COCCON Measurements of XCO2, XCH4 and XCO over Coal Mine Aggregation Areas in Shanxi, China, and Comparison to TROPOMI and CAMS Datasets

• Published in: Remote sensing (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 16; no. 21; p. 4022
• Main Authors: Tu, Qiansi, Hase, Frank, Qin, Kai, Alberti, Carlos, Lu, Fan, Bian, Ze, Cao, Lixue, Fang, Jiaxin, Gu, Jiacheng, Guan, Luoyao, Jiang, Yanwu, Kang, Hanshu, Liu, Wang, Liu, Yanqiu, Lu, Lingxiao, Shan, Yanan, Si, Yuze, Xu, Qing, Ye, Chang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 29.10.2024
• Subjects: Accuracy; Algorithms; Atmosphere; Atmospheric monitoring; Bias; Carbon dioxide; Carbon monoxide; Coal; Coal mines; Coal mining; Collaboration; Data analysis; Emissions; Fossil fuels; Fourier transforms; FTIR spectrometers; Gallium arsenide; Global warming; Greenhouse gases; Impact analysis; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectrometers; Mines; Monitoring; Monitoring instruments; Mountains; Oxidation; Remote sensing; Satellite observation; Satellites; Spectrometers; China; Germany
• ISSN: 2072-4292; 2072-4292
• DOI: 10.3390/rs16214022

This study presents the first column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of carbon dioxide (XCO2), methane (XCH4) and carbon monoxide (XCO) in the coal mine aggregation area in Shanxi, China, using two portable Fourier transform infrared spectrometers (EM27/SUNs), in the framework of the Collaborative Carbon Column Observing Network (COCCON). The measurements, collected over two months, were analyzed. Significant daily variations were observed, particularly in XCH4, which highlight the impact of coal mining emissions as a major CH4 source in the region. This study also compares COCCON XCO with measurements from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) onboard the Sentinel-5P satellite, revealing good agreement, with a mean bias of 7.15 ± 9.49 ppb. Additionally, comparisons were made between COCCON XCO2 and XCH4 data and analytical data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). The mean biases between COCCON and CAMS were −6.43 ± 1.75 ppm for XCO2 and 15.40 ± 31.60 ppb for XCH4. The findings affirm the stability and accuracy of the COCCON instruments for validating satellite observations and detecting local greenhouse gas sources. Operating COCCON spectrometers in coal mining areas offers valuable insights into emissions from these high-impact sources.