LAB LOGA page on LabLog, a review site (not the lab's official page)
Saitoh Lab
Machine-translated · View original
A lab that uses satellite data to study the behavior of greenhouse gases and ozone.
AboutAbout the lab
Diagnosing Earth's atmosphere through the eyes of satellites.
The Saitoh Lab analyzes satellite data to study global-scale atmospheric problems such as global warming and ozone depletion.
The lab is responsible for developing methods to retrieve the concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane at different altitudes from observations by satellites such as GOSAT, a greenhouse gas monitoring satellite.
Using satellite and other data, the lab analyzes how long-lived gases move through the atmosphere.
By combining atmospheric observations with atmospheric transport models, the lab also studies the carbon cycle.
Key terms
- Greenhouse gases
- Gases such as carbon dioxide and methane that absorb heat emitted from the Earth's surface and warm the planet
- Retrieval
- Calculating atmospheric temperature and gas concentrations from the spectrum of light captured by a satellite
- Atmospheric transport model
- A computer-based system that reproduces how gases are carried through the atmosphere by winds and other processes
NewsLab news
Paper published on long-term 3D simulation of atmospheric CO2 and carbon isotope ratios
Paper published evaluating the effect of interannual variability in OH concentration on methane budget estimates
A doctoral student received a Student Outstanding Presentation Award at the 30th Symposium on Atmospheric Chemistry
Paper published on improved methane budget estimates using ground-based observations in South Asia
A paper by Associate Professor Saitoh and colleagues received the Paper Award of the Remote Sensing Society of Japan
ResearchResearch themes
The lab analyzes satellite data to tackle global-scale atmospheric and environmental problems such as global warming and ozone depletion. Its work covers research on observation technology, analysis of observational data on long-lived gases such as greenhouse gases, and studies of the carbon cycle using numerical models.
*Illustrative imageMethods for retrieving concentrations from satellite data
The lab is responsible for developing retrieval algorithms that derive the vertical distributions of temperature and of concentrations of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane from the thermal infrared spectra observed by the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite GOSAT and its successor GOSAT-2. The lab has also worked on developing a method for detecting clouds using Himawari-8 data.
*Illustrative imageValidating the reliability of satellite data
Before satellite data can be used in research, their quality must be checked by comparing them with more accurate direct measurements. The lab compares GOSAT and GOSAT-2 vertical distribution data for greenhouse gases mainly with aircraft observations, taking into account the vertical sensitivity of the satellite observations.
*Illustrative imageUnderstanding atmospheric change through satellite data
Using GOSAT vertical distribution data for carbon dioxide, the lab analyzes seasonal variations in concentration that differ by region and altitude. It also uses ozone concentration data derived from GOSAT observations to study the depletion of stratospheric ozone over the Arctic.
*Illustrative imageTracking gas movement with satellites and numerical models
Using GOSAT and atmospheric transport model data on the vertical distribution of methane, the lab analyzes the upward transport of methane associated with the South Asian monsoon, as well as how substances are carried from the Northern Hemisphere to the Southern Hemisphere.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Saitoh Lab include faculty, project researchers, secretaries, graduate students, undergraduate students, and research students.As of 2026
- Associate ProfessorNaoko Saitoh
VoicesStudent voices
Ratings and reviews reflect the experiences of individual current or former students, not the lab's official views. Whether a lab has reviews, or how many, says nothing about the lab itself.
Students who take part in an interview may receive a thank-you gift worth ¥1,000, regardless of what they say.
Student ratings (0 students)
--
--
--
--
--
--
Student voices answer questions like these
- What's great about this lab?
- What did you learn after joining?
- What's the vibe, and what is the professor like?
- Who is this lab for?
- Where do graduates go?
Your experience can help younger students choose their lab. Your name won't be shown.
Write a lab reviewAnonymous · Your draft is saved if you stopRelatedLabs similar to Saitoh Lab
Irie LabCenter for Environmental Remote Sensing, Division 4, Atmospheric Environment DivisionAtmospheric chemistry, atmospheric environmental science, an…
Hongo LabCenter for Environmental Remote Sensing, Division 9, Agriculture and Food DivisionPlant nutrition and agricultural remote sensing; estimation …
Higuchi LabCenter for Environmental Remote Sensing, Division 2, Database Technology Development DivisionHydrology and satellite climatology; elucidating global envi…
Division 2 Database Technology Development LabCenter for Environmental Remote Sensing, Division 2, Database Technology Development DivisionSatellite vegetation science and information processing: wid…The information on this page is compiled by the LabLog team from the lab's public information and interviews. For corrections or removal requests, please contact LabLog, not the lab.
Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Artifacts at Tsukuba Space Center Space Dome exhibition hall 9” Syced / CC0 (cropped)
- Methods for retrieving concentrations from satellite data: “ERS 2” Poppy / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Validating the reliability of satellite data: “CSIRO ScienceImage 259 Research Aircraft Measuring Nosecone” Atmospheric Research, CSIRO / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Understanding atmospheric change through satellite data: “2011 Arctic Ozone Loss” NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Tracking gas movement with satellites and numerical models: “NASA depiction of earth global atmospheric circulation” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (入江研究室
（地球大気環境研究室） ): “Air Pollution Chokes Northern India (NESDIS )” NOAA / Public domain (cropped) - Related lab (本郷研究室): “NASA-ISRO Radar Satellite Captures First Image of North Dakota Wetlands, Farmlands (PIA26615)” JPL / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (樋口研究室): “North America from low orbiting satellite Suomi NPP” NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (第2部門 データベース技術開発部門
（梶原 康司） ): “Nyungwe rahvuspark Landsat 19jul86” Earth Observatory / Public domain (cropped)
About LabLog
LabLog is a lab review app for students only. Student members at each university interview students in labs and publish what they say. Student voices can only be read by students who sign up with a university email address. Operated by bestiee Inc.
Learn more about LabLog ↗Search engines and AI may reference the basic lab info and rating summaries on this page and the description of LabLog. Student voices are for student members only. Automated collection by programs (scraping, or input to or training of AI) is prohibited under Article 8 of the Terms of Service. If you need data for research or analysis, please contact us.