At a Jan. 8 special meeting of the Glendale Sustainability Commission, a Jet Propulsion Laboratory researcher, identified in the transcript as Dr. Chatterjee, described how NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory missions (OCO‑2 and OCO‑3) measure atmospheric carbon dioxide and how the data can be applied to city-scale planning.

Dr. Chatterjee told the commission that OCO‑2, launched in July 2014, provides pole‑to‑pole coverage and an 11‑plus year data record. OCO‑3 — an instrument mounted on the International Space Station — uses a snapshot area mapping (SAM) mode that can “zoom in” on a target such as the Los Angeles Basin and collect high‑density observations. “OCO‑2 and OCO‑3 data now have errors less than 1 part per million,” Dr. Chatterjee said, noting that global CO2 concentration is roughly 420 parts per million.

Commissioners pressed for local applications. Dr. Chatterjee said the missions’ 2 km x 2 km measurement footprint can be combined with other satellite products (for example, nitrogen dioxide or methane observations) and airborne hyperspectral imagery (AVIRIS) to downscale results and produce higher‑resolution maps of emissions and urban greenery. “We can do some kind of what we call downscaling of the data,” Dr. Chatterjee said, adding that combining datasets enables researchers to estimate sectoral contributions (transportation, industry, shipping) and compare satellite‑based emissions estimates with inventory projects like Vulcan.

The presenter showed SAM‑mode examples over the Los Angeles Basin that reveal persistent CO2 ‘hot spots’ from downtown through the Port of Los Angeles and near the airport. He said those observations can be converted into annual emission estimates and used as a regional sanity check on bottom‑up inventories; in some cities, satellite estimates have highlighted under‑reported sectors.

Dr. Chatterjee also described solar‑induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), a signal that indicates plant photosynthetic activity and can be used to map vegetation health. He said SIF, paired with high‑resolution land‑cover data, makes it possible to monitor urban tree canopy and changes in vegetation over seasons and years.

On outreach, Dr. Chatterjee noted prior collaborations with local schools (the presentation cited Southeast High School) and offered to provide Glendale staff with comparisons between satellite estimates and local inventories. He encouraged continued conversations to refine how data are presented so cities, schools and residents can use them. The commission welcomed the offer and discussed potential next steps, including asking staff to coordinate follow‑up and share the satellite team’s materials with city planners.

The presentation concluded with the presenter offering contact information and publicly available materials; commissioners indicated interest in follow‑up on how OCO products might be integrated into Glendale’s climate action and adaptation efforts.