New Japanese Satellite Will Measure GHG Concentrations At 56,000 Points Around The Planet - B'Berg

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Jan. 20 (Bloomberg) -- The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency plans to launch a satellite in two days to measure greenhouse gases in the earth’s atmosphere as nations seek better data on the evolution of global warming.

The Greenhouse-Gases Observing Satellite, or Gosat, will be lofted from the Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan shortly after noon local time on Jan. 22, the agency said today in a statement on its Web site.

Scientists are increasingly called upon by governments to predict the effects of global warming, such as higher sea levels caused by polar ice melting and ocean water expanding as it warms. Climate models suggest oceans will rise at significantly higher rates this century than in the last, according to study released last week by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Japanese project will measure the density of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere at 56,000 points around the globe, Yukiko Kaji, spokeswoman for the agency, said by telephone from Tokyo. Development costs for the satellite, dubbed “Ibuki,” the Japanese word for “breath,” totaled 18.3 billion yen ($202 million), she said.

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