Instrument Sentinel-5 monitors methane

Since 2017, the Dutch TROPOMI instrument has been mapping the entire atmosphere every day for substances including methane, which is responsible for a third of global warming. As a result, SRON detects methane leaks every week, some of which have a climate impact comparable to that of all road traffic in the Netherlands. 

With the addition of newer versions over a period of seven and fourteen years, Sentinel-5 provides the world with a long-term perspective on methane monitoring. 

Sentinel-5 orbits in a polar orbit where it is always 9.30 am on the day side, complementing TROPOMI’s 1.00 pm orbit. That provides the opportunity to take a second reading every day, with another chance of a cloudless moment. It also offers a unique insight into the activities that take place in the morning.