Reports have it that Boeing, Alaska Airlines, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are teaming up to measure greenhouse gases midflight.
"The tools would measure concentrations of planet-heating pollution in the air," announced NOAA.
Colm Sweeney, NOAA Earth System Research Lab Aircraft Program's lead scientist explains that the focus of their study is currently on carbon dioxide and methane. Previous reports indicate that ground-level data tend to be imprecise, especially when it comes to methane emissions.
The team believes that because planes can fly through the air where these greenhouse gases actually build up, the measurements can be more accurate.
“We’re actually measuring where it counts,” says Sweeney.
You can read more about this story on The Verge, including whether this greenhouse gas-tracking technology is about to go commercial, here.
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