**AI Detects Methane Plumes from Space, Combating Climate Change**
Source: Oxford University
Think emissions targets are only about reducing carbon dioxide? Think again! Methane also plays a massive role in global heating. In fact, it’s 80 times more effective than CO2 at trapping heat. A recent study by researchers at the University of Oxford has used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to develop a tool that automatically detects methane plumes on Earth from orbit using machine learning with hyperspectral data, and the results are groundbreaking.
You might be thinking, what’s the big deal about knowing where methane plumes are coming from? Well, the team at Oxford have explained that this tool could help identify excessive “super emitters” of methane, and enable more effective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. That means that this kind of detection could have a big impact on slowing global heating and improving air quality. Plus, it can also help to improve overall climate change efforts.
Typically, detecting methane plumes is tough because methane is transparent to the human eye and common satellite sensors. This new machine-learning tool overcomes these issues by detecting methane plumes in data from hyperspectral satellites. These detect narrower bands than more common multispectral satellites, making it easier to tune in to the specific signature of methane and filter out noise.
The tool has proven to be 21.5% more accurate than the previous best approach, thanks to an accuracy of more than 81% for detecting large methane plumes. The researchers have also open sourced both the annotated dataset and the code used for the model, promoting further research in methane detection.
Now, the question is, could this tool work directly onboard the satellite itself, allowing other satellites to conduct follow-up observations as part of the NIO.space initiative? What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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