Comparisons of CH₄ ground-based FTIR measurements near Saint Petersburg with GOSAT observations

Abstract

Atmospheric column-average methane mole fractions measured with ground-based Fourier-transform spectroscopy near Saint Petersburg, Russia (59.9° N, 29.8° E, 20 m a.s.l.) are compared with similar data obtained with the Japanese GOSAT (Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite) in the years 2009–2012. Average CH4 mole fractions for the GOSAT data version V01.xx are −15.0 ± 5.4 ppb less than the corresponding values obtained from ground-based measurements (with the standard deviations of biases at 13.0 ± 4.2 ppb). For the GOSAT data version V02.xx, the average values of the differences are −1.9 ± 1.8 ppb with standard deviations of 14.5 ± 1.3 ppb. This verifies that FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) spectroscopic observations near Saint Petersburg have similar biases with GOSAT satellite data as FTIR measurements at other ground-based networks and aircraft CH4 estimations.