Quasi-geostationary observations of CO2 from a highly elliptical orbit (HEO): a potential method for monitoring Arctic and Boreal CO2 fluxes (Invited)
Abstract
Geostationary satellites have the potential to observe atmospheric CO2 with unprecedented temporal coverage, but these observations are limited to about 60°N-60°S latitude, thus excluding the northernmost Boreal forests and the Arctic. A highly elliptical orbit (HEO) offers the potential for quasi-geostationary observations of these high latitude regions. Canada's proposed Polar Communications and Weather (PCW) mission would consist of two satellites in a HEO configuration, optimized for observing northern high latitudes (~50-90°N). Although the primary mission drivers are Arctic weather and communications, a mission enhancement consisting of an imaging Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) operating in the thermal infrared (TIR) to near-infrared (NIR) is also under consideration. CO2 and CH4 bands in the 5990-6257 cm-1 region (0.25 cm-1 resolution) and the O2 A band at 13060-13168 cm-1 (0.5 cm-1 resolution) would enable retrieval of XCO2 and XCH4. We report on an observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) to compare the use of XCO2 observations from PCW versus those from GOSAT for constraining Arctic and Boreal CO2 fluxes by inverse modelling. Our results demonstrate that HEO observations would yield improved constraints on regional-scale northern CO2 fluxes, where permafrost and other components of the carbon cycle will be important to monitor over the coming years.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUFM.A12C..01N
- Keywords:
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- 0315 ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE Biosphere/atmosphere interactions;
- 0428 BIOGEOSCIENCES Carbon cycling;
- 0480 BIOGEOSCIENCES Remote sensing;
- 3360 ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES Remote sensing