CO2 concentration and its spatiotemporal variation in the troposphere using multi-sensor satellite data, carbon tracker, and aircraft observations

Abstract

Satellite-based atmospheric CO2 observations have provided a great opportunity to improve our understanding of the global carbon cycle. However, thermal infrared (TIR)-based satellite observations, which are useful for the investigation of vertical distribution and the transport of CO2, have not yet been studied as much as the column amount products derived from shortwave infrared data. In this study, TIR-based satellite CO2 products – from Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES), and Thermal And Near infrared Sensor for carbon Observation – and carbon tracker mole fraction data were compared with in situ Comprehensive Observation Network for Trace gases by AIrLiner (CONTRAIL) data for different locations. The TES CO2 product showed the best agreement with CONTRAIL CO2 data resulting in R2 ~ 0.87 and root-mean-square error ~0.9. The vertical distribution of CO2 derived by TES strongly depends on the geophysical characteristics of an area. Two different climate regions (i.e., southeastern Japan and southeastern Australia) were examined in terms of the vertical distribution and transport of CO2. Results show that while vertical distribution of CO2 around southeastern Japan was mainly controlled by horizontal and vertical winds, horizontal wind might be a major factor to control the CO2 transport around southeastern Australia. In addition, the vertical transport of CO2 also varies by region, which is mainly controlled by anthropogenic CO2, and horizontal and omega winds. This study improves our understanding of vertical distribution and the transport of CO2, both of which vary by region, using TIR-based satellite CO2 observations and meteorological variables.