CarbonSat-Constellation - The new Approach for Greenhouse Gas Monitoring from Space

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CarbonSat-Constellation - The new Approach for Greenhouse Gas Monitoring from Space

Global Warming increases the incidence of droughts, occurrence of weather extremes, sea level rise and other severe consequences for life on Earth. A temperature rise above +2°C will change our life completely. The increase of greenhouse gases is the main driver of global warming. CO2 and Methane are the two most important of these greenhouse gases.CO2 accounts for 60% and Methane for 20% of the Global warming since the industrial revolution.
 

Climate Change – The problem of the 21. Century

Answers to several important open questions about the sources and sinks of CO2 and Methane are essential to provide necessary information for reliable climate predications.

  • How much CO2 is absorbed by forests & oceans? (Sinks)
  • How will the sinks react to a changing climate? Will today´s sinks turn into sources?
  • How much Methane is emitted from melting permafrost soil?
  • What is the distribution of natural and anthropogenic sources and sinks?
  • Who emits how much (Sources)? Are the reported Emissions correct?

 

First demonstration

Thanks to their global coverage, earth observation satellites can provide important data on sources and sinks of CO2 and methane, to fill these knowledge gaps. First global measurements of CO2 and Methane are already obtained, for example by the “Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric ChartographY” (SCIAMACHY) on ENVISAT.

 

CO2- and Methane measurements from space

Following the typology of the SCIAMACHY instrument, a spectrometer measures the reflected light energy in the selected spectral bands which are sensitive to CO2 and CH4. The concentration of CO2 and CH4 in the air column along the light path can than clearly be derived from the measurements via absorption spectroscopy.
For further information see: http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de/sciamachy/NIR_NADIR_WFM_DOAS/


 


© OHB-System-AG
CarbonSat in comparison with current and planned missions
(Click on the picture to enlarge)


© OHB-Sytem-AG
(Click on the picture to enlarge)

 

CarbonSat

Based on the experience and lessons learned from SCIAMACHY, we propose the satellite concept- CarbonSat which is optimized for CO2 and Methane monitoring with significant increased spatial resolution, enabling Hot Spot measurements of for example power plants, steelworks, cities and volcanoes. The increased resolution additionally helps the satellite to increase the number of cloud free observation measurements, enabling spatial differentiation of natural and anthropogenic sources and sinks for the first time. A designated higher spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio increases the accuracy of the mentioned CO2 and Methane measurements.
For further information see: http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de/carbonsat/

 

Specification Performance
Spectral Bands NIR:0.045nm@ 760nm
SWIR-1: 0.3nm @ 1.6µm
SWIR-2: 0.1nm @ 2.0µm
Spatial resolution 2km*2km
Swath width 500km
Mission life time 7 years
Satellite mass 750 kg class
Downlink rate 320 Mbit/s
Power avg. 400 W


CarbonSat and CarbonSat constellation

CarbonSat in comparison with current and planned CO2 and/or CH4 Missions:


Carbon Sat is urgently needed

Since none of the current or planned future missions will achieve CO2 and methane detection with high spatial resolution, good coverage and good accuracy at the same time, CarbonSat is urgently needed. CarbonSat achieves a high spatial resolution of 2 x 2 km2 and good coverage of 500km with the state of the art technology available.  To provide more reliable and timely operational services the CarbonSat concept includes a possible extension to a multi satellite mission.

 

CarbonSat Constellation-Global daily coverage

A Constellation of five CarbonSat satellites provides daily global CO2 and Methane measurements everywhere on Earth. The combined ground coverage of the constellation is equal to 2500 km on ground, obtained in a single orbit phase, leading to a complete global coverage per day.This is mandatory to provide global, more frequent,  high resolution and accuracy improved measurements.


Internationally Coordinated Constellation

Each nation contributes one satellite controlled by its own ground station. To provide global daily coverage the Constellation Coordination Centre (CCC) coordinates the constellation operation and international data distribution.


CarbonSat Product Examples for CO2

High resolution CO2 concentration maps and hot spot monitoring of emissions of for example power plants, steelworks, cities and volcanoes.

 

CarbonSat Product Examples for Methane

High resolution methane concentration maps and hot spot monitoring of emissions of for example pipelines, compressor stations, landfills / waste, seeps, oil & gas fields, mud volcanoes.

 

Benefits and the international impacts

With CarbonSat Constellation, we will be the first, leading the CO2 and Methane monitoring from demonstration to operational services with global, high frequent, high resolution and accurate measurements:
 

This enables a better understanding of the sources and sinks of CO2 and Methane to provide reliable climate change predictions and in addition to support the upcoming environmental (post Kyoto) protocols. CarbonSat Constellation will be able to provide independent and non-intrusive CO2 and Methane emissions verification with transparency and therefore helps on reaching international agreements on CO2 and Methane emission reduction through independent data and consequent enforcement.
 

A CarbonSat Constellation Consortium will enable each member to pay one satellite but access the entire constellation and its operational services. With members from both developed and developing countries, it will be possible to encourage knowledge transfer and help to establish common understandings of the climate change.
 

Interest in participation in the CarbonSat constellation, please contact OHB System AG.
 

Urgent actions needed now to be ready for operation of the CarbonSat Constellation as soon as possible.

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Company Profile OHB:
OHB-System AG is a medium-sized systems provider belonging to the listed OHB Technology Group, which employs more than 1,600 people in the area of aerospace business.
OHB looks back on more than 25 years of experience in the successful development and qualification of space technology systems, especially in its segments Small Satellites, Human Space Flight and Exploration as well as in technologies for security and reconnaissance.

 

Institue Profile IUP:

The mission of the Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP) is to explore the “System Earth” using physical methods.

The research focus of the Institute of Environmental Physics (IUP) at the Universtiy of Bremen, is the study of the climate, atmosphere and the cryosphere and their interactions, with using remote sensing techniques as one methodological focus. The IUP currently employs approximately 120 scientists and support staff. The IFE/IUP is excellently equipped having modern laboratories, supporting spectroscopic techniques in the optical, infrared and microwave spectral regions for the study of spectroscopy and kinetics, and a hierarchy of computer facilities.

 

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Contact

Dr. Wei Sun
Tel.: +49 (0)421 2020-9849
Fax: +49 (0)421 2020-700
w [dot] sun [at] ohb-system [dot] de
www.ohb-system.de
OHB-System AG
Universitätsallee 27-29
28359 Bremen, Germany

 

 


Dr. Heinrich Bovensmann
Tel.: +49 (0)421 218-62102
Fax: +49 (0)421 218-4555
heinrich [dot] bovensmann [at] iup [dot] physik [dot] uni-bremen [dot] de
www.iup.uni-bremen.de
Institute for Environmental Physics
University of Bremen, FB1
Otto-Hahn-Allee 1
28359 Bremen, Germany

    

Volker Schumacher
Tel.: +49 (0)421 24420-1292
Fax.: +49 (0)421 24420-1294
schumacher [at] ceon-bremen [dot] de
www.ceon-bremen.de
CEON GmbH
Robert-Hooke-Straße 7
28359 Bremen, Germany

 

 


 

 

 

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