How much methane are in the atmosphere? This tool allows to detect when this gas arises on Earth

The application, called ‘Methane Hotspot Explorer’, is a “New tool to observe and visualize the location of concentrations of that gas in real time and identify its potential origin”, Explained in a statement Copernicus, the EU satellite system for the observation of the Earth.

The application, developed by the Institute for Space Research of the Netherlands, It allows those who use it to visualize the so -called “methane feathers” – concentrations of said gas – satellite detected in time forks that can be daily or every fourteenth days.

‘Methane Hotspot Explorer’ will contribute to differentiating methane sources, whether they are due to mining or oil -related activities, the gas industry or the issuance of landfills, urban, rural or unknown and unexpected areas.

Bram Maasakkers, a scientist at the Dutch Space Research Institute, said about the new tool that its creation is only “the first step to mitigate the emissions” that provides “transparency over large emissions worldwide to political leaders and the public in general”.

Richard Engelen, deputy director of the Atmospheric Surveillance Service of Copernicus, said about the new application that it is a “new contribution to understand the role of human activity on the growing scenario of greenhouse gas emissions.”

The application, among other things, “will allow routine monitoring of emissions” of human activity on Earth that produce “greenhouse gases worldwide and local using jointly observations and modeling of the terrestrial system,” he added.

From Copernicus they pointed out that the ‘Methane Hotspot Explorer’ It will also help to detect rare methane emissions such as the one that occurred on January 31 on Mount Fentale, in Ethiopia, “the first detection of volcanic methane of this type.”

This detection was made thanks to the Tropomi sensor, built in a European cooperation led by the Netherlands space agency and is aboard the Sentinel-5P satellite, operated by the European Space Agency (that) within the Copernicus program.