Jacob (CMS 2014) Project Profile   (updated 24-Sep-2021)
Project Title:High-Resolution Constraints on North American and Global Methane Sources Using Satellites

Science Team
Members:

Daniel Jacob, Harvard University (Project Lead)
Kevin Bowman, JPL

Project Duration: 2014 - 2017
Solicitation:NASA: Carbon Monitoring System (2014)
Successor Projects: Jacob (CMS 2016)  
Abstract: Our proposal will focus on the exploitation of GOSAT and TROPOMI data to better constrain anthropogenic and natural methane emissions at high resolution (0.25x0.33 deg) in North America and globally at (2x2.5 deg). Our work takes advantage of previous integration with CMS-Flux that uses a consistent 4DVAR capability and wetland emissions driven by common biogeochemical models and data. Products generated from this proposal will be used in collaboration with EPA scientists in integrating the information from bottom-up and top-down constraints on emissions. We anticipate a budget request of $300 K per year for three years.
Project Associations:
  • CMS
CMS Primary Theme:
  • Land-Atmosphere Flux
CMS Science Theme(s):
  • Atmospheric Transport
  • Land-Atmosphere Flux
  • Decision Support
  • MRV

Participants:

Ramon Alvarez, Environmental Defense Fund
Kevin Bowman, JPL
Ritesh Gautam, Environmental Defense Fund
Steven Hamburg, Environmental Defense Fund
William (Bill) Irving, U.S. EPA Climate Change Division
Daniel Jacob, Harvard University
Joannes Maasakkers, SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research
Michael (Mike) Moran, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
Claudia (Claudia Octaviano) Octaviano Villasana, Mexican National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change (INECC Mexico)
Ben Ratner, Environmental Defense Fund
Alexander Turner, University of California
Melissa Weitz, U.S. EPA Climate Change Division

Contact Support to request an email list of project participants.

Project URL(s): None provided.
 
Data
Products:
Product Title:  CMS: Global 0.5-deg Wetland Methane Emissions and Uncertainty (WetCHARTs v1.0)
Start Date:  01/2001      End Date:  12/2015     (2001-2015)
Description:  This data set provides global monthly wetland methane (CH4) emissions and uncertainty data products derived from an ensemble of multiple terrestrial biosphere models, wetland extent scenarios, and CH4:C temperature dependencies. The data are at 0.5 by 0.5-degree resolution. Two model output data products are included in WetCHARTs v1.0: an output from the full ensemble for 2009-2010 and an output from a limited subset for 2001-2015. The intended use of the products is as a process-informed wetland CH4 emission and uncertainty data set for atmospheric chemistry and transport modelling (WetCHARTs).
Status:  Archived
CMS Science Theme(s):  Atmospheric Transport; Global Surface-Atmosphere Flux; Land-Atmosphere Flux
Keywords:  Flux/Movement; Uncertainties & Standard Errors
Spatial Extent:  Global
Spatial Resolution:  0.5° x 0.5°
Temporal Frequency:  Monthly
Input Data Products:  Multiple terrestrial biosphere models, wetland extent scenarios and CH4:C temperature dependencies
Algorithm/Models Used:  
Evaluation:  The mean full ensemble and mean extended ensemble wetland emissions data were compared against a range of independent wetland CH4 regional emission estimates.
Intercomparison Efforts/Gaps:  
Uncertainty Estimates:  
Uncertainty Categories:  
Application Areas:  Use in atmospheric chemical transport models (WetCHARTs version 1.0); MRV; GHG emissions inventory; Watershed protection plans; Air quality protection; Land management and conservation
Relevant Policies/Programs:  Global Climate Change and Clean Air Initiative of the US State Department, Global Methane Initiative of the US EPA
Potential Users:  Air quality agencies at national level (e.g. EPA), industry groups (e.g. American Petroleum Institute), US State Department
Stakeholders:  
Current Application Readiness Level:  9
Start Application Readiness Level:  3
Target Application Readiness Level:  9
Future Developments:  
Limitations:  
Date When Product Available:  June 2017
Assigned Data Center:  ORNL DAAC
Metadata URL(s):

https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1502
Data Server URL(s):

https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1502
Archived Data Citation:  Bloom, A.A., K. Bowman, M. Lee, A.J. Turner, R. Schroeder, J.R. Worden, R.J. Weidner, K.C. McDonald, and D.J. Jacob. 2017. CMS: Global 0.5-deg Wetland Methane Emissions and Uncertainty (WetCHARTs v1.0). ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. DOI: 10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1502

Bounding Coordinates:
West Longitude:-180.00000 East Longitude:180.00000
North Latitude:90.00000 South Latitude:-90.00000

Product Title:  Methane (CH4) Flux for Canadian Oil/Gas Systems L4 V1 (CMS_CH4_FLX_CA) at GES DISC
Start Date:  01/2013      End Date:  01/2014     (2013)
Description:  This data set (CMS_CH4_FLX_CA) contains the yearly average methane (CH4) flux for Canada's oil and gas systems based on a bottom up calculation of oil/gas emissions reported by ICF International in 2013. A related data set (CMS_CH4_FLX_MX) contains the yearly average methane (CH4) flux for Mexico's oil and gas systems based on a bottom up calculation of oil/gas emissions reported by the Mexican Petrolium Institute in 2010. The Canadian emissions are concentrated in Alberta (gas production and processing) and the Mexican emissions are concentrated along the east coast (oil production). More details about the observations, algorithm, and scientific findings are described in Sheng et al. 2017.

The NASA Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) is designed to make significant contributions in characterizing, quantifying, understanding, and predicting the evolution of global carbon sources and sinks through improved monitoring of carbon stocks and fluxes. The System will use the full range of NASA satellite observations and modeling/analysis capabilities to establish the accuracy, quantitative uncertainties, and utility of products for supporting national and international policy, regulatory, and management activities. CMS will maintain a global emphasis while providing finer scale regional information, utilizing space-based and surface-based data and will rapidly initiate generation and distribution of products both for user evaluation and to inform near-term policy development and planning.
Status:  Archived
CMS Science Theme(s):  Atmospheric Transport; Land-Atmosphere Flux; MRV
Keywords:  Source (; anthropogenic; terrestrial)
Spatial Extent:  Canada
Spatial Resolution:  0.1° x 0.1°
Temporal Frequency:  1 year
Input Data Products:  
Algorithm/Models Used:  
Evaluation:  
Intercomparison Efforts/Gaps:  
Uncertainty Estimates:  
Uncertainty Categories:  
Application Areas:  - MRV; - GHG emissions inventory; - Air quality protection
Relevant Policies/Programs:  
Potential Users:  Air quality agencies at national level, industry groups, US State Department
Stakeholders:  EDF (Point of Contact: Ritesh Gautam, Daniel Zavala); EPA (Point of Contact: Bill Irving and his group in the Climate Change Division)
Current Application Readiness Level:  9
Start Application Readiness Level:  1
Target Application Readiness Level:  9
Future Developments:  
Limitations:  
Date When Product Available:  July 2017
Assigned Data Center:  GES DISC
Metadata URL(s):

https://acdisc.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/CMS/CMS_CH4_FLX_CA.1/doc/README.CMS_CH4_FLX_CAMX_V1.pdf
Data Server URL(s):

https://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/datasets/CMS_CH4_FLX_CA_V1/summary?keywords=CMS
Archived Data Citation:  Jianxiong Sheng & Daniel Jacob(2016), Methane (CH4) Flux for Canada's Oil/Gas Systems L4 V1, Greenbelt, MD, USA, Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), Accessed [Data Access Date] 10.5067/6K2DW26DXETZ

Bounding Coordinates:
West Longitude:-142.05000 East Longitude:-47.05000
North Latitude:69.95000 South Latitude:40.05000

Product Title:  Methane (CH4) Flux for Mexican Oil/Gas Systems L4 V1 (CMS_CH4_FLX_MX) at GES DISC
Start Date:  01/2010      End Date:  01/2011     (2010)
Description:  This data set (CMS_CH4_FLX_MX) contains the yearly average methane (CH4) flux for Mexico's oil and gas systems based on a bottom up calculation of oil/gas emissions reported by the Mexican Petrolium Institute in 2010. A related data set (CMS_CH4_FLX_CA) contains the yearly average methane (CH4) flux for Canada's oil and gas systems based on a bottom up calculation of oil/gas emissions reported by ICF International in 2013. The Mexican emissions are concentrated along the east coast (oil production) and the Canadian emissions are concentrated in Alberta (gas production and processing). More details about the observations, algorithm, and scientific findings are described in Sheng et al. 2017.

The NASA Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) is designed to make significant contributions in characterizing, quantifying, understanding, and predicting the evolution of global carbon sources and sinks through improved monitoring of carbon stocks and fluxes. The System will use the full range of NASA satellite observations and modeling/analysis capabilities to establish the accuracy, quantitative uncertainties, and utility of products for supporting national and international policy, regulatory, and management activities. CMS will maintain a global emphasis while providing finer scale regional information, utilizing space-based and surface-based data and will rapidly initiate generation and distribution of products both for user evaluation and to inform near-term policy development and planning.
Status:  Archived
CMS Science Theme(s):  Atmospheric Transport; Land-Atmosphere Flux; MRV
Keywords:  Source (; anthropogenic; terrestrial)
Spatial Extent:  Mexico
Spatial Resolution:  0.1° x 0.1°
Temporal Frequency:  1 year
Input Data Products:  
Algorithm/Models Used:  
Evaluation:  
Intercomparison Efforts/Gaps:  
Uncertainty Estimates:  
Uncertainty Categories:  
Application Areas:  - MRV; - GHG emissions inventory; - Air quality protection
Relevant Policies/Programs:  
Potential Users:  Air quality agencies at national level, industry groups, US State Department
Stakeholders:  EDF (Point of Contact: Ritesh Gautam, Daniel Zavala); EPA (Point of Contact: Bill Irving and his group in the Climate Change Division)
Current Application Readiness Level:  9
Start Application Readiness Level:  1
Target Application Readiness Level:  9
Future Developments:  
Limitations:  
Date When Product Available:  July 2017
Assigned Data Center:  GES DISC
Metadata URL(s):

https://acdisc.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/CMS/CMS_CH4_FLX_MX.1/doc/README.CMS_CH4_FLX_CAMX_V1.pdf
Data Server URL(s):

https://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/datasets/CMS_CH4_FLX_MX_V1/summary?keywords=CMS
Archived Data Citation:  Jianxiong Sheng & Daniel Jacob(2016), Methane (CH4) Flux for Mexico's Oil/Gas Systems L4 V1, Greenbelt, MD, USA, Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), Accessed [Data Access Date] 10.5067/RZAQB50RV3BS

Bounding Coordinates:
West Longitude:-119.05000 East Longitude:-84.95000
North Latitude:33.95000 South Latitude:13.05000

Product Title:  Gridded National Inventory of U.S. Methane Emissions
Time Period:  2012
Description:  We present a gridded inventory of US anthropogenic methane emissions with 0.1° × 0.1° spatial resolution, monthly temporal resolution, and detailed scale-dependent error characterization. The inventory is designed to be consistent with the 2016 US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks (GHGI) for 2012. The EPA inventory is available only as national totals for different source types. We use a wide range of databases at the state, county, local, and point source level to disaggregate the inventory and allocate the spatial and temporal distribution of emissions for individual source types.
Status:  Public
CMS Science Theme(s):  Atmospheric Transport; Land-Atmosphere Flux; MRV
Keywords:  Source (; anthropogenic; terrestrial)
Spatial Extent:  CONUS
Spatial Resolution:  0.1° x 0.1°
Temporal Frequency:  monthly and 8-day averages
Input Data Products:  
Algorithm/Models Used:  
Evaluation:  
Intercomparison Efforts/Gaps:  
Uncertainty Estimates:  
Uncertainty Categories:  
Application Areas:  
Relevant Policies/Programs:  national methane inventory reports to UNFCCC
Potential Users:  methane researchers, EPA, state agencies
Stakeholders:  EDF (Point of Contact: Ritesh Gautam, Daniel Zavala); EPA (Point of Contact: Bill Irving and his group in the Climate Change Division)
Current Application Readiness Level:  9
Start Application Readiness Level:  3
Target Application Readiness Level:  9
Future Developments:  
Limitations:  
Date When Product Available:  
Metadata URL(s):

https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/gridded-2012-methane-emissions
Data Server URL(s):

https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/gridded-2012-methane-emissions
Archived Data Citation:  
Bounding Coordinates:
West Longitude:0.00000 East Longitude:0.00000
North Latitude:0.00000 South Latitude:0.00000

Product Title:  CMS: Global 0.5-deg Wetland Methane Emissions and Uncertainty (WetCHARTs v1.3.1)
Start Date:  01/2001      End Date:  12/2019     (2001-2019)
Description:  This dataset provides global monthly wetland methane (CH4) emissions estimates at 0.5 by 0.5-degree resolution for the period 2001-2019 that were derived from an ensemble of multiple terrestrial biosphere models, wetland extent scenarios, and CH4:C temperature dependencies that encompass the main sources of uncertainty in wetland CH4 emissions. There are 18 model configurations. WetCHARTs v1.3.1 is an updated product of WetCHARTs v1.0 Extended Ensemble. Three new features in the updated version include (1) the model output data is updated from 2001-2015 to 2001-2019, (2) the model drivers are replaced from using ERA-interim to ERA5 reanalysis data, and (3) the Global Lakes and Wetlands Database (GLWD) wetland extent definitions have been adjusted for the 50-100% Wetland, 25-50% Wetland, and Wetland Complex (0-25% Wetland) categories. The intended use of this product is as a process-informed wetland CH4 emission data set for atmospheric chemistry and transport modeling. Users can compare estimates by model configuration to explore variability and sensitivity with respect to ensemble members
Status:  Archived
CMS Science Theme(s):  Land-Atmosphere Flux
Keywords:  methane; wetlands
Spatial Extent:  Global
Spatial Resolution:  0.5 degrees
Temporal Frequency:  Monthly
Input Data Products:  
Algorithm/Models Used:  
Evaluation:  
Intercomparison Efforts/Gaps:  
Uncertainty Estimates:  
Uncertainty Categories:  
Application Areas:  
Relevant Policies/Programs:  
Potential Users:  
Stakeholders:  
Current Application Readiness Level:  
Start Application Readiness Level:  
Target Application Readiness Level:  
Future Developments:  
Limitations:  
Date When Product Available:  
Assigned Data Center:  ORNL DAAC
Metadata URL(s):

https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1915
Data Server URL(s):

https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1915
Archived Data Citation:  Bloom, A.A., K.W. Bowman, M. Lee, A.J. Turner, R. Schroeder, J.R. Worden, R.J. Weidner, K.C. McDonald, and D.J. Jacob. 2021. CMS: Global 0.5-deg Wetland Methane Emissions and Uncertainty (WetCHARTs v1.3.1). ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. DOI: 10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1915

Bounding Coordinates:
West Longitude:-179.75000 East Longitude:179.75000
North Latitude:89.75000 South Latitude:-89.75000

 
Publications: Ma, S., Worden, J. R., Bloom, A. A., Zhang, Y., Poulter, B., Cusworth, D. H., Yin, Y., Pandey, S., Maasakkers, J. D., Lu, X., Shen, L., Sheng, J., Frankenberg, C., Miller, C. E., Jacob, D. J. 2021. Satellite Constraints on the Latitudinal Distribution and Temperature Sensitivity of Wetland Methane Emissions. AGU Advances. 2(3). DOI: 10.1029/2021AV000408

Parker, R. J., Boesch, H., McNorton, J., Comyn-Platt, E., Gloor, M., Wilson, C., Chipperfield, M. P., Hayman, G. D., Bloom, A. A. 2018. Evaluating year-to-year anomalies in tropical wetland methane emissions using satellite CH4 observations. Remote Sensing of Environment. 211, 261-275. DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2018.02.011

Sheng, J., Jacob, D. J., Maasakkers, J. D., Sulprizio, M. P., Zavala-Araiza, D., Hamburg, S. P. 2017. A high-resolution (0.1deg x 0.1deg) inventory of methane emissions from Canadian and Mexican oil and gas systems. Atmospheric Environment. 158, 211-215. DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2017.02.036

Turner, A. J., Frankenberg, C., Wennberg, P. O., Jacob, D. J. 2017. Ambiguity in the causes for decadal trends in atmospheric methane and hydroxyl. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 114(21), 5367-5372. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1616020114

Zhang, Y., Gautam, R., Pandey, S., Omara, M., Maasakkers, J. D., Sadavarte, P., Lyon, D., Nesser, H., Sulprizio, M. P., Varon, D. J., Zhang, R., Houweling, S., Zavala-Araiza, D., Alvarez, R. A., Lorente, A., Hamburg, S. P., Aben, I., Jacob, D. J. 2020. Quantifying methane emissions from the largest oil-producing basin in the United States from space. Science Advances. 6(17). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaz5120

Maasakkers, J. D., Jacob, D. J., Sulprizio, M. P., Turner, A. J., Weitz, M., Wirth, T., Hight, C., DeFigueiredo, M., Desai, M., Schmeltz, R., Hockstad, L., Bloom, A. A., Bowman, K. W., Jeong, S., Fischer, M. L. 2016. Gridded National Inventory of U.S. Methane Emissions. Environmental Science & Technology. 50(23), 13123-13133. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02878

Turner, A. J., Jacob, D. J., Benmergui, J., Wofsy, S. C., Maasakkers, J. D., Butz, A., Hasekamp, O., Biraud, S. C. 2016. A large increase in U.S. methane emissions over the past decade inferred from satellite data and surface observations. Geophysical Research Letters. 43(5), 2218-2224. DOI: 10.1002/2016gl067987

Turner, A. J., Jacob, D. J., Wecht, K. J., Maasakkers, J. D., Lundgren, E., Andrews, A. E., Biraud, S. C., Boesch, H., Bowman, K. W., Deutscher, N. M., Dubey, M. K., Griffith, D. W. T., Hase, F., Kuze, A., Notholt, J., Ohyama, H., Parker, R., Payne, V. H., Sussmann, R., Sweeney, C., Velazco, V. A., Warneke, T., Wennberg, P. O., Wunch, D. 2015. Estimating global and North American methane emissions with high spatial resolution using GOSAT satellite data. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 15(12), 7049-7069. DOI: 10.5194/acp-15-7049-2015

Turner, A. J., Jacob, D. J. 2015. Balancing aggregation and smoothing errors in inverse models. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 15(12), 7039-7048. DOI: 10.5194/acp-15-7039-2015

Archived Data Citations: Jianxiong Sheng & Daniel Jacob(2016), Methane (CH4) Flux for Canada's Oil/Gas Systems L4 V1, Greenbelt, MD, USA, Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), Accessed [Data Access Date] 10.5067/6K2DW26DXETZ

Bloom, A.A., K. Bowman, M. Lee, A.J. Turner, R. Schroeder, J.R. Worden, R.J. Weidner, K.C. McDonald, and D.J. Jacob. 2017. CMS: Global 0.5-deg Wetland Methane Emissions and Uncertainty (WetCHARTs v1.0). ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. DOI: 10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1502

Jianxiong Sheng & Daniel Jacob(2016), Methane (CH4) Flux for Mexico's Oil/Gas Systems L4 V1, Greenbelt, MD, USA, Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), Accessed [Data Access Date] 10.5067/RZAQB50RV3BS

Bloom, A.A., K.W. Bowman, M. Lee, A.J. Turner, R. Schroeder, J.R. Worden, R.J. Weidner, K.C. McDonald, and D.J. Jacob. 2021. CMS: Global 0.5-deg Wetland Methane Emissions and Uncertainty (WetCHARTs v1.3.1). ORNL DAAC, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA. DOI: 10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1915

Outreach Activities: NASA has a traveling display called the ‘Hyperwall’ consisting of a wall of multiple high definition screens displaying high resolution images simultaneously. View the ‘Hyperwall’ presentation for this project

5th NACP All-Investigators Meeting Posters (2015):
  • A gridded (0.1°x0.1°), monthly resolved version of the US EPA national methane emissions inventory for use as a priori and reference in methane source inversions -- (Joannes D Maasakkers, Daniel J Jacob, Melissa P Sulprizio, Melissa Weitz, Tom Wirth, Cate Hight, Bill Irving, Alexis A Bloom, Alexander J Turner) [abstract]