CHINESE researchers have obtained the global carbon dioxide column concentrations of the polar regions at night time. The preliminary comparison accuracy of the data exceeded one ppm. The data comes from a satellite that was launched by China last April, carrying atmospheric carbon dioxide and hyperspectral aerosol detection laser radar. China has been expecting to detect aerosols more accurately by hyperspectral technology and to monitor both aerosol and carbon on one satellite. And the country’s carbon peak and neutrality promise needs basic data support of high precision carbon distribution. The launch marked that the country has taken the lead in realizing high-precision laser remote sensing of global greenhouse gases and aerosols. Previous measurements mainly relied on a passive spectrum, that is, the sunlight reflected by the atmosphere. However, passive spectral measurement has limitations when there is no sunlight coming out. The researchers from the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences proposed a method in which the laser is emitted on the satellite and reflected from the ground for quantitative measurement. (Xinhua) | 