MethaneCAMP

MethaneCAMP gathers validation and algorithm knowledge to a joint assessment of the current satellite methane products and investigates the potential to improve these, for the first time from the perspective of the Arctic, with the ultimate goal of improving their applicability for inferring methane fluxes in Northern high latitudes. MethaneCAMP will synthesize the validation and campaign data available in the region. MethaneCAMP will also address point-source emissions, ‘hot spots’, as interpreted directly from the observations, and advance source attribution. With multi-scale observations, some of them tailored for high latitudes, MethaneCAMP will contribute to advancing inverse modelling with satellite data. The work in MethaneCAMP directly benefits the ESA-NASA Arctic Methane and Permafrost Challenge (AMPAC) initiative by establishing a connection between methane retrieval, validation, and flux inversion teams with Arctic interest in focus.

In general terms, MethaneCAMP aims to
• improve the observation capacity over polar regions by assessing satellite data and by identifying and testing satellite retrieval improvements,
• support the exploitation of the increasing EO capacity to enhance the scientific understanding of changes in methane emissions in the Arctic permafrost regions, and
• support AMPAC in bridging the gap between top-down and bottom-up estimates of methane fluxes in the changing Arctic. Ultimately, improved understanding of methane fluxes contributes to improved understanding of future climate.