On 1 March 2019, less than two years after launch, TROPOMI data for Methane (CH4) and Tropospheric Ozone (O3_TCL) were publically released. These trace gas species are relevant to the climate and help us better understand global warming. To read more about the data release and why it is important that TROPOMI measures Methane (CH4) and Tropospheric Ozone (O3_TCL), read the full story here on the ESA website. Methane measurements are challenging and relatively new in the satellite world. The daily, global measurement with the high spatial resolution 7 x 7 km from TROPOMI will make it possible to monitor large point sources and regional trends which up to this point has not been possible using satellite data alone. Both of these datasets can be downloaded via the Copernicus Open Data Access Hub.
The figure depicts atmospheric methane mapped by the Copernicus Sentinel-5P mission over wetlands in Nigeria between November 2018 and February 2019. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that enters the atmosphere mainly from the fossil fuel industry, landfill sites, livestock farming, rice agriculture and wetlands.
Starting on 11 July, 2018 the TROPOMI Instragram account is now updated weekly with images relevant to recent air quality events and to highlight the capabilities of TROPOMI data products already publically released. Recent features include summer smog events, smoke plumes from intense wildfires in North America, hurricane tracking, and a glimpse of the Antarctic ozone hole Follow us at: https://www.instagram.com/knmi_nl/
On Friday, 16 December 2017 at the end of the Annual Fall Meeting held by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in New Orleans, the first results from TROPOMI were presented to the international, scientific community by Pepijn Veefkind. In his presentation, highlights from the recent "First Light" events held at DLR and KNMI were shared with the packed room of eager observers. Pictured here in impressive clarity, are individual nitrogen dioxide plumes from the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants located on the South African "Highveld" just to the east of Johannesburg. This image was produced at KNMI within days after the cooler door opened on 7 November 2017 and the photo of it during presentation is courtesy of a member in the audience via Twitter. Just prior to this talk Pieternel Levelt also gave her PI talk about OMI, TROPOMI's important predecessor. From the first to the last day, Pepijn and Pieternel were greeted with congratulations from many international colleagues. The AGU first results presentation is included here as pdf file by clicking on the photo.
S5P/TROPOMI Principal Investigator (PI) Pepijn Veefkind telling the press in Stevenage about the scientific and societal significance of the measurements made by this instrument.
