The MEthane Remote sensing LIDAR missioN (MERLIN) is a joint French and German project, which will demonstrate the first active measurement of atmospheric methane from space. The main scientific objective of MERLIN is the delivery of dry-air mixing ratio columns (XCH4) in the Earth's atmosphere for all latitudes: expected to be launched in 2028/2029, the satellite will provide data throughout the year with unprecedentedly small systematic errors. This will significantly improve surface CH4 flux estimates and the identification of methane sources on global and regional scales. The paper presents the programmatic background of the mission and gives an overview about the advanced status of its development.
Alpers et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: