Estimation of the total CO2 content of the atmosphere from satellite observations

Stabilization of the total CO2 content of the atmosphere is the target of the climate strategies that are proposed for climate change mitigation. The accuracy of our knowledge about the total CO2 content of the atmosphere, its growth and seasonal variations depends on the size of geographic coverage of the CO2 monitoring network. A good opportunity to enhance the monitoring network arose recently due to the launch of the Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT). The data coming from GOSAT provide unprecedented geographic coverage of column averaged CO2 concentrations and, therefore, may have the potential to improve the estimates of the atmospheric CO2 content. This paper presents the algorithm (and an example of its implementation) for calculating monthly values of the total CO2 content in the atmosphere proceeding from the GOSAT data. The algorithm presented in this paper is to facilitate the integration of GOSAT data into the current activities on monitoring the total CO2 content of the atmosphere.