We are pleased to announce that the algorithm behind the Methane Hotspot Explorer was updated to v1.2 for detections made on and after June 21, 2026. This version introduces updates to two key components (An improved Destriping Algorithm and Second-Stage Classifier Upgrade).
Following a performance evaluation, the improvements indicate that v1.2 detects a greater number of true methane plumes while reducing the proportion of false positive detections requiring manual verification by experts.
Detections before June 21, 2026 will not be reprocessed using the new algorithm. As the updates can lead to the improved detection of methane plumes, users should be careful interpreting trends in the number of detected plumes over time.
For details, please refer to the updated documentation.
For any enquiries regarding this, please contact us.
ECMWF Support