Comparing GOSAT observations of localized CO<sub>2</sub> enhancements by large emitters with inventory-based estimates

Author(s): Rajesh Janardanan, Shamil Maksyutov, Tomohiro Oda, Makoto Saito, Johannes W. Kaiser, Alexander Ganshin, Andreas Stohl, Tsuneo Matsunaga, Yukio Yoshida, Tatsuya Yokota
Abstract: We employed an atmospheric transport model to attribute column-averaged CO₂ mixing ratios (X_CO2) observed by Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT) to emissions due to large sources such as megacities and power plants. X_CO2 enhancements estimated from observations were compared to model simulations implemented at the spatial resolution of the satellite observation footprint (0.1° × 0.1°). We found that the simulated X_CO2 enhancements agree with the observed over several continental regions across the globe, for example, for North America with an observation to simulation ratio of 1.05 ± 0.38 (p < 0.1), but with a larger ratio over East Asia (1.22 ± 0.32; p < 0.05). The obtained observation-model discrepancy (22%) for East Asia is comparable to the uncertainties in Chinese emission inventories (∼15%) suggested by recent reports. Our results suggest that by increasing the number of observations around emission sources, satellite instruments like GOSAT can provide a tool for detecting biases in reported emission inventories.
Organisation(s): Department of Meteorology and Geophysics
External organisation(s): National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan, National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA), Universities Space Research Association, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemie (Otto-Hahn-Institut), Central Aerological Observatory, Tomsk State University, Norwegian Institute for Air Research
Journal: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 43
Pages: 3486-3493
No. of pages: 8
ISSN: 0094-8276
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL067843
Publication date: 04-2016
Peer reviewed: Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012: 105206 Meteorology
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Geophysics, Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
Portal url: https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/comparing-gosat-observations-of-localized-co2-enhancements-by-large-emitters-with-inventorybased-estimates(883e4a52-8381-43fb-8282-75c4ab8358b0).html

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