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Classroom example GHGSat

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The question

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How it works

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Who does this work

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Ways in

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For you

About GHGSat

For you

Sources

How can you find an invisible gas from space?

GHGSat · Lists a Calgary office. Headquarters in Montreal.

Graphic-novel illustration of a scientist studying a colour-coded methane map on a screen, with a small satellite model on the desk.

Where it fits

Pick your class
  • Physics 30 · Electromagnetic radiation
  • Science 30 · Electromagnetic energy and environmental topics
  • Science 10 · Global energy systems, as a broader introduction

How it works

Schematic · not to scale

Measuring methane with reflected sunlight

Sunlight travels down to the ground near an industrial site, reflects, and travels back up through an invisible methane cloud to a satellite. The satellite’s spectrometer splits the light by wavelength. A small graph shows the light received dipping slightly, but not to zero, at the wavelengths methane absorbs.

  1. Sunlight travels down to the ground, including infrared we can’t see.

  2. Reflected sunlight travels back up through the air toward the satellite.

  3. A spectrometer splits the received light by wavelength. It sends out no light of its own.

Methane is invisible; the dashed outline marks its location. The graph shows light received vertically and wavelength horizontally: absorption makes dips, not zero light.

Methane measurement band: about 1,630–1,675 nanometres. Satellite altitude: about 500 km.

The lesson, in the real world

The physics of light lets a satellite about 500 km up measure a gas no one can see.

  1. 1

    Sunlight contains many wavelengths, including shortwave infrared light our eyes can’t see.

  2. 2

    Methane absorbs some of that light at particular wavelengths, between about 1,630 and 1,675 nanometres.

  3. 3

    The satellite’s spectrometer measures sunlight scattered back up from the ground. It sends out no light of its own.

  4. 4

    Where methane is present, a little less light arrives at those wavelengths. Analysts combine that dip with wind data to estimate how fast gas is escaping.

    Our explanation
Source: GHGSat: Technology(opens in a new tab); Jervis et al. 2021, The GHGSat-D imaging spectrometer (Atmos. Meas. Tech.)(opens in a new tab)

Who does this work

All roles in this example

Role

Atmospheric science and remote sensing

Turn light measurements into an explanation of what is in the air.

Work area named by GHGSatGeneral explanation, written by usSource: GHGSat: Our team(opens in a new tab)

Atmospheric and remote sensing scientists study how light travels through the air and what it can reveal. In methane monitoring, they decide whether a signal is real, estimate how much gas it represents, and say how certain they are.

What might you actually do?

  • Check the signal

    Decide whether a measurement is reliable, or caused by something else such as cloud or a bright surface.

  • Build an estimate

    Use models and wind information to turn an absorption signal into a rate of emission.

  • Share the findings

    Explain results, and their uncertainty, to people who make decisions.

Typical of this kind of work in general. Not a description of any one person’s job at GHGSat.

Often works with
Satellite engineersData engineersIndustry specialistsCustomers
Classroom connection
Wavelength, absorption and measurement uncertainty all show up in this work.

Related job postings

Similar work at other employers in Calgary, AB, not openings at GHGSat. These are live searches: results change daily and we have not checked them.

Saved job examples

How employers have described this kind of work, saved on the date shown. Employers have not reviewed or endorsed this page.

How to prepare

  • Earth Sciences major (BSc)

    University of Alberta, Faculty of Science

  • Geomatics Engineering (BSc)

    University of Calgary, Schulich School of Engineering

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Ways in

For your students

Ways to prepare for this work

Programs that teach skills this work uses. Each is one route in, not a requirement, and no program has endorsed this page.

Showing routes for atmospheric science and remote sensing. Show all

  • University of Alberta, Faculty of ScienceUniversity degreeEdmonton

    Earth Sciences major (BSc)

    The Earth’s structure and evolution, and the atmosphere above it. Careers the page lists include meteorologist, global change researcher and research scientist.

    Official program page(opens in a new tab)

    Why it connects to the work · our interpretation

    Atmospheric science and remote sensing

    The program explicitly includes study of the atmosphere, the part of the Earth this measurement work is about.

  • University of Calgary, Schulich School of EngineeringUniversity degreeCalgary

    Geomatics Engineering (BSc)

    Collecting, modelling, analyzing and managing spatial data. Courses include remote sensing, satellite positioning and digital imaging.

    Official program page(opens in a new tab)

    Why it connects to the work · our interpretation

    Atmospheric science and remote sensing

    It teaches remote sensing, and the page asks how satellite images can be used to observe climate change.

Ask the class

Use it in class

Ask the class

If a sensor detects no methane, does that prove none is present? What would you want to know about the instrument and the observation conditions?

Detecting a gas, estimating how much is escaping, and deciding what to do are different tasks. Instruments, analysis and the people interpreting results all contribute.

Mindset it shows

Understand measurement limits before drawing conclusions.

About GHGSat

Measuring methane emissions from space, and from aircraft.

Headquarters
Montreal, Quebec.
Source: GHGSat: Offices(opens in a new tab)
Local connection
Lists a Calgary office on 5th Avenue SW, one of five offices. The company does not say which teams work there.
Source: GHGSat: Offices(opens in a new tab); GHGSat: About us(opens in a new tab)
Team size
More than 100 people. The About page says 150+ across five offices; the Team page says 100+ (both September 2026).
Source: GHGSat: About us(opens in a new tab); GHGSat: Our team(opens in a new tab)
The problem
Methane leaks from industrial sites are invisible and were mostly self-reported. GHGSat says that when it started in 2011, 75% of industrial emissions had no independent monitoring.
Source: GHGSat: About us(opens in a new tab)
What they do
Measurements of methane at the level of a single site, turned into emission rates that people can act on.
Source: GHGSat home page(opens in a new tab); GHGSat: Technology(opens in a new tab)
Who uses it
Oil and gas operators, landfills, mining, agriculture, governments and financial institutions, according to the company.
Source: GHGSat home page(opens in a new tab)

GHGSat describes itself as a greenhouse gas emissions intelligence company. It uses its own satellites and aircraft to measure methane from industrial sites around the world. It says it has launched 16 satellites.

Source: GHGSat home page(opens in a new tab); GHGSat: Satellite constellation(opens in a new tab)
Company website(opens in a new tab)Careers page(opens in a new tab)
Who does this work

Read each source’s date and scope: a documented role is not proof of a current vacancy or of where every position is based.

Reported as GHGSat states it. GHGSat has not reviewed or endorsed this page.

Recent development

Free with signup

GHGSat plans a second-generation satellite for early 2028

Published 21 Sep 2026 · Company announcement

Sources and course fit

Sources checked 24–29 Sep 2026

Where it fits

  • Physics 30 · Electromagnetic radiation
  • Science 30 · Electromagnetic energy and environmental topics
  • Science 10 · Global energy systems, as a broader introduction

Editorial mapping to published CBE course topics. Pending educator review. No outcome-code alignment is claimed.

Organization claims are reported as the organization states them. GHGSat has not reviewed or endorsed this page.

What we know, and how
TypeClaimHow we know
workSatellite instruments measure methane, with a spectrometer at their heart.Source: Satellite technologyCompany-stated
rolesSatellite engineering, atmospheric science, software, data science, commercial.Source: GHGSat offices and work areasObserved · not vacancies
pathwaysPhysics, engineering, computing and data study.Source: UCalgary engineering physicsInferred direction
newsA second-generation satellite is planned for early 2028.Source: Second-generation satellite announcement, 21 Sep 2026Projected · not operating
course fitPhysics 30, Science 30, Science 10.Source: CBE Physics 20–30 topics; CBE Science 10–30 topicsEditorial · pending review

Solid green: the organization states it. Outlined: seen in a dated source. Dashed: our interpretation, not yet researched, or announced but not yet real.