Abstract
METHANE is produced at the Earth's surface by various processes, chiefly biological in origin. Koyama1 estimated an annual source of 3 × 1014 g, with rice paddy fields a major contributor, but did not consider the contribution from natural swamps, and his value for the total source may be low by as much as a factor 3. The data of Bainbridge and Heidt2 suggest that they may have observed substantial methane production from the coastal marshes of Louisiana. The important atmospheric sinks for methane are3
These reactions constitute permanent destruction of CH4. Subsequent chemistry leads to formation of CO and CO2, and we shall argue that CO is more likely. The source of atmospheric CO due to CH4 is comparable with, and may be larger than, that associated with the internal combustion engine.
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References
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MCCONNELL, J., MCELROY, M. & WOFSY, S. Natural Sources of Atmospheric CO. Nature 233, 187–188 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/233187a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/233187a0
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