Speaker
Description
Municipal solid-waste dumps and landfills can be significant sources of methane (CH$_4$), a potent greenhouse gas. However, quantitatively characterizing these emissions remains challenging due to their intermittent and heterogeneous nature. Releases are influenced by variable waste composition, surface cover conditions, moisture content, and the effectiveness of gas extraction systems, leading to dynamic hotspots that fluctuate with operational activity and weather. Consequently, conventional ground surveys often face a trade-off between spatial coverage, time on site, and the ability to capture short-term variability, limiting a comprehensive facility-scale assessment. This measurement gap hinders accurate emission reporting and effective mitigation planning.
$$
E_{\mathrm{CH_4}} = OGC_{\mathrm{wet}} \cdot \frac{21}{21 - O_2} \cdot V_{\mathrm{wet}} \cdot \frac{M_{\mathrm{CH_4}}}{M_{\mathrm{C}}}
$$
This study investigates the application of airborne long-wave infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral imaging as a pathway for quick facility-scale methane monitoring. The method takes advantage of the unique absorption features of methane within the thermal infrared spectrum. Radiometric data are collected during targeted aircraft overflights using a Telops LWIR Imaging Fourier Transform Spectroradiometers (IFTS) miniHyperCam. The instrument provides spectrally resolved radiance measurements, enabling a clear separation of methane plume signatures against the complex and variable background radiance of soil, vegetation, water, and infrastructure typical of landfill environments. Using an aircraft for data acquisition supports scanning large areas within a short time window while preserving the spatial context needed to associate observed plumes with specific zones within a facility. The emphasis is on maintaining radiometric and geometric traceability so that the results are quantitatively reliable and can be compared with future repeat surveys.
The processing workflow aims to turn airborne IFTS miniHyperCam measurements into clear and usable results. The main outputs are georeferenced maps of the methane plume distribution and quantitative levels of column enhancement across plume areas. These products are integrated with co-registered visible and derived broadband LWIR image to provide immediate operational context and support the precise identification of emission hotspots.
We present a detailed case study from an overflight of an active municipal dumpsite. We will show the stitched visible and LWIR mosaics with plume footprint overlays, and representative quantitative enhancement maps derived from calibrated spectral radiance data. Analysis of these outputs illustrates the method's capability to resolve plume structure, localize persistent and temporary emission zones, and inform practical considerations for repeatable airborne surveys. Finally, we outline the pathway toward robust site-scale emission quantification, detailing the integration of additional meteorological data and repeat-flight strategies required to conform with emissions reporting and mitigation prioritization.
