MethaneAIR
MethaneAIR

The MethaneAIR is an airborne imaging spectrometer designed as a simulator for the MethaneSAT satellite instrument. It includes two imaging spectrometers, one operating from 1592 to 1680 nm and the other from 1236 to 1319 nm. The longer-wavelength spectrometer detects methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption at 1.65 and 1.61 μm, respectively, while the other measures oxygen (O₂) absorption at 1.27 μm to constrain the optical path. It provides measurements of the total-column dry-air mole fractions of CH4 and CO2, as well as retrievals of total-column amounts to identify regional and large-scale emission sources. MethaneAIR has a nominal spatial resolution of 5 x 25 meters and a frame rate of 10 Hz.