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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2020

Strong Sensitivity of the Isotopic Composition of Methane to the Plausible Range of Tropospheric Chlorine

The C-13 isotopic ratio of methane, δC-13 of CH4, provides additional constraints on the CH4 budget to complement the constraints from CH4 observations. The interpretation of δC-13 observations is complicated, however, by uncertainties in the methane sink. The reaction of CH4 with Cl is highly fractionating, increasing the relative abundance of 13CH4, but there is currently no consensus on the strength of the tropospheric Cl sink. Global model simulations of halogen chemistry differ strongly from one another in terms of both the magnitude of tropospheric Cl and its geographic distribution. This study explores the impact of the inter-model diversity in Cl fields on the simulated δC-13 of CH4. We use a set of GEOS global model simulations with different predicted Cl fields to test the sensitivity of the δC-13 of CH4 to the diversity of Cl output from chemical transport models. We find that δC-13 is highly sensitive to both the amount and geographic distribution of Cl. Simulations with Cl providing 0.28% or 0.66% of the total CH4 loss bracket the δC-13 observations for a fixed set of emissions. Thus, even when Cl provides only a small fraction of the total CH4 loss and has a small impact on total CH4, it provides a strong lever on δC-13. Consequently, it is possible to achieve a good representation of total CH4 using widely different Cl concentrations, but the partitioning of CH4 loss between the OH and Cl reactions leads to strong differences in isotopic composition depending on which model’s Cl field is used. Comparing multiple simulations, we find that altering the tropospheric Cl field leads to approximately a 0.5‰ increase in δ(13)CH4for each percent increase in how much CH4 is oxidized by Cl. The geographic distribution and seasonal cycle of Cl also impacts the hemispheric gradient and seasonal cycle of δC-13. The large effect of Cl on δC-13 compared to total CH4 broadens the range of CH4 source mixtures that can be reconciled with δC-13 observations. Stronger constraints on tropospheric Cl are necessary to improve estimates of CH4 sources from δC-13 observations.

Global model simulations of halogen chemistry↗
NASA NTRS2016

Physical State and Distribution of Materials at the Surface of Pluto from New Horizons LEISA Imaging Spectrometer

From Earth based observations Pluto is known to be the host of N2, CH4 and CO ices and also a dark red material. Very limited spatial distribution information is available from rotational visible and near-infrared spectral curves obtained from hemispheric measurements. In July 2015 the New Horizons spacecraft reached Pluto and its satellite system and recorded a large set of data. The LEISA spectro-imager of the RALPH instruments are dedicated to the study of the composition and physical state of the materials composing the surface. In this paper we report a study of the distribution and physical state of the ices and non-ice materials on Pluto's illuminated surface and their mode and degree of mixing. Principal Component analysis as well as various specific spectral indicators and correlation plots are used on the first set of 2 high resolution spectro-images from the LEISA instrument covering the whole illuminated face of Pluto at the time of the New Horizons encounter. Qualitative distribution maps have been obtained for the 4 main condensed molecules, N2, CH4, CO, H2O as well as for the visible-dark red material. Based on specific spectral indicators, using either the strength or the position of absorption bands, these 4 molecules are found to indicate the presence of 3 different types of ices: N2-rich:CH4:CO ices, CH4-rich(:CO:N2?) ices and H2O ice. The mixing lines between these ices and with the dark red material are studied using scatter plots between the various spectral indicators. CH4 is mixed at the molecular level with N2, most probably also with CO, thus forming a ternary molecular mixture that follows its phase diagram with low solubility limits. The occurrence of a N2-rich - CH4-rich ices mixing line associated with a progressive decrease of the CO/CH4 ratio tells us that a fractionation sublimation sequence transforms one type of ice to the other forming either a N2-rich - CH4-rich binary mixture at the surface or an upper CH4-rich ice crust that may hide the N2-rich ice below. The strong CH4-rich - H2O mixing line witnesses the subsequent sublimation of the CH4-rich ice lag left behind by the N2:CO sublimation (N spring-summer), or a direct condensation of CH4 ice on the cold H2O ice (S autumn). The weak mixing line between CH4-containing ices and the dark red material and the very sharp spatial transitions between these ices and this non-volatile material are probably due to thermal incompatibility. Finally the occurrence of a H2O ice - red material mixing line advocates for a spatial mixing of the red material covering H2O ice, with possibly a small amount intimately mixed in water ice. From this analysis of the different materials distribution and their relative mixing lines, H2O ice appears to be the substratum on which other ices condense or non-volatile organic material is deposited from the atmosphere. N2-rich ices seem to evolve to CH4-dominated ices, possibly still containing traces of CO and N2, as N2 and CO sublimate away. The spatial distribution of these materials is very complex. The high spatial definition of all these composition maps, as well as those at even higher resolution that will be soon available, will allow us to compare them with Pluto's geologic features observed by LORRI panchromatic and MVIC multispectral imagers to better understand the geophysical processes in action at the surface of this astonishingly active frozen world.

Schmitt, B.↗
NASA NTRS2021

Satellite Constraints on the Latitudinal Distribution and Temperature Sensitivity of Wetland Methane Emissions

Wetland methane (CH4) emissions comprise about one-third of the global CH4 source. The latitudinal distribution and climate sensitivity of wetland CH4 fluxes are the key determinants of the global CH4-climate feedback. However, large differences exist between bottom-up estimates, informed by ground-based flux measurements, and top-down estimates derived from spaceborne total column CH4. Despite the extensive coverage of satellite CH4 concentration observations, challenges remain with using top-down estimates to test bottom-up models, mainly because of the uncertainties in the satellite retrievals, the model representation errors, the variable prior emissions, and the confounding role of the posterior error covariance structures. Here, we use satellite-based top-down CH4 flux estimates (2010–2012) to test and refine 42 bottom-up estimates of wetland emissions that use a range of hypothesized wetland extents and process controls. Our comparison between bottom-up models and satellite-based fluxes innovatively accounts for cross-correlations and spatial uncertainties typically found in top-down inverse estimates, such that only the information from satellite observations and the atmospheric transport model is kept as a constraint. We present a satellite-constrained wetland CH4 ensemble product derived from assembling the highest-performance bottom-up models, which estimates global wetland CH4 emissions of 148 (117–189, 5th–95th percentile) Tg CH4 yr−1. We find that tropical wetland emissions contribute 72% (63%–85%) to the global wetland total. We also find that a lower-than-expected temperature sensitivity agrees better with atmospheric CH4 measurements. Overall, our approach demonstrates the potential for using satellites to quantitatively refine bottom-up wetland CH4 emission estimates, their latitudinal distributions, and their sensitivity to climate.

wetland ch4↗
NASA NTRS2012

Detecting Methane From Leaking Pipelines and as Greenhouse Gas in the Atmosphere

Laser remote sensing measurements of trace gases from orbit can provide unprecedented information about important planetary science and answer critical questions about planetary atmospheres. Methane (CH4) is the second most important anthropogenically produced greenhouse gas. Though its atmospheric abundance is much less than that of CO2 (1.78 ppm vs. 380 ppm), it has much larger greenhouse heating potential. CH4 also contributes to pollution in the lower atmosphere through chemical reactions, leading to ozone production. Atmospheric CH4 concentrations have been increasing as a result of increased fossil fuel production, rice farming, livestock, and landfills. Natural sources of CH4 include wetlands, wild fires, and termites, and perhaps other unknown sources. Important sinks for CH4 include non-saturated soils and oxidation by hydroxyl radicals in the atmosphere. Remotely measuring CH4 and other biogenic molecules (such as ethane and formaldehyde) on Mars also has important implications on the existence of life on Mars. Measuring CH4 at very low (ppb) concentrations from orbit will dramatically improve the sensitivity and spatial resolution in the search for CH4 vents and sub-surface life on other planets. A capability has been developed using lasers and spectroscopic detection techniques for the remote measurements of trace gases in open paths. Detection of CH4, CO2, H2O, and CO in absorption cells and in open paths, both in the mid- IR and near-IR region, has been demonstrated using an Optical Parametric Amplifier laser transmitter developed at GSFC. With this transmitter, it would be possible to develop a remote sensing methane instrument. CH4 detection also has very important commercial applications. Pipeline leak detection from an aircraft or a helicopter can significantly reduce cost, response time, and pinpoint the location. The main advantage is the ability to rapidly detect CH4 leaks remotely. This is extremely important for the petrochemical industry. This capability can be used in manned or unmanned airborne platforms for the detection of leaks in pipelines and other areas of interest where a CH4 leak is suspected.

Riris, Haris↗
DOE OSTI2021

Low diffusive methane emissions from the main channel of a large Amazonian run-of-the-river reservoir attributed to high methane oxidation

The global development of hydropower dams has rapidly expanded over the last several decades and has spread to historically non-impounded systems such as the Amazon River's main low land tributaries in Brazil. Despite the recognized significance of reservoirs to the global methane (CH4) emission, the processes controlling this emission remain poorly understood, especially in Tropical reservoirs. Here we evaluate CH4 dynamics in the main channel and downstream of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric reservoir, a large tropical run-of-the-river (ROR) reservoir in Amazonia. This study is intended to give a snapshot of the CH4 dynamics during the falling water season at the initial stage after the start of operations. Our results show substantial and higher CH4 production in reservoirs' littoral sediment than in the naturally flooded areas downstream of the dam. Despite the large production in the reservoir or naturally flooded areas, high CH4 oxidation in the main channel keep the concentration and fluxes of CH4 in the main channel low. Similar CH4 concentrations in the reservoir and downstream close to the dam suggest negligible degassing at the dam, but stable isotopic evidence indicates the presence of a less oxidized pool of CH4 after the dam. ROR reservoirs are designed to disturb the natural river flow dynamics less than traditional reservoirs. If enough mixing and oxygenation remain throughout the reservoir's water column, naturally high CH4 oxidation rates can also remain and limit the diffusive CH4 emissions from the main channel. Nevertheless, it is important to highlight that our results focused on emissions in the deep and oxygenated main channel. High emissions, mainly through ebullition, may occur in the vast and shallow areas represented by bays and tributaries. However, detailed assessments are still required to understand the impacts of this reservoir on the annual emissions of CH4.

Amazon, aquatic, biogeochemistry, carbon cycling, ↗
NASA NTRS1986

Atmospheric methane sources - Alaskan tundra bogs, an alpine fen, and a subarctic boreal marsh

Methane (CH4) flux measurements from Alaska tundra bogs, an alpine fen, and a subarctic boreal marsh were obtained at field sites ranging from Prudhoe Bay on the coast of the Arctic Ocean to the Alaskan Range south of Fairbanks during August 1984. In the tundra, average CH4 emission rates varied from 4.9 mg CH4 per sq m per day (moist tundra) to 119 mg CH4 per sq m per day (waterlogged tundra). Fluxes averaged 40 mg CH4 per sq m per day from wet tussock meadows in the Brooks Range and 289 mg Ch4 per sq m per day from an alpine fen in the Alaskan Range. The boreal marsh had an average CH4 emission rate of 106 mg CH4 per sq m per day. Significant emissions were detected in tundra areas where peat temperatures were as low as 4 C, and permafrost was only 25 cm below the ground surface. Emission rates from the 17 sites sampled were found to be logarithmically related to water levels at the sites. Extrapolation of the data to an estimate of the total annual CH4 emission from all arctic and boreal wetlands suggests that these ecosystems are a major source of atmospheric CH4 and could account for up to 23 percent of global CH4 emissions from wetlands.

Sebacher, D. I.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Methanogenesis, Mesospheric Clouds, and Global Habitability

Hyperthermophilic methanogens can exist in a deep hot biosphere up to 110 C, or 10 km deep. Methane (CH4) itself is thermodynamically stable to depths of 300 km. Geologic (microbial plus abiogenic thermal) methane is transported upward, attested to by its association with helium, to form petroleum pools. Near or at the surface, geologic CH4 mixes with other natural and with anthropogenic CH4 yielding annual emissions into the atmosphere of 500 Tg, of which 200 Tg are natural and 300 Tg are man-made. The atmospheric lifetime of CH4, a greenhouse gas 20 times more effective than CO2 in raising global temperatures, is approximately 10 years. It is removed from the atmosphere mainly by reactions with hydroxyl radical (OH) to form CO2, but also by dry soil and by conversion to H2O in the stratosphere and middle atmosphere. A sudden rise in atmospheric temperatures by 9-12 C some 55 million years ago has been explained by the release in a few thousand years of three trillion tons of CH4 out of 15 trillion tons that had formed beneath the sea floor. What prevented this CH4-induced greenhouse effect from running away? An analog to the CH4-burp of 55 million years ago is the CH4-doubling over the past century which resulted in a increase in upper level H2O from 4.3 ppmv to 6 ppmv. This 30% increase in H2O vapor yielded a tenfold increase in brightness of polar mesospheric clouds because of a strong dependence of the ice particle nucleation rate on the water saturation ratios. Models show that at a given temperature the optical depth of mesospheric clouds scales as [H2O]beta with beta varying between 4 and 8. Radiative transfer tools applied to mesospheric particles suggest that an optical depth of approximately one, or 1000 times the current mesospheric cloud optical depth, would result in tropospheric cooling of about 10 K. Assuming beta=6, a thousandfold increase in optical thickness would require a three-fold increase of H2O, or a 20-fold increase of CH4. At the current rate of anthropogenic emissions this is expected to occur within the next 1000 years. This timescale is also commensurate with what has been assumed for the CH4- burp 55 million years ago.

Pueschel, Rudolf F.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Investigation of Benthic Foraminiferal Non-Traditional Stable Isotopes to Reconstruct Methane Fluxes in Sedimentary Environments

Methane (CH4) is an important greenhouse gas, with a global warming potential much higher than carbon dioxide (CO2) on a short time scale. Even if the residence time of CH4 in the atmosphere is relatively short (tens of years), one of the products of CH4 oxidation is CO2, a greenhouse gas with a much longer residence time in the atmosphere (tens to hundreds of years). CH4 has been proposed as one of the trigger mechanisms for rapid global climate change today and in the geological past. With regards to the geological past, numerous studies proposed the benthic foraminiferal carbon isotope ratio (Delta13C) as a tool to reconstruct the impact of marine CH4 on rapid climate changes; however, the investigation of modern benthic foraminiferal Delta13C have produced inconclusive results. CH4 has a distinctive hydrogen isotope (Delta(D)) and Delta13C signature compared to seawater, and sulfate reduction, often coupled to CH4 anaerobic oxidation in sediments, changes the sulfur isotope signature (Delta34S) of the remaining sulfate in porewater. Therefore, we hypothesize that the Delta(D) and Delta34S signature of infaunal benthic foraminiferal species can provide a complementary approach to Delta13C to study CH4 dynamics in sedimentary environments. Here, we present the preliminary results obtained analyzing Uvigerina peregrina Delta(D) and Delta34S from three different locations at Hydrate Ridge, offshore Oregon. Unfortunately, the lack of chemical data related to the moment of foraminiferal calcification makes difficult to build a robust relationship among the U. peregrina stable isotopes and the CH4 fluxes at the sampling sites. However, our results look very promising, as each site is characterized by a different Delta(D) and Delta34S signature. We emphasize that this study represents the first step in the development of new proxies (Delta(D)) and Delta34S), which may complement the more traditional benthic foraminiferal Delta13C values, to reconstruct marine CH4 fluxes in the geological past.

Borrelli, C.↗
DOE OSTI2020

A synthesis of methane dynamics in thermokarst lake environments

Greenhouse gas emissions from physical permafrost thaw disturbance and subsidence, including the formation and expansion of thermokarst (thaw) lakes, may double the magnitude of the permafrost carbon feedback this century. These processes are not accounted for in current global climate models. Thermokarst lakes, in particular, have been shown to be hotspots for emissions of methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas with 32 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide (CO2) over a 100-year timescale. Here, we synthesize several studies examining CH4 dynamics in a representative first-generation thermokarst lake (Vault Lake, informal name) to show that CH4 production and oxidation potentials vary with depth in thawed sediments beneath the lake. This variation leads to depth-dependent differences in both in situ dissolved CO2:CH4 ratios and net CH4 production responses to additional warming. Comparing CH4 production, oxidation, and flux values from studies at Vault Lake suggests up to 99% of produced CH4 is oxidized and/or periodically entrapped before entering the atmosphere. We summarize these findings in the context of CH4 literature from thermokarst lakes and identify future research directions for incorporating thermokarst lake CH4 dynamics into estimates of the permafrost carbon feedback.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1994

Clouds, hazes, and the stratospheric methane abundance in Neptune

Analysis of high-spatial-resolution (approximately 0.8 arcsec) methane band and continuum imagery of Neptune's relatively homogeneous Equatorial Region yields significant constraints on (1) the stratospheric gaseous methane mixing ratio (f(sub CH4, S)), (2) the column abundances and optical properties of stratospheric and tropospheric hydrocarbon hazes, and (3) the wavelength-dependent single-scattering albedo of the 3-bar opaque cloud. From the center-to-limb behavior of the 7270-A and 8900-A CH4 bands, the stratospheric methane mixing ratios is limited to f(sub CH4, S) less than 1.7 x 10(exp -3), with a nominal value of f(sub CH4, S) = 3.5 x 10(exp -4), one to two orders of magnitude less than pre-Voyager estimates, but in agreement with a number of recent ultraviolet and thermal infrared measurements, and largely in agreement with the tropopause mixing ratio implied by Voyager temperature measurements. Upper limits to the stratospheric haze mass column abundance and 6190-A and 8900-A haze opacities are 0.61 micrograms/sq cm and 0.075 and 0.042, respectively, with nominal values of 0.20 micrograms/sq cm and 0.025 and 0.014 for the 0.2 micrometers radius particles preferred by the recent Voyager PPS analysis of Pryor et al. (1992). The tropospheric CH4 haze opacities are comparable to that found in the stratosphere, i.e., upper limits of 0.104 and 0.065 at 6190 A and 8900 A, respectively, with nominal values of 0.085 and 0.058. This indicates a column abundance less than 11.0 micrograms/sq cm, corresponding to the methane gas content within a well-mixed 3% methane tropospheric layer only 0.1 cm thick near the 1.5-bar CH4 condensation level. Conservative scattering is ruled out for the opaque cloud near 3 bars marking the bottom of the visible atmosphere. Specifically, we find cloud single-scattering albedos of 0.915 +/- 0.006 at 6340 A, 0.775 +/- 0.012 at 7490 A, and 0.803 +/- 0.010 at 8260 A. Global models utilizing a complete global spectrum confirm the red-absorbing character of the 3-bar cloud. The global-mean model has approximately 7.7 times greater stratospheric aerosol content than the Equatorial Region. An analysis of stratospheric haze precipitation rates indicates a steady-state haze production rate of 0.185-1.5 x 10(exp -14) g/sq cm/s, in agreement with recent theoretical photochemical estimates. Finally, reanalysis of the Voyager PPS 7500-A phase angle data utilizing the f(sub CH4, S) value derived here confirms the Pryor et al. result of a tropospheric CH4 haze opacity of a few tenths in the 22-30 degs S latitude region, several times that of the Equatorial Region or of the globe. The factor-of-10 reduction in f(sub CH4, S) below that assumed by Pryor et al. implies decreased gas absorption and consequently a decrease in the forward-scattering component of tropospheric aerosols.

Baines, Kevin H.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Global Wetland Contribution to 2000-2012 Atmospheric Methane Growth Rate Dynamics

Increasing atmospheric methane (CH4) concentrations have contributed to approximately 20% of anthropogenic climate change. Despite the importance of CH4 as a greenhouse gas, its atmospheric growth rate and dynamics over the past two decades, which include a stabilization period (1999-2006), followed by renewed growth starting in 2007, remain poorly understood. We provide an updated estimate of CH4 emissions from wetlands, the largest natural global CH4 source, for 2000-2012 using an ensemble of biogeochemical models constrained with remote sensing surface inundation and inventory-based wetland area data. Between 2000-2012, boreal wetland CH4 emissions increased by 1.2 Tg yr(sup -1) (-0.2-3.5 Tg yr(sup -1), tropical emissions decreased by 0.9 Tg yr(sup -1) (-3.2-1.1 Tg yr(sup -1), yet globally, emissions remained unchanged at 184 +/- 22 Tg yr(sup -1). Changing air temperature was responsible for increasing high-latitude emissions whereas declines in low-latitude wetland area decreased tropical emissions; both dynamics are consistent with features of predicted centennial-scale climate change impacts on wetland CH4 emissions. Despite uncertainties in wetland area mapping, our study shows that global wetland CH4 emissions have not contributed significantly to the period of renewed atmospheric CH4 growth, and is consistent with findings from studies that indicate some combination of increasing fossil fuel and agriculture-related CH4 emissions, and a decrease in the atmospheric oxidative sink.

Poulter, Benjamin↗
NASA NTRS2013

Analyzing Carbon Dioxide and Methane Emissions in California Using Airborne Measurements and Model Simulations

Greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations have increased over the past decades and are linked to global temperature increases and climate change. These changes in climate have been suggested to have varying effects, and uncertain consequences, on agriculture, water supply, weather, sea-level rise, the economy, and energy. To counteract the trend of increasing atmospheric concentrations of GHGs, the state of California has passed the California Global Warming Act of 2006 (AB-32). This requires that by the year 2020, GHG (e.g., carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4)) emissions will be reduced to 1990 levels. To quantify GHG fluxes, emission inventories are routinely compiled for the State of California (e.g., CH4 emissions from the California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement (CALGEM) Project). The major sources of CO2 and CH4 in the state of California are: transportation, electricity production, oil and gas extraction, cement plants, agriculture, landfills/waste, livestock, and wetlands. However, uncertainties remain in these emission inventories because many factors contributing to these processes are poorly quantified. To alleviate these uncertainties, a synergistic approach of applying air-borne measurements and chemical transport modeling (CTM) efforts to provide a method of quantifying local and regional GHG emissions will be performed during this study. Additionally, in order to further understand the temporal and spatial distributions of GHG fluxes in California and the impact these species have on regional climate, CTM simulations of daily variations and seasonality of total column CO2 and CH4 will be analyzed. To assess the magnitude and spatial variation of GHG emissions and to identify local “hot spots”, airborne measurements of CH4 and CO2 were made by the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) over the San Francisco Bay Area (SFBA) and San Joaquin Valley (SJV) in January and February 2013 during the Discover-AQ-CA study. High mixing ratios of GHGs were observed in-flight with a high degree of spatial variability. To provide an additional method to quantify GHG emissions, and analyze AJAX measurement data, the GEOS-Chem CTM is used to simulate SFBA/SJV GHG measurements. A nested-grid version of GEOS-Chem will be applied and utilizes varying emission inventories and model parameterizations to simulate GHG fluxes/emissions. The model considers CO2 fluxes from fossil fuel use, biomass/biofuel burning, terrestrial and oceanic biosphere exchanges, shipping and aviation, and production from the oxidation of carbon monoxide, CH4, and non-methane volatile organic carbons. The major sources of CH4 simulated in GEOS-Chem are domesticated animals, rice fields, natural gas leakage, natural gas venting/flaring (oil production), coal mining, wetlands, and biomass burning. Preliminary results from the comparison between available observations (e.g., AJAX and CALGEM CH4 emission maps) and GEOS-Chem results will be presented, along with a discussion of CO2 and CH4 source apportionment and the use of the GEOS-Chem-adjoint to perform inverse GHG modeling.

Johnson, Matthew S.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

TPSAS-NF1676L-32105-DND

NASA Langley Research Center is developing the High-Altitude Lidar Observatory (HALO) system to address the observational needs of NASA’s weather, climate, carbon cycle, and atmospheric composition focus areas. HALO is a multi-function airborne lidar being developed to measure atmospheric H2O and CH4 mixing ratios and aerosol/cloud/ocean optical properties using the Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) and High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) techniques, respectively. To respond to a wide range of airborne process studies, HALO can be rapidly reconfigured to provide either CH4 DIAL+HSRL, H2O DIAL+HSRL, or CH4 DIAL+H2O DIAL measurements using three different laser transmitters. During spring 2018 NASA Langley demonstrated the world’s first combined airborne CH4 DIAL and HSRL measurements from the Langley King Air aircraft during four test flights. The HALO methane configuration also participated in the Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS) air quality field campaign on the NASA B200 aircraft. The flown instrument configuration employed the DIAL technique at 1645 nm for column and multi-layer range resolved measurements of CH4 concentrations, and the HSRL technique at 532 nm to make independent, unambiguous retrievals of aerosol extinction and backscatter. It also employed the standard backscatter technique at 1064 nm and is polarization-sensitive at the 1064/532 nm wavelengths. The addition of the HSRL channels provides context to the airborne CH4 DIAL measurements such as source attribution, transport, and vertical mixing through mixed layer height retrievals, as well as providing the critical capability to validate aerosol induced biases from passive space-borne measurements of column CH4. In this presentation we focus on the instrument capabilities, initial CH4 measurements over oil and gas production sites in coordination with the ACT-America campaign, CH4 signatures over the Long Island Sound domain during the LISTOS campaign, and prospects for future airborne campaigns with cohosted payloads consisting of active and passive sensors.

Rory Barton-Grimley↗
NASA NTRS2021

Anthropogenic Emissions are the Main Contribution to the Rise of Atmospheric Methane (1993-2017)

Atmospheric methane (CH4) concentrations have shown a puzzling resumption of growth since 2007 following a period of stabilization from 2000 to 2006. Multiple hypotheses have been proposed to explain the temporal variations in CH4 growth, which attributes the rise of atmospheric CH4 either to increases in emissions from fossil fuel activities, agriculture, and natural wetlands or to a decrease in the atmospheric chemical sink. Here, we use a comprehensive ensemble of CH4 source estimates and isotopic δ13C-CH4 source signature data to show that the resumption of CH4 growth is most likely due to increased anthropogenic emissions. Our emission scenarios that have the fewest biases with respect to isotopic composition suggest that the agriculture, landfill, and waste sectors were responsible for 53 ± 13% of the renewed growth over the period 2007–2017 compared to 2000–2006; industrial fossil fuel sources explained an additional 34 ± 24%, and wetland sources contributed the least at 13 ± 9%. The hypothesis that a large increase in emissions from natural wetlands drove the decrease in atmospheric δ13C-CH4 values cannot be reconciled with current process-based wetland CH4 models. This finding suggests the need for increased wetland measurements to better constrain the contemporary and future role of wetlands in the rise of atmospheric methane and climate feedbacks. Our findings highlight the predominant role of anthropogenic activities in driving the growth of atmospheric CH4 concentrations.

Zhen Zhang↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Generating a 4D Global CH(4) Product by Assimilating TROPOMI column CH(4) in NASA’s GEOS GCM

Examination of temporal and spatial CH4 variability is crucial for better understanding the human and natural processes driving climate change and ultimately designing mitigation strategies. Here we present an analysis framework that uses NASA’s GEOS General Circulation Model (GCM) to construct a high-resolution, time varying picture of atmospheric CH4 consistent with measurements from a variety of platforms, both in situ and remotely sensed. The resulting time varying atmospheric CH4 product can (i) support interpretation of high-resolution point source detection approaches, (ii) provide reanalysis fields for CH4 and other greenhouse gases, and (iii) supply boundary conditions for regional models. Our approach starts with a set of CH4 emissions from various inventories that have been adjusted to match the global annual growth rate over recent decades. These emissions are transported by the GEOS GCM, which in turn is constrained by meteorology from NASA’s Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) product. The simulated atmospheric field is compared with CH4 measurements, such as those from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), and adjustments calculated following a Bayesian protocol. The accuracy of the resultant optimal atmospheric CH4 field can be demonstrated by its improved agreement (compared to a direct simulation of the CH4 inventories) with a host of independent CH4 measurements, such as those from the Total Carbon Column Observation Network (TCCON) and in situ observations from surface and airborne platforms.

Nikolay V. Balashov↗
DOE OSTI2023

SPRUCE Anaerobic oxidation of methane mitigates net methane production and responds to long-term experimental warming in a northern bog: Supporting data

This data set contains measurements of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), net methane (CH4) production, carbon dioxide (CO2) production, and gross CH4 production measurements from the SPRUCE experiment (Hanson et al. 2017). CH4 is greenhouse gas with 45 times the sustained global warming potential of CO2 over 100 years, which may have significant implications on global climate change. The process of AOM plays a large role in the extent of CH4 emissions from wetland environments like those at the SPRUCE experiment site. This study conducted two on different dates. In experiment 1, net CH4 and CO2 production were measured with a gas chromatograph through the peat profile at in situ temperatures of the SPRUCE plots four times from May to October, 2016 (2016-05 to 2016-10). Two treatments were examined, a Porewater Treatment that was a 1:1 volumetric peat:porewater slurry and a No Porewater Treatment that was field-moist peat with no porewater added. Additionally, net CH4 production were measured at frequent intervals (from 4 hr to 9 d) in peat from selected SPRUCE plots from soil collected on October 16, 2016 (2016-10-16). Samples were collected from the SPRUCE plots, immediately made anaerobic, and transported to the University of Oregon for rate measurements within several days of collection. In experiment 2, AOM, net CH4 production, CO2 production, and gross CH4 production were measured through the peat profile at in situ field temperatures once from samples collected in July, 2021 (2021-07). The same two porewater treatments were examined. AOM was measured with a 13CH4 tracer method using a Picarro G2201-i analyzer for isotopic CO2/CH4 quantification with a small stable isotope module attached. This data set contains three data files in comma separate (*.csv) format. This data set is associated with the following publication: Barney, M, AM Hopple, LL Gregory, JK Keller, and SD Bridgham. 2024. Anaerobic oxidation of methane mitigates net methane production and responds to long-term experimental warming in a northern bog. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 190, 109316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2024.109316.

SPRUCE Experiment, Marcell Experimental Forest, Me↗
NASA NTRS1981

Pluto's atmospheric bulk near perihelion

The detection of CH4 frost on Pluto's surface implies a significant atmosphere for Pluto. Although Pluto's mass is small, about 7% of Triton's mass, the rapid escape ('blowoff') of gaseous CH4 can be prevented by the presence of a heavy gas mixed with the CH4. The resulting slow escape ('Jeans escape') of CH4 can be accommodated by sublimation of the surface CH4 frost so that an atmosphere exists in the steady state. A heavier gas must exist, otherwise the CH4 frost would have sublimated away long ago because of solar heat and rapid blowoff of gaseous CH4. Pluto is currently near perihelion where the CH4 component of the atmosphere may be 500 times denser than at apehelion. Significant seasonal changes in the atmospheric bulk are therefore possible.

Trafton, L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Airborne boundary layer flux measurements of trace species over Canadian boreal forest and northern wetland regions

Airborne heat, moisture, O3, CO, and CH4 flux measurements were obtained over the Hudson Bay lowlands (HBL) and northern boreal forest regions of Canada during July - August 1990. The airborne flux measurements were an integral part of the NASA/Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition (ABLE) 3B field experiment executed in collaboration with the Canadian Northern Wetlands Study (NOWES). Airborne CH4 flux measurements were taken over a large portion of the HBL. The surface level flux of CH4 was obtained from downward extrapolations of multiple-level CH4 flux measurements. Methane source strengths ranged from -1 to 31 mg m(exp -2)/d, with the higher values occurring in relatively small, isolated areas. Similar measurements of the CH4 source strength in the boreal forest region of Schefferville, Quebec, ranged from 6 to 27 mg m(exp -2)/d and exhibited a diurnal dependence. The CH4 source strengths found during the ABLE 3B expedition were much lower than the seasonally averaged source strength of 51 mg m(exp -2)/d found for the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta region of Alaska during the previous ABLE 3A study. Large positive CO fluxes (0.31 to 0.53 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) m/s) were observed over the inland, forested regions of the HBL study area, although the mechanism for the generation of these fluxes was not identified. Repetitive measurements along the same ground track at various times of day near the Schefferville site also suggested a diurnal dependence for CO emissions. Measurements of surface resistance to the uptake of O3 (1.91 to 0.80 s/cm) for the HBL areas investigated were comparable to those observed near the Schefferville site (3.40 to 1.10 s/cm). Surface resistance values for the ABLE 3B study area were somewhat less than those observed over the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta during the previous ABLE 3A study. The budgets for heat, moisture, O3, CO, and CH4 were evaluated. The residuals from these budget studies indicated, for the cases selected, a moderate net photochemical production of O3 present in the boundary layer over the HBL that coincided with an in situ destruction of CO, although the mechanism responsible for the destruction of CO was not identified. Results from the O3 budget analysis indicate the importance of in situ photochemical production and its possible dominance over surface deposition to the local O3 budget at the Schefferville site. Measurements of the in situ production of O3 indicated a direct relationship between the presence of biomass burning or large-scale pollution effects. Residuals from budget calculations for conserved quantities (heat, moisture, and CH4) were compared with their respective surface fluxes to provide a measure of the internal self-consistency of the flux measurements.

Ritter, John A.↗