The GeoCARB Mission

GeoCARB is a high precision greenhouse gas observing system proposed to the recent Earth Venture Instrument (EVI-3) program. The proposed GeoCARB instrument would measure CO2, CH4, CO and O2 using a grating spectrometer with sensitivity in the same bands as OCO-2 for CO2 and O2. With a 2km by 3km footprint at nadir, extremely high resolution observations will be possible at multiple times each day that are fully customizable for different purposes (monitoring, field campaigns, large plume events). In this presentation, we will demonstrate the extraordinary potential for a geostationary mapping instrument to constrain both natural and anthropogenic carbon fluxes at high space and time resolution through the use of OSSEs. This will elucidate the need for an instrument like GeoCARB to tackle the problem of understanding the leading order uncertainties present in the feedbacks between the carbon cycle and climate systems, as well as providing a means by which to verify emissions treaties between nations and smaller geopolitical regions.