For over a year now, NASA's Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) mission has been surpassing expectations, revealing its capability to detect and pinpoint greenhouse gas emissions from space.
Launched in July 2022 aboard the International Space Station, EMIT initially aimed to map key minerals in arid regions but has since become a vital tool in tracking methane plumes, exceeding its creators' predictions, according to NASA.
"The number and scale of methane plumes measured by EMIT around our planet is stunning," said Robert O. Green, a JPL senior research scientist and EMIT's principal investigator.
This aerial photograph taken on April 18, 2023 in Guadeloupe shows a mangrove forest near Morne-à-l'eau. With rising seas threatening species and communities, the Caribbean island of Guadeloupe is rescuing its neglected mangroves, shoreline shrubs that offer a crucial defence against the ravages of climate change, absorbing greenhouse gas emissions, limiting the levels in the atmosphere that cause global warming
EMIT's Unexpected Capability
EMIT's unexpected proficiency in identifying point-source emissions of greenhouse gases, particularly methane, has sparked interest. Despite methane detection not being part of its primary mission, the imaging spectrometer has successfully identified over 750 emission sources since August 2022.
These emissions range from small and distant locations to persistent sources over time, showcasing the versatility and effectiveness of EMIT's capabilities.
Andrew Thorpe, a research technologist on the EMIT science team, expressed surprise at the instrument's performance, stating, "It has exceeded our expectations." This revelation comes after more than 50,000 scenes captured by EMIT since August 2022, providing valuable data on greenhouse gas emissions.
Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, plays a crucial role in climate change. It is up to 80 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over a decade, making it essential to track and address its sources.
EMIT's ability to identify emissions from various scales, ranging from tens of thousands of pounds per hour to mere hundreds, is particularly noteworthy. This allows for the identification of "super-emitters," sources that contribute disproportionately to total emissions, according to NASA.
Wide Coverage Area
The space-based instrument's advantage lies in its wide coverage area. Orbiting approximately 250 miles above the Earth's surface on the International Space Station, EMIT captures data over expansive arid regions, previously beyond the reach of airborne instruments.
This broad scope enables researchers to observe methane plumes in regions considered too remote, risky, or costly for airborne campaigns.
NASA notes that EMIT's observations have provided critical insights into methane emissions, including detecting a cluster of emissions sources in southern Uzbekistan and identifying smaller-than-expected plumes in remote areas like southeastern Libya.
To facilitate source identification, the EMIT science team creates maps of methane plumes, releasing them on a dedicated website. The mission's data, including underlying information, is publicly available, enabling scientists, organizations, and the public to access and utilize this valuable resource in ongoing efforts to address greenhouse gas emissions.
The findings of the missionw were published in the journal Science Advances.
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