Upgraded satellite CO₂ record enables monthly tracking of atmospheric buildup

Researchers have released an improved public record of atmospheric carbon dioxide from NASA's OCO-2 and OCO-3 instruments, spanning September 2014 to the present. Updated processing algorithms bring the measurements into closer agreement with ground-based instruments and allow scientists to track atmospheric accumulation month by month rather than year by year. The changes improve instrument calibration and account for clouds, aerosols and sunlight reflected from the ocean. The two space instruments also agree closely despite observing from different angles, times and orbital paths. The record can support near-real-time monitoring of extreme events' effects on the carbon cycle and assessments of climate policies.