Gas sensor housing Infrared sensor Spectrometer Tracking an Invisible Climate Menace From 360 Miles Above There will soon be a new eye in the sky that’s designed to detect emissions of methane, an invisible yet potent gas that is dangerously heating the world. MethaneSAT will sweep the globe using a high-resolution infrared sensor to detect and track methane leaks from oil and gas sites worldwide. Scientists estimate that human-caused methane emissions are responsible for up to 30 percent of the global warming being experienced today. Figuring out where methane emissions are happening, how big they are and who’s responsible has been a challenge. Methane also seeps from natural sources, like flooded wetlands, but the majority of methane emissions today come from human activity.

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Persons: ”, Steven Hamburg, ’, Dr, Hamburg, MethaneSAT, “, Drew Shindell, wasn’t, Biden, Bjorn Otto Sverdrup Organizations: Environmental Defense Fund, Google, Duke University, MethaneSAT, Union, Oil, Climate Initiative, Star Locations: Texas, United States