fischer
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 355–372, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-355-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-355-2023, 2023
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We present a new method to extract the gases from ice cores and measure their greenhouse gas composition. The ice is sublimated continuously with a near-infrared laser, releasing the gases, which are then analyzed on a laser absorption spectrometer. The main advantage over previous efforts is a low effective resolution of 1–2 cm. This capability is crucial for the analysis of highly thinned ice, as expected from ongoing drilling efforts to extend ice core history further back in time.
Alkuin M. Koenig, Olivier Magand, Bert Verreyken, Jerome Brioude, Crist Amelynck, Niels Schoon, Aurélie Colomb, Beatriz Ferreira Araujo, Michel Ramonet, Mahesh K. Sha, Jean-Pierre Cammas, Jeroen E. Sonke, and Aurélien Dommergue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1309–1328, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1309-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1309-2023, 2023
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The global distribution of mercury, a potent neurotoxin, depends on atmospheric transport, chemistry, and interactions between the Earth’s surface and the air. Our understanding of these processes is still hampered by insufficient observations. Here, we present new data from a mountain observatory in the Southern Hemisphere. We give insights into mercury concentrations in air masses coming from aloft, and we show that tropical mountain vegetation may be a daytime source of mercury to the air.
Prabhakar Shrestha, Jana Mendrok, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 14095–14117, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14095-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-14095-2022, 2022
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The study extends the Terrestrial Systems Modeling Platform with gas-phase chemistry aerosol dynamics and a radar forward operator to enable detailed studies of aerosol–cloud–precipitation interactions. This is demonstrated using a case study of a deep convective storm, which showed that the strong updraft in the convective core of the storm produced aerosol-tower-like features, which affected the size of the hydrometeors and the simulated polarimetric features (e.g., ZDR and KDP columns).
Peter Bergamaschi, Arjo Segers, Dominik Brunner, Jean-Matthieu Haussaire, Stephan Henne, Michel Ramonet, Tim Arnold, Tobias Biermann, Huilin Chen, Sebastien Conil, Marc Delmotte, Grant Forster, Arnoud Frumau, Dagmar Kubistin, Xin Lan, Markus Leuenberger, Matthias Lindauer, Morgan Lopez, Giovanni Manca, Jennifer Müller-Williams, Simon O'Doherty, Bert Scheeren, Martin Steinbacher, Pamela Trisolino, Gabriela Vítková, and Camille Yver Kwok
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13243–13268, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13243-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13243-2022, 2022
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We present a novel high-resolution inverse modelling system, "FLEXVAR", and its application for the inverse modelling of European CH4 emissions in 2018. The new system combines a high spatial resolution of 7 km x 7 km with a variational data assimilation technique, which allows CH4 emissions to be optimized from individual model grid cells. The high resolution allows the observations to be better reproduced, while the derived emissions show overall good consistency with two existing models.
Simone M. Pieber, Béla Tuzson, Stephan Henne, Ute Karstens, Christoph Gerbig, Frank-Thomas Koch, Dominik Brunner, Martin Steinbacher, and Lukas Emmenegger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 10721–10749, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10721-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-10721-2022, 2022
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Understanding regional greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere is a prerequisite to mitigate climate change. In this study, we investigated the regional contributions of carbon dioxide (CO2) at the location of the high Alpine observatory Jungfraujoch (JFJ, Switzerland, 3580 m a.s.l.). To this purpose, we combined receptor-oriented atmospheric transport simulations for CO2 concentration in the period 2009–2017 with stable carbon isotope (δ13C–CO2) information.
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.
Sieglinde Callewaert, Jérôme Brioude, Bavo Langerock, Valentin Duflot, Dominique Fonteyn, Jean-François Müller, Jean-Marc Metzger, Christian Hermans, Nicolas Kumps, Michel Ramonet, Morgan Lopez, Emmanuel Mahieu, and Martine De Mazière
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7763–7792, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7763-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7763-2022, 2022
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A regional atmospheric transport model is used to analyze the factors contributing to CO2, CH4, and CO observations at Réunion Island. We show that the surface observations are dominated by local fluxes and dynamical processes, while the column data are influenced by larger-scale mechanisms such as biomass burning plumes. The model is able to capture the measured time series well; however, the results are highly dependent on accurate boundary conditions and high-resolution emission inventories.
Stuart K. Grange, Gaëlle Uzu, Samuël Weber, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, and Christoph Hueglin
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 7029–7050, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7029-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-7029-2022, 2022
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Oxidative potential (OP), a biologically relevant metric for particulate matter (PM), was linked to PM10 and PM2.5 sources and constituents across Switzerland between 2018 and 2019. Wood burning and non-exhaust traffic emissions were identified as key processes that led to enhanced OP. Therefore, the make-up of the PM mix was very important for OP. The results highlight the importance of the management of wood burning and non-exhaust emissions to reduce OP, and presumably biological harm.
Adam Brighty, Véronique Jacob, Gaëlle Uzu, Lucille Borlaza, Sébastien Conil, Christoph Hueglin, Stuart K. Grange, Olivier Favez, Cécile Trébuchon, and Jean-Luc Jaffrezo
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 6021–6043, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6021-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-6021-2022, 2022
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With an revised analytical method and long-term sampling strategy, we have been able to elucidate much more information about atmospheric plant debris, a poorly understood class of particulate matter. We found weaker seasonal patterns at urban locations compared to rural locations and significant interannual variability in concentrations between previous years and 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This suggests a possible man-made influence on plant debris concentration and source strength.
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.
Randulph Morales, Jonas Ravelid, Katarina Vinkovic, Piotr Korbeń, Béla Tuzson, Lukas Emmenegger, Huilin Chen, Martina Schmidt, Sebastian Humbel, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2177–2198, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2177-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2177-2022, 2022
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Mapping trace gas emission plumes using in situ measurements from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is an emerging and attractive possibility to quantify emissions from localized sources. We performed an extensive controlled-release experiment to develop an optimal quantification method and to determine the related uncertainties under various environmental and sampling conditions. Our approach was successful in quantifying local methane sources from drone-based measurements.
Gerrit Kuhlmann, Ka Lok Chan, Sebastian Donner, Ying Zhu, Marc Schwaerzel, Steffen Dörner, Jia Chen, Andreas Hueni, Duc Hai Nguyen, Alexander Damm, Annette Schütt, Florian Dietrich, Dominik Brunner, Cheng Liu, Brigitte Buchmann, Thomas Wagner, and Mark Wenig
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 1609–1629, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1609-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-1609-2022, 2022
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Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an air pollutant whose concentration often exceeds air quality guideline values, especially in urban areas. To map the spatial distribution of NO2 in Munich, we conducted the Munich NO2 Imaging Campaign (MuNIC), where NO2 was measured with stationary, mobile, and airborne in situ and remote sensing instruments. The campaign provides a unique dataset that has been used to compare the different instruments and to study the spatial variability of NO2 and its sources.
Dominique Rust, Ioannis Katharopoulos, Martin K. Vollmer, Stephan Henne, Simon O'Doherty, Daniel Say, Lukas Emmenegger, Renato Zenobi, and Stefan Reimann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 2447–2466, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2447-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-2447-2022, 2022
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Artificial halocarbons contribute to ozone layer depletion and to global warming. We measured the atmospheric concentrations of halocarbons at the Beromünster tower, modelled the Swiss emissions, and compared the results to the internationally reported Swiss emissions inventory. For most of the halocarbons, we found good agreement, whereas one refrigerant might be overestimated in the inventory. In addition, we present first emission estimates of the newest types of halocarbons.
Marc Schwaerzel, Dominik Brunner, Fabian Jakub, Claudia Emde, Brigitte Buchmann, Alexis Berne, and Gerrit Kuhlmann
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6469–6482, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6469-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6469-2021, 2021
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NO2 maps from airborne imaging remote sensing often appear much smoother than one would expect from high-resolution model simulations of NO2 over cities, despite the small ground-pixel size of the sensors. Our case study over Zurich, using the newly implemented building module of the MYSTIC radiative transfer solver, shows that the 3D effect can explain part of the smearing and that building shadows cause a noticeable underestimation and noise in the measured NO2 columns.
Alex Resovsky, Michel Ramonet, Leonard Rivier, Jerome Tarniewicz, Philippe Ciais, Martin Steinbacher, Ivan Mammarella, Meelis Mölder, Michal Heliasz, Dagmar Kubistin, Matthias Lindauer, Jennifer Müller-Williams, Sebastien Conil, and Richard Engelen
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 6119–6135, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6119-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-6119-2021, 2021
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We present a technical description of a statistical methodology for extracting synoptic- and seasonal-length anomalies from greenhouse gas time series. The definition of what represents an anomalous signal is somewhat subjective, which we touch on throughout the paper. We show, however, that the method performs reasonably well in extracting portions of time series influenced by significant North Atlantic Oscillation weather episodes and continent-wide terrestrial biospheric aberrations.
Pramod Kumar, Grégoire Broquet, Camille Yver-Kwok, Olivier Laurent, Susan Gichuki, Christopher Caldow, Ford Cropley, Thomas Lauvaux, Michel Ramonet, Guillaume Berthe, Frédéric Martin, Olivier Duclaux, Catherine Juery, Caroline Bouchet, and Philippe Ciais
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 14, 5987–6003, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5987-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-14-5987-2021, 2021
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This study presents a simple atmospheric inversion modeling framework for the localization and quantification of unknown CH4 and CO2 emissions from point sources based on near-surface mobile concentration measurements and a Gaussian plume dispersion model. It is applied for the estimate of a series of brief controlled releases of CH4 and CO2 with a wide range of rates during the TOTAL TADI-2018 experiment. Results indicate a ~10 %–40 % average error on the estimate of the release rates.
Cited articles
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Short summary
Urban inversions are gaining increasing attention, as cities are major contributors to anthropogenic emissions, making accurate emission estimates at this scale essential for supporting climate action plans and verifying reported emission reductions. We estimated carbon dioxide emissions in Zurich and Paris over one year by combining atmospheric observations with mesoscale model simulations. Our study shows how factors like city size, terrain, and measurement methods affect emission estimates.
Urban inversions are gaining increasing attention, as cities are major contributors to...
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