Researchers make critical breakthrough after using powerful satellite to track dangerous pollution: 'Large-scale missions'

Research published this March in the journal Environmental Research Letters has demonstrated an impressive new way to zero in on heavy polluters and monitor evolving pollution problems, according to a release via Phys.org.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute and Heidelberg University have established a method for using a German satellite, the Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program, or EnMAP, to determine the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) present in the same area "with an unprecedented spatial resolution."
These common air pollutants are generally released from the same source, so measuring one or the other independently has been challenging to date. This team leveraged the new technique to assess emissions from power plants.
The technology used for such measurements has typically "only [achieved] a spatial resolution of 3 to 5 kilometers" (about 1.9 to 3.1 miles), according to the release. But the EnMAP can achieve an "exceptionally high level of spatial detail" of a 30-meter (98-foot) square, producing more precise and usable data.
NO2 isn't technically a greenhouse gas like CO2, methane (CH4), or nitrous oxide (N2O), though it is harmful when in the home. Meanwhile, because NO2 is so often emitted alongside CO2, it is often used to measure CO2 based on an assumed ratio. With independent measuring made possible with the EnMAP, readings can now provide more accurate and insightful information.
The EnMAP has been in the sky for three years as of April and has been key to numerous climate-related studies. The paper's co-authors are hopeful about the future applications of the method they have developed using the satellite.
"Our study shows how satellites with high spatial resolution can contribute to the targeted monitoring of industrial emissions in the future—in addition to large-scale missions such as the European CO2M satellite," said research leader Thomas Wagner in a statement.
With accurate data being key to catching polluters as well as tracking potential improvements, there's the possibility for innovative measurement techniques to play a role in not only penalties for offenders but also in setting more pro-environment policies down the line.
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