Published In

EOS, Transactions American Geophysical Union

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-3-2009

Subjects

Air -- Pollution, Methane -- Measurement, Methane -- Environmental aspects

Abstract

The current concentration of atmospheric methane is 1774±1.8 parts per billion, and it accounts for 18% of total greenhouse gas radiative forcing [Forster et al., 2007]. Atmospheric methane is 22 times more effective, on a per-unit-mass basis, than carbon dioxide in absorbing long-wave radiation on a 100-year time horizon, and it plays an important role in atmospheric ozone chemistry (e.g., in the presence of nitrous oxides, tropospheric methane oxidation will lead to the formation of ozone). Wetlands are a large source of atmospheric methane, Arctic lakes have recently been recognized as a major source [e.g., Walter et al., 2006], and anthropogenic activities--such as rice agriculture--also make a considerable contribution.

Description

Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union

DOI

10.1029/2009EO050001

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/7614

Included in

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