NASA has built a greenhouse gas detector called "Carbon Mapper Imaging Spectrometer" that is getting closer to launch. This instrument will allow the nonprofit organization CarbonMapper to identify and measure the levels of methane and carbon dioxide on Earth from space. It was built for airborne campaigns and space missions for NASA and it has the technology used to detect emission levels.
Built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, it will be part of an effort led by the nonprofit to not only collect data on greenhouse gas levels but also pinpoint the source of these emissions. NASA scientists say that the "Carbon Mapper Imaging Spectrometer" will provide targeted data on “super-emitters” showing individual sources that are responsible in a bigger way for global methane and CO2 emissions.
This is a big step in mapping out the problem areas of emissions and can help us look towards a future of regulation and perhaps new legislation. With scientific data on the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, perhaps we will be able to spread awareness on how much we are emitting. This may also incentivise certain geographical areas labeled as "super-emitters" to work harder to find solutions. No one wants to be singled out as being non compliant. We all need to do our part!
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