Overview
Provide accurate and reliable information on methane emissions based on satellite data and support the MARS notification process.
Key Responsibilities
- Collect, filter and analyze satellite data, especially high-resolution data, to support the MARS notification process.
- Identify critical areas of large emissions and monitor them.
- Work with MARS regional case managers to accurately inform stakeholders, promoting mitigation actions.
- Support MARS' expansion efforts in the integration and use of new satellite data.
- Support research on the most technical aspects of methane remote sensing methodologies, potential, and limitations.
- Collect satellite data (request and download) of the areas of interest being studied.
- Process the images to obtain methane concentration enhancement maps using the codes developed by the remote sensing scientists.
- Analyze the resulting maps for plume identification, including the manual confirmation of detections.
- Analyze the context of detected plumes by consulting other satellite and database information to better understand the source and cause of the emission.
- Document the analyzed cases and record the identified emitters and emissions for later integration into the data portal.
- Research on methodologies to help understand the limitations of satellite data.
- Obtain estimates of the Probability of Detection of different satellites under different surface, wind, retrieval noise, and observing conditions.
- Obtain effective wind calibrations under different conditions as needed, especially for new sectors.
- Process, analyze, and supply data for the controlled release experiments and participate in validation activities to improve MARS data as much as possible.
- Analyze emission time series and develop methods to automatically track the emission status of point sources.
- Independently support other "rapid response" and/or project development efforts on an as-needed basis.
- Produce and support scientific documentation from the work done in MARS and the IMEO’s remote sensing team.
Required Experience
Minimum 3 years of experience in the satellite remote sensing field. Knowledge and research experience in satellite capabilities (potential and limitations) for methane monitoring, knowledge of the main anthropogenic methane emission sources, and experience analysing high-resolution satellite data and satellite image labeling.
Qualifications
Doctorate or equivalent in chemistry, atmospheric sciences, remote sensing, Earth and natural sciences, or a related field.
