Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-159
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-159
05 Feb 2025
 | 05 Feb 2025

Global CH4 Fluxes Derived from JAXA/GOSAT Lower Tropospheric Partial Column Data and the CTE-CH4 Atmospheric Inverse Model

Aki Tsuruta, Akihiko Kuze, Kei Shiomi, Fumie Kataoka, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Tuula Aalto, Leif Backman, Ella Kivimäki, Maria K. Tenkanen, Kathryn McKain, Omaira E. García, Frank Hase, Rigel Kivi, Isamu Morino, Hirofumi Ohyama, David F. Pollard, Mahesh K. Sha, Kimberly Strong, Ralf Sussmann, Yao Te, Voltaire A. Velazco, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Thorsten Warneke, Minqiang Zhou, and Hiroshi Suto

Abstract. Satellite-driven inversions provide valuable information about methane (CH4) fluxes, but the assimilation of total column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CH4 (XCH4) has been challenging. This study explores, for the first time, the potential of the new lower tropospheric partial column (pXCH4_LT) GOSAT data, retrieved by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), to constrain global and regional CH4 fluxes. Using the CarbonTracker Europe-CH4 atmospheric inverse model, we estimated CH4 fluxes between 2016–2019 by assimilating the JAXA/GOSAT pXCH4_LT and XCH4 data and surface CH4 observations, independently of each other. The Northern Hemisphere CH4 fluxes derived from the JAXA/GOSAT pXCH4_LT data were similar to the estimates derived from the surface observations, but was underestimated by about 35 Tg CH4 year-1 (∼6 % of the global total) using the JAXA/GOSAT XCH4 data. For the Southern Hemisphere, the estimates from the both GOSAT inversions were about 15–30 Tg CH4 year-1 higher than that derived from surface data. The evaluations against independent data from the Atmospheric Tomography Mission aircraft campaign showed good agreement in the lower tropospheric CH4 from the inversions using the JAXA/GOSAT pXCH4_LT and surface data. However, the modelled North-South gradients showed significant overestimation in the upper troposphere and stratosphere, possibly due to relatively uniform inter-hemispheric OH distributions that control CH4 sinks. Overall, we found that the use of the JAXA/GOSAT pXCH4_LT data shows considerable potential in constraining global and regional CH4 fluxes, advancing our understanding of the CH4 budget.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

24 Jul 2025
Global CH4 fluxes derived from JAXA/GOSAT lower-tropospheric partial column data and the CarbonTracker Europe-CH4 atmospheric inverse model
Aki Tsuruta, Akihiko Kuze, Kei Shiomi, Fumie Kataoka, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Tuula Aalto, Leif Backman, Ella Kivimäki, Maria K. Tenkanen, Kathryn McKain, Omaira E. García, Frank Hase, Rigel Kivi, Isamu Morino, Hirofumi Ohyama, David F. Pollard, Mahesh K. Sha, Kimberly Strong, Ralf Sussmann, Yao Te, Voltaire A. Velazco, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Thorsten Warneke, Minqiang Zhou, and Hiroshi Suto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 7829–7862, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7829-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7829-2025, 2025
Short summary
Aki Tsuruta, Akihiko Kuze, Kei Shiomi, Fumie Kataoka, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Tuula Aalto, Leif Backman, Ella Kivimäki, Maria K. Tenkanen, Kathryn McKain, Omaira E. García, Frank Hase, Rigel Kivi, Isamu Morino, Hirofumi Ohyama, David F. Pollard, Mahesh K. Sha, Kimberly Strong, Ralf Sussmann, Yao Te, Voltaire A. Velazco, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Thorsten Warneke, Minqiang Zhou, and Hiroshi Suto

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-159', Anonymous Referee #1, 14 Mar 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-159', Anonymous Referee #2, 18 Mar 2025
  • AC1: 'Replies to reviewers on egusphere-2025-159', Aki Tsuruta, 02 May 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-159', Anonymous Referee #1, 14 Mar 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-159', Anonymous Referee #2, 18 Mar 2025
  • AC1: 'Replies to reviewers on egusphere-2025-159', Aki Tsuruta, 02 May 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
AR by Aki Tsuruta on behalf of the Authors (02 May 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (08 May 2025) by Chris Wilson
AR by Aki Tsuruta on behalf of the Authors (14 May 2025)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

24 Jul 2025
Global CH4 fluxes derived from JAXA/GOSAT lower-tropospheric partial column data and the CarbonTracker Europe-CH4 atmospheric inverse model
Aki Tsuruta, Akihiko Kuze, Kei Shiomi, Fumie Kataoka, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Tuula Aalto, Leif Backman, Ella Kivimäki, Maria K. Tenkanen, Kathryn McKain, Omaira E. García, Frank Hase, Rigel Kivi, Isamu Morino, Hirofumi Ohyama, David F. Pollard, Mahesh K. Sha, Kimberly Strong, Ralf Sussmann, Yao Te, Voltaire A. Velazco, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Thorsten Warneke, Minqiang Zhou, and Hiroshi Suto
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 7829–7862, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7829-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-7829-2025, 2025
Short summary
Aki Tsuruta, Akihiko Kuze, Kei Shiomi, Fumie Kataoka, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Tuula Aalto, Leif Backman, Ella Kivimäki, Maria K. Tenkanen, Kathryn McKain, Omaira E. García, Frank Hase, Rigel Kivi, Isamu Morino, Hirofumi Ohyama, David F. Pollard, Mahesh K. Sha, Kimberly Strong, Ralf Sussmann, Yao Te, Voltaire A. Velazco, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Thorsten Warneke, Minqiang Zhou, and Hiroshi Suto
Aki Tsuruta, Akihiko Kuze, Kei Shiomi, Fumie Kataoka, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Tuula Aalto, Leif Backman, Ella Kivimäki, Maria K. Tenkanen, Kathryn McKain, Omaira E. García, Frank Hase, Rigel Kivi, Isamu Morino, Hirofumi Ohyama, David F. Pollard, Mahesh K. Sha, Kimberly Strong, Ralf Sussmann, Yao Te, Voltaire A. Velazco, Mihalis Vrekoussis, Thorsten Warneke, Minqiang Zhou, and Hiroshi Suto

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Short summary
Satellite data bring invaluable information about greenhouse gas emissions globally. We found that a new type of data from the Greenhouse Gas Observing Satellite (GOSAT), which contains information about methane in the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, could provide reliable estimates of recent methane emissions when combined with atmospheric modelling. Therefore, the use of such data is encouraged to improve emission quantification methods and advance our understanding of methane cycles.
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