Google and NASA AI Maps Global Methane Emissions

A new AI-powered system developed by Google and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory can detect methane emissions from space at a global scale. The model, named Methane Analysis and Plume Localization with MAPL-EMIT (MAPL), uses data collected by the International Space Station's Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation instrument.

MAPL was trained on 3.6 million simulated plumes and identified more than 23,000 additional methane plumes globally, exceeding human analysts' detection capabilities by around 50%. The model operates at a 60-metre resolution, providing estimates of methane enhancement, plume boundaries, and probable source locations.

The implications of this technology extend beyond climate science. Faster identification of methane sources could support regulatory enforcement, corporate emissions management, and independent verification of reported reductions.