The article discusses various methods for measuring greenhouse gases, which are invisible but have significant impacts on global warming. Two primary techniques mentioned are Non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) spectroscopy and Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS). NDIR measures gas concentration by detecting the difference in infrared light absorption, while CRDS uses highly reflective mirrors to measure light decay caused by gas absorption. Airborne and satellite sensors, using sunlight reflection, can detect large sources of greenhouse gases. Frequency combs, originally developed for atomic clocks, enable simultaneous detection of multiple greenhouse gases. These measurement techniques, combined with ongoing campaigns like the Keeling Curve, provide crucial data for addressing greenhouse gas reduction efforts.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/how-do-you-measure-it/our-world/how-do-you-measure-greenhouse-gases
Keywords: Greenhouse gases, Spectroscopy, Infrared light
