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Naoko Saitoh

Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Cycles Group

Center for Environmental Remote Sensing

Topics

A Japanese satellite, Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), "Ibuki", which was launched in 2009, is the first satellite that is dedicated to greenhouse gas monitoring. Recently, global warming is a major atmospheric environmental problem. Satellite-borne sensors can monitor the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, such as CO2 and CH4, globally. GOSAT has been observing CO2 and CH4 for more than 8 years since its launch, and the successor of GOSAT, GOSAT-2, will be launched in 2018.

Research Subjects

Our group has been conducting a study on global atmosphere by utilizing satellite data. The advantage of satellite remote sensing is its long-term continuous measurements in a global scale. We develop an algorithm to retrieve greenhouse gases such as CO2 and CH4 from thermal infrared spectra obtained by TANSO-FTS on board the GOSAT. We also conduct a validation study based on comparisons of our retrieved CO2 and CH4 data with other more reliable in-situ data. We study global distributions, seasonal variations, and inter-annual variations of greenhouse gases by analyzing our validated satellite data. We have also analyzed data obtained with sensors on board the International Space Station and other satellites for scientific studies on stratospheric ozone and atmospheric pollutant gases.

Selected Publications

  • Kangah, Y., Ricaud, P., Attié, J.-L., Saitoh, N., Hauglustaine, D., Wang, R., El Amraoui, L., Zbinden, R. and Delon, C. (2017) Summertime upper tropospheric nitrous oxide over the Mediterranean as a footprint of Asian emissions. J. Geophys. Res., 122, doi:10.1002/2016JD026119.
  • Saitoh, N., Kimoto, S., Sugimura, R., Imasu, R., Kawakami, S., Shiomi, K., Kuze, A., Machida, T., Sawa, Y. and Matsueda, H. (2016) Algorithm update of GOSAT/TANSO-FTS TIR CO2 product (Version 1) and validation of the UTLS CO2 data using CONTRAIL measurements. Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 2119–2134, doi:10.5194/amt-9-2119-2016.
  • Holl, G., Walker, K. A., Conway, S., Saitoh, N., Boone, C. D., Strong, K. and Drummond, J. R. (2016) Methane cross-validation between three Fourier transform spectrometers: SCISAT ACE-FTS, GOSAT TANSO-FTS, and ground-based FTS measurements in the Canadian high Arctic. Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 1961–1980, doi:10.5194/amt-9-1961-2016.
  • Zou, M., Xiong, X., Saitoh, N., Warner, J., Zhang, Y., Chen, L., Weng, F. and Fan, M. (2016) Satellite observation of atmospheric methane: intercomparison between AIRS and GOSAT TANSO-FTS retrievals. Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 3567–3576, doi:10.5194/amt-9-3567-2016.
  • Saitoh, N., Touno, M., Hayashida, S., Imasu, R., Shiomi, K., Yokota, T., Yoshida, Y., Machida, T., Matsueda, H. and Sawa, Y. (2012) Comparisons between XCH4 from GOSAT shortwave and thermal infrared spectra and aircraft CH4 measurements over Guam. SOLA, 8, 145–149, doi: 10.2151/sola.2012-036.
  • Saitoh, N., Imasu, R., Ota, Y. and Niwa, Y. (2009) CO2 retrieval algorithm for the thermal infrared spectra of the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite: Potential of retrieving CO2 vertical profile from high-resolution FTS sensor. J. Geophys. Res., 114, D17305, doi:10.1029/2008jd011500.
  • Saitoh, N., Imasu, R., Ota, Y. and Niwa, Y. (2008) Algorithm for retrieving CO2 vertical profiles from thermal infrared spectra of GOSAT. J. Remote Sens. Soc. Japan, 28, 161–177 (in Japanese).

Teaching

General Education Course

  • Earth Environment and Remote Sensing B

Undergraduate Course

  • Atmospheric Remore Sensing 2
  • Earth Science Seminar
  • Undergraduate Research

Academic Society Membership

  • Japan Geoscinece Union
  • Meteorological Society of Japan
  • Japan Society of Atmospheric Chemistry
  • Remote Sensing Society of Japan
  • American Geophysical Union
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