New NASA SatelliteWill Measure Global CO2 Levels

NASA will soon launch an Orbiting Carbon Observatory into space that will use sophisticated sensors to measure where carbon dioxide is being emitted — and where it is being absorbed and stored ”“ around the globe. The 1,000-pound satellite, to be launched Feb. 23, will use a series of spectrometers that, from 440 miles up, can measure CO2 levels by the telltale wavelengths of light absorbed by different carbon dioxide concentrations. Scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said the satellite should give researchers a far more detailed understanding of the global carbon cycle, especially how much CO2 is being absorbed by oceans and other so-called carbon sinks. Such an understanding will enable scientists to make far more accurate projections of atmospheric CO2 levels. Currently, a system of 100 surface sensors measures CO2 around the world, but scientists say that number is inadequate. The new satellite will take 12 CO2 readings a second as it orbits Earth. “We believe it will revolutionize our understanding of the carbon cycle,” said a NASA scientist.