Ground-based Remote Sensing Using OP-FTIR Spectroscopy – A Feasibility Study for Application in Greenhouse Gas Control

Ground-based remote sensing by Open path Fourier-transform infrared (OP-FTIR) spectrometry provides data for the identification and quantification of emissions over wide surface areas. Large-scale OP-FTIR spectroscopy measurements are carried out associated with point-scale chamber-based soil CO2 flux measurement at a natural CO2 degassing area in the context of the hierarchical approach. The application of ground-based remote sensing using passive OP-FTIR spectroscopy represents a rapid and non-invasive assessment method for detecting variations in atmospheric concentrations of target gases and for the spatial identification of sources of increased gas concentrations. The presentation introduces results of a feasibility study investigating various scenarios such as urban regions, agricultural landscapes and natural CO2 degassing areas. Some examples of how to successfully deploy passive open path FTIR spectroscopy to identify anomalous greenhouse gas concentrations along greater optical pathways are presented.