- Technical University of Munich , School of Computation, Information and Technology , Associate Professorship of Environmental Sensing and Modeling , Munich, Germany
Methane is a significant contributor to global warming, with its radiative forcing being approx. 32 times greater than that of CO2 over a hundred-year time frame. To advance the understanding of the earth's climate and mitigate global warming, collecting precise and reliable CH4 concentration data is essential.
We present a mobile measurement unit to identify and map local methane sources. The unit is mounted on a cargo bike, enabling flexible use in urban areas such as parks, pedestrian zones, or event spaces. It incorporates a high-precision CRDS trace gas analyzer (Picarro G2401) to measure CH4 concentrations and a wind sensor to capture wind speed and direction. A shock-absorbing frame ensures suspension during the transporting of the analyzer and supporting equipment. The mobile unit’s power distribution system allows dynamic switching between mains and battery power and hot-swapping of batteries during operation. A modular software stores the collected data and displays the mapped concentrations in real-time to the cargo bike driver via smartphone.
We conducted 13 measurement trips across Munich, covering a total distance of 170km, to map areas with potential methane emissions, including two wastewater treatment plants, a former landfill, a combined heat and power plant, and the Oktoberfest grounds. Fluctuations up to +2% above the baseline were observed across the city. The baseline was defined as the 5th percentile of all measurements of the corresponding trip. Additionally, significant enhancements of up to 204.9 ppm were detected, which were attributed to an unidentified methane leak near Munich's central station, with an estimated emission rate of 20.5 l/min.
We further integrated an OF-CEAS trace gas analyzer (LI-COR LI7810) into the setup for three side-by-side trips, allowing for a preliminary comparison and assessment of analyzer performance.
With this setup being easily transferable to other cities or, e.g., industrial parks, a versatile tool is present to detect and analyze methane sources and advance methane emission mitigation.
How to cite: Asam, C., Kühbacher, D., Luther, A., Stauber, J., and Chen, J.: Development of a Mobile Measurement Unit to Identify and Map Local Methane Sources, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-10770, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-10770, 2025.
