Abstract
Abstract. Total column concentrations of methane have been retrieved from ground-based solar absorption FTIR spectra in the near-infrared recorded in Paramaribo (Suriname). The methane FTIR observations are compared with TM5 model simulations and satellite observations from SCIAMACHY, and represent the first validation of SCIAMACHY retrievals in the inner tropics using ground-based remote sensing techniques. Apart from local biomass burning features, our methane FTIR observations agree well with TM5 model simulations. The comparison of the direct measured CH4/CO2 ratios by FTIR and satellite reveals that the satellite can hardly detect methane emissions of tropical biomass burning due to the used retrieval method.
Highlights
Methane (CH4) is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and is one of the target gases of the Kyoto protocol
Inversions based on the revised SCIAMACHY retrievals using the TM5 four-dimensional variational (TM5-4DVAR) inverse modeling system yield ∼ 20% lower tropical emissions compared to the previous retrievals (Frankenberg et al, 2008a; Bergamaschi et al, 2009)
We present the first inner tropical ground-based FTIR measurements of methane
Summary
First ground-based FTIR observations of methane in the inner tropics over several years. Discuss.: 1 February 2010 Revised: 29 July 2010 – Accepted: 3 August 2010 – Published: 6 August 2010
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