Japan successfully launched its Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) on 23 January, to monitor levels of methane, water vapour, ozone and carbon dioxide. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency says that data from the satellite will provide details about the global distribution and seasonal variations of these gases, helping to refine climate-change predictions.
On 23 February, GOSAT will be joined by NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, which will generate complementary data on the sources of carbon dioxide emissions (see _Nature_ 450, 785–786; 2007).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Greenhouse-gas satellite heads into orbit. Nature 457, 523 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/457523b
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/457523b