Validation of Satellite Greenhouse Gas measurements over the Atlantic Ocean Using Shipborne Measurements

• Applicant: Dr. Seyedeh Nasrin Mostafavipak
• Subject Area: Atmospheric Science
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 572655451

Accurate satellite-based greenhouse gas (GHG) observations are essential for tracking emissions, understanding atmospheric dynamics, and improving climate models. However, satellite validation over oceans remains a major gap due to the lack of routine reference measurements. This project proposes to deploy a shipborne remote sensing system to address this gap by continuously measuring key GHGs—including CO₂, CH₄, CO, and NO₂—across the Atlantic Ocean. The centerpiece of the proposed work is the EM27/SUN Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer, housed in a custom-developed enclosure with an automated solar tracker suitable for maritime environments. Supplemented by a DOAS spectrometer for NO₂, the setup enables high-precision, autonomous operation on a commercial vessel traveling between Europe and South America. The measurements will provide total column abundances of multiple trace gases along a broad latitudinal transect and will be compared with satellite retrievals from OCO-2, OCO-3, GOSAT, and TROPOMI. The project aims to (1) validate satellite GHG products over the open ocean and coastal regions, (2) assess biases between land and ocean retrievals, (3) evaluate reanalysis datasets such as CAMS and CarbonTracker, (4) identify local emissions from coastal urban and industrial sources using downwind enhancement ratios, and (5) investigate interhemispheric gradients and long-term trends in total column CO₂ and CH₄. This work builds on the applicant’s extensive experience with the EM27/SUN in both stationary and mobile deployments, including urban networks, satellite validation campaigns, and emission characterization studies. The proposed research is timely and aligned with the objectives of upcoming GHG satellite missions (e.g., CO2M, CarbonMapper), and the resulting dataset will be among the first long-term validation records over the Atlantic. By filling a critical observational gap and improving satellite data accuracy, this project will support more robust GHG flux estimates and emission inventories, thereby contributing to global climate monitoring and policy frameworks such as the Paris Agreement.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. André Butz