TROPOMI Satellite Methane Source Detection Review

A systematic review synthesizes 133 published studies on using TROPOMI satellite data for global methane source detection and emission quantification. The dataset, compiled by Ruoqi Liu and last updated in April 2026, includes categorized studies covering global, regional, and local scales for both anthropogenic and natural sources. It provides analysis on methodological approaches and limitations in satellite-based methane monitoring.

Use Cases

• Analyze the application of TROPOMI's 7x7 km resolution data for detecting facility-level sources like fossil fuel infrastructure and landfills.
• Compare the suitability of different quantification approaches, such as Gaussian plume models for isolated emitters versus inverse modeling for diffuse emissions, across the 133 reviewed studies.
• Investigate reported uncertainties in column-averaged CH4 (XCH4) retrievals related to surface albedo and cloud cover in tropical and high-latitude regions.
• Assess the synergy between TROPOMI data and other satellite instruments as documented in the compiled literature for emission attribution.

Strengths

• Comprehensive synthesis of 133 peer-reviewed studies on a focused topic.
• Explicitly categorizes studies by scale (global, regional, local) and source type (anthropogenic, natural).
• Includes analysis of specific spatial resolutions (7x7 km, improved to 5.5x7 km) and quantification methods.

Limitations

• The 362.4 KB size indicates the dataset is a review document, not a primary observational dataset, limiting direct analysis.
• No primary satellite observation data (e.g., XCH4 values, coordinates) is included, only meta-analysis of existing literature.
• Temporal coverage of the underlying studies is not specified, potentially including outdated methodologies.

Provenance

Source

figshare, authored by Ruoqi Liu.

Collection Method

Systematic literature review and synthesis of 133 published studies.

Time Range

Covers studies up to the review's compilation date; specific range of publication years not provided.

Freshness

Last updated in April 2026, indicating recent compilation.

Geography

Global, with studies covering global, regional, and local scales.