Application of cavity ring-down spectroscopy and a novel near surface Gaussian plume estimation approach to inverse model landfill methane emissions()

Fugitive methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills impact global climate change and reliable emissions quantification is of increasing importance. Ground-based cavity ring-down spectrometer (CRDS) measurements were used to determine methane concentrations and isotopic compositions of carbon in CH(4). Then, CH(4) • Ground-based CRDS used to obtain methane concentration and oxidation data. • Novel inverse Gaussian dispersion modeling approach developed to predict methane emissions from landfills accounting for site-specific topography and meteorology. • Post-processing algorithms refine emissions estimates.