Methane Plume Detection and Quantification Intercomparison Analysis Based on EMIT Measurements

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that accelerates near-term warming. Satellites and other new remote sensing capabilities, can now detect previously invisible methane plumes, identifying leaks at oil and gas facilities, landfills, and coal mines worldwide. As this technology expands from research applications to broader use for monitoring, compliance, and mitigation decisions, ensuring that measurements are reliable and comparable across different providers becomes essential.

Annmarie Eldering, Senior Fellow at the Data Foundation's Climate Data Collaborative, led a new intercomparison study bringing together eight independent teams to analyze identical measurements from NASA's EMIT instrument. The exercise examined large methane plumes (2,000 to 15,000 kg/hr) across four global sites. Results showed encouraging convergence. Emission estimates agreed within 30-50% and plume origins were identified within 50-110 meters, roughly 1-2 satellite pixels. The work also revealed variations resulting from different analytical approaches, from how teams define plume boundaries to how they account for wind conditions. 

As more organizations develop detection capabilities, understanding these methodological differences is important for building confidence in the data and for allowing the use of multiple data sets. To address this need, the study establishes systematic methods for comparing results across teams. The next critical step is validation against controlled releases where actual emission rates are known, enabling assessment of not just precision but accuracy. This foundation of conducting rigorous intercomparisons and working toward consensus standards helps ensure that methane data from the most advanced remote sensing technologies can be reliably used to inform regulatory actions, corporate accountability, and mitigation investments.

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