Application of Cross-Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) Instrument for Remote Detection of Agricultural NH3 Emissions over Netherlands

Satellite observations have great potential for monitoring emissions and concentrations of atmospheric species. This is especially true for atmospheric ammonia (NH₃), which varies greatly in space and time and is difficult to measure in-situ due to its sticky nature.  NH₃ measurements are important as NH₃ is a significant contributor to the production of secondary inorganic aerosols (PM2.5) and can add excessive reactive nitrogen to the environment. In this study we demonstrate how satellite remote sensing observations can be used to monitor changes in NH₃ concentrations by evaluating timeseries of Cross-Track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) satellite data with in-situ NH₃ concentrations and meteorological parameters (i.e. soil temperature and soil moisture). We provide an example demonstrating the capability to monitor the annual springtime increase in atmospheric NH₃ concentrations in Netherlands, which is mainly associated with farming practices (e.g. manure spreading on fields in the springtime). We then combine these satellite observations of NH₃ with meteorological conditions, with the goal of developing a model to predict the timing of ammonia emissions based on past agricultural practices in the area (e.g. artificial fertilizer and manure spreading).