Atmospheric methane

About: Atmospheric methane is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2034 publications have been published within this topic receiving 119616 citations.

Evidence for elevated emissions from high‐latitude wetlands contributing to high atmospheric CH4 concentration in the early Holocene

Abstract: [1] The major increase in atmospheric methane (CH4) concentration during the last glacial-interglacial transition provides a useful example for understanding the interactions and feedbacks among Earth's climate, biosphere carbon cycling, and atmospheric chemistry. However, the causes of CH4 doubling during the last deglaciation are still uncertain and debated. Although the ice-core data consistently suggest a dominant contribution from northern high-latitude wetlands in the early Holocene, identifying the actual sources from the ground-based data has been elusive. Here we present data syntheses and a case study from Alaska to demonstrate the importance of northern wetlands in contributing to high atmospheric CH4 concentration in the early Holocene. Our data indicate that new peatland formation as well as peat accumulation in northern high-latitude regions increased more than threefold in the early Holocene in response to climate warming and the availability of new habitat as a result of deglaciation. Furthermore, we show that marshes and wet fens that represent early stages of wetland succession were likely more widespread in the early Holocene. These wetlands are associated with high CH4 emissions due to high primary productivity and the presence of emergent plant species that facilitate CH4 transport to the atmosphere. We argue that early wetland succession and rapid peat accumulation and expansion (not simply initiation) contributed to high CH4 emissions from northern regions, potentially contributing to the sharp rise in atmospheric CH4 at the onset of the Holocene.

MERLIN: a space-based methane monitor

Abstract: Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas. The radiative forcing caused by methane contributes significantly to the warming of the atmosphere. To better understand the complex global Methane Cycle, it is necessary to apply space-based measurements techniques in order to obtain global coverage at high precision The Methane Remote Sensing Lidar Mission (MERLIN) is a joint French-German cooperation on a micro satellite mission for space-based measurement of spatial and temporal gradients of atmospheric methane columns on a global scale. MERLIN will be the first Integrated Path Differential Absorption LIDAR for methane monitoring from space. In contrast to passive methane missions, the LIDAR instrument allows to retrieve methane fluxes at all-latitudes, allseasons and during night as it is not relying on sunlight. First scientific studies show a substantial reduction of the prior methane flux uncertainties in key observational regions when using synthetic MERLIN observations in the flux inversion experiments. Furthermore, MERLIN observations can help to quantify and verify in scientific credible way national emission reduction scenarios as formulated in the Kyoto protocol. This paper reports on the present status of MERLIN and gives an overview on the joint mission concept with the German LIDAR on the French satellite platform MYRIADE.

Factors influencing the stable carbon isotopic signature of methane from combustion and biomass burning

Abstract: Factors controlling the δ13C of methane released by combustion include the combustion efficiency of the fire and the δ13C of the fuel. Smoldering fires produced 13C-depleted methane relative to hot, flaming fires in controlled forest and grassland burns and within a wood stove. Pine forest burns in the southeastern United States produced methane which ranged from −21 to −30‰, while African grassland burns varied from −17 to −26‰, depending upon combustion phase. African woodland burns produced methane at −30‰. In forest burns in the southeastern United States, the δ13C of methane released with smoldering was significantly 13C depleted relative to methane released under hot flaming conditions. Methane released with smoldering was depleted by 2–3‰ relative to the fuel δ13C, but this difference was not significant. The δ13C of methane produced in a variety of wood stove conditions varied from −9 to −25‰ and also depended upon combustion efficiency. Similar results were found for methane produced by gasoline automobile engines, where the δ13C of methane varied from −9 to −22‰. For combustion occurring within the confining chamber of a wood stove or engine the δ13C of methane was clearly 13C enriched relative to the δ13C of the fuel, possibly because of preferential combustion of 12CH4 in the gas phase. Significant quantities of ethylene (up to 25 to 50% of methane concentrations) were produced in southeastern U.S. forest fires, which may have consequences for physiological and reproductive responses of plants in the ecosystem. Methane production in these fires varied from 0.2 to 8.5% of the carbon dioxide production.

No significant increase in long‐term CH4 emissions on North Slope of Alaska despite significant increase in air temperature

Abstract: Continuous measurements of atmospheric methane (CH4) mole fractions measured by NOAA's Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network in Barrow, AK (BRW), show strong enhancements above background values when winds come from the land sector from July to December from 1986 to 2015, indicating that emissions from arctic tundra continue through autumn and into early winter. Twenty-nine years of measurements show little change in seasonal mean land sector CH4 enhancements, despite an increase in annual mean temperatures of 1.2 ± 0.8°C/decade (2σ). The record does reveal small increases in CH4 enhancements in November and December after 2010 due to increased late-season emissions. The lack of significant long-term trends suggests that more complex biogeochemical processes are counteracting the observed short-term (monthly) temperature sensitivity of 5.0 ± 3.6 ppb CH4/°C. Our results suggest that even the observed short-term temperature sensitivity from the Arctic will have little impact on the global atmospheric CH4 budget in the long term if future trajectories evolve with the same temperature sensitivity.

Did geologic emissions of methane play any role in Quaternary climate change

Abstract: The “methane-led hypotheses” assume that gas hydrates and marine seeps are the sole geologic factors controlling Quaternary atmospheric and climate changes. Nevertheless, a wider class of geologic sources of methane exist which could have played a role in past climate changes. Beyond offshore seepage, relevant geologic emissions of methane (GEM) are from onshore seepage, including mud volcanism, microseepage and geothermal flux; altogether GEM are the second most important natural source of atmospheric methane at present. The amount of methane entering the atmosphere from onshore GEM seems to prevail on that from offshore seepage. Onshore sources inject a predominantly isotopically heavy (13C-enriched) methane into the atmosphere. They are controlled mainly by endogenic (geodynamic) processes, which induce large-scale gas flow variations over geologic and millennial time scales, and only partially by exogenic (surface) conditions, so that they are not affected by negative feedbacks. The eventual influence on atmospheric methane concentration does not necessarily require catastrophic or abrupt releases, as proposed for the “clathrate gun hypothesis”. Enhanced degassing from these sources could have contributed to the methane trends observed in the ice core records, and could explain the late Quaternary peaks of increased methane concentrations accompanied by the enrichment of isotopically heavy methane, as recently observed. This hypothesis shall be tested by means of robust multidisciplinary studies, mainly based on a series of atmospheric, biologic and geologic proxies.