# Assessing the Potential of the MTG-FCI Geostationary Mission for the Detection of Methane Plumes

## TL;DR

This paper evaluates how well the MTG-FCI satellite can detect methane plumes, showing it can track large emissions in near real-time.

## Contribution

Demonstrates the potential of MTG-FCI for detecting and quantifying methane plumes with high temporal and spatial resolution.

## Key findings

- MTG-FCI can detect methane emissions as low as 30 t/h, with clearer detection above 50 t/h.
- Mass-balance modeling suggests a minimum detection limit of 20–30 t/h under optimal conditions.
- A real methane plume from a compressor station in Algeria was successfully tracked with an emission rate of 389 ± 81 t/h.

## Abstract

The Flexible Combined Imager aboard the Meteosat Third
Generation
satellite (MTG-FCI) provides geostationary observations over Europe
and Africa, the Middle East, parts of South America, and the surrounding
waters. The FCI samples the visible, near-infrared, and shortwave
infrared spectral windows with a spatial resolution at nadir between
500 and 1000 m, and a 10 min temporal sampling interval. This configuration
offers a potential for methane retrievals using multiband multipass
retrieval (MBMP) methods, as shown with other multispectral missions.
The potential of the MTG-FCI system for the detection and monitoring
of single methane plumes is evaluated in this article through different
approaches. End-to-end simulations using high-resolution WRF-LES methane
plumes over Algeria showed that MTG-FCI can detect emissions as low
as 30 t/h, where initial plume signals become visible, with a clearer
detection above 50 t/h. Additionally, mass-balance modeling estimated
a minimum detection limit of 20–30 t/h across the central MTG-FCI
disk (GSD ≤ 1 km) under optimal conditions. We illustrate the
use of the MTG-FCI for the monitoring and quantification of methane
plumes using a real transient emission detection from a compressor
station in Algeria (34.676° N, 6.191° E) on September 29,
2023, capturing its full evolution from 10:48 to 15:58 UTC. This event
corresponded to an emission rate of 389 ± 81 t/h and a total
methane release of ∼320 tons, with results broadly consistent
with independent satellite estimates. These findings highlight MTG-FCI’s
ability to track large transient methane plumes in near real-time,
complementing polar-orbiting sensors.