NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A startup in New Mexico is employing artificial intelligence and using open-source data to address a contributor to climate change. Geolabe's founders Dr. Bertran Rouet-Leduc and Dr. Claudia Hulbert are using data to track rising levels of methane in the atmosphere. According to NASA, methane is the second-largest contributor to global warming and is responsible for roughly a third of global warming to date. Roughly 60% of that methane is created by human-controlled activity which includes agriculture, fossil fuels, and decomposition in public landfills, not to mention it's a source of energy. Story continues below Trending: Woman accused of driving drunk and hitting Albuquerque firefighter with vehicle Podcast: Meteorologists Tackle Weather Misinformation News: Another locally-owned supermarket coming to International District Community: ‘He protected her’: New Mexico dog burned while shielding other dog in fire "So, actually global warming itself for example can accelerate thawing of the permafrost, and thawing of permafrost is also a source of methane," Rouet-Leduc explained. Rouet-Leduc said methane can stay in the atmosphere for up to a decade, and while that may sound like a long time, it's a fraction of how long CO2  levels can remain high. "So basically, if we want to see some effects with respect to global warming in our lifetimes, while actually reducing methane emissions, it is more or less the only option that we have to do something in our lifetimes," he said. A big part of reducing methane emissions is detecting them and since the gas is invisible, the challenge is even greater. But Rouet-Leduc said artificial intelligence and satellite imagery may hold the key to global surveillance. "Using AI, we're able to accurately pinpoint methane sources every few days, everywhere on the planet," he explained. Rouet-Leduc partnered with Hulbert, a fellow scientist from Los Alamos National Lab, to help track methane emissions. Funding through NASA and the Department of Energy, Geolabe has been able to establish itself as a potential solution to a global problem by using data from a network of satellites already in orbit, they can not only help in the reduction of methane, but they're also reducing the cost of creating an observation network in the first place. "We take general-purpose satellite data that was not designed for methane detection, and using AI we basically enhance the methane signal in those general-purpose data, and we reach similar detection capabilities as satellites that are dedicated to methane," said Rouet-Leduc. Geolabe's ultimate goal is to bring the temperature down on a planet that continues to heat up. Rouet-Leduc and Hulbert are actively seeking partners in their work, both from the public and private sectors. To learn more about Geolabe, visit the website here. About New Mexico Frontiers New Mexico is the doorway to the new frontier – leading the way into the future of Aerospace, Bio-science, Renewable Energy, Digital Media and Film, Advanced Manufacturing, and so much more. Join us as Chad Brummett and New Mexico Frontiers profile the movers and shakers from our state who are changing the world. ‘New Mexico Frontiers’ celebrates the enterprising spirit of the state’s businesses, scientists, creators, and entrepreneurs.