Detecting CO2 in the atmosphere

[HankDorsett]

I didn't notice this forum section until just now, I noticed it as I was scrolling down to the general area to ask if anyone knew of a forum that deals with climate science.

What ways can we detect CO2 in the atmosphere. I've seen some social media posts that show an image of South America that shows the amount of CO2 being released in the atmosphere due to the Amazon forest fire. They claim this image was produced by a NASA satellite that can measure CO2 in the atmosphere. Is this possible? I've come across some search results that seem to contradict this.

 

[Bystander]

https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/

 

[HankDorsett]

https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/

This seems to talk about a local measurement of CO2. Do we have satellites that can measure in near real-time CO2 emissions?

 

[HankDorsett]

This seems to talk about a local measurement of CO2. Do we have satellites that can measure in near real-time CO2 emissions?

To be more precise on my question. Do we have satellites that can globally track CO2 emissions at almost real time and able to produce a heat map?

 

[glappkaeft]

Yes,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_measurements_of_carbon_dioxide

 

[davenn]

To be more precise on my question. Do we have satellites that can globally track CO2 emissions at almost real time and able to produce a heat map?

as said ...

Yes,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_measurements_of_carbon_dioxide

And pretty much any other gas as well

 

[HankDorsett]

I only ask this because I've seen a social media post regarding this. This post showed an image of South America with a heat map of CO2 emissions from the Amazon forest fire. I thought if this was actually capable it would be something quite interesting.

 

[glappkaeft]

No way to tell without seeing the social media post, but if it was the video below one it was the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite measuring carbon monoxide.

 

[HankDorsett]

No way to tell without seeing the social media post, but if it was the video below one it was the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite measuring carbon monoxide.

That's exactly what they posted. For whatever reason they were claiming it was measuring CO2. Thanks for the verification

 

[OmCheeto]

earth.nullschool is a pretty nifty tool for monitoring CO and CO2.
They list their sources as: GEOS-5 / GMAO / NASA

Thumbing through the levels by one day increments, it looks as though most of the fires are probably farm burns, as they last only a day.

I digitized one fires CO output over the course of a day, and 3 days worth of CO2 for it and what I assume to be rain forest.