Using Commercial Aircraft to Monitor Urban Carbon Reservoirs

Our current understanding of the carbon cycle relies on a limited network of direct and remote sensing systems for measuring atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs). While this has provided a general understanding of natural and anthropogenic GHG sources and sinks, it is insufficient for monitoring subtle emission changes caused by climate change, mitigation efforts, and interventions. To address this, a new network, integrating existing and emerging technologies, will be necessary. This network, enhanced through public-private partnerships, will enable verification of GHG emissions and uptake from global to local scales.

A prime example of these expanding private sector collaborations is the recent partnership between NOAA and United Airlines. This collaboration leverages commercial aircraft to provide up to eight daily atmospheric profiles at a fraction (1%) of the cost of comparable research aircraft. The benefits of these observations are magnified by their low cost, increased frequency, and the ability to frequently sample large metropolitan areas, which are often served by mid-size aircraft like the Boeing 737. These profiles are crucial for bridging the gap between ground-based direct measurements and satellite-based remote measurements, thereby facilitating GHG emission monitoring across all scales.

This presentation will offer an overview and update on a global initiative that utilizes a unique platform to enhance our capacity for GHG observation. Specifically, NOAA's agreement with United Airlines to carry a GHG analyzer in the EE-bay of their 737-900ER short-haul aircraft is expected to significantly expand measurements of CO2, CH4, CO, and water vapor in and out of major metropolitan areas worldwide. With 50 aircraft distributed among 10 different airlines, we anticipate sampling 200 metropolitan areas globally with a frequency of better than every 3 days. This will lead to a substantial reduction in the uncertainty of urban methane emissions, as well as providing critical constraints on regional GHG emissions and satellite retrievals through the unique characteristics of aircraft profiles.