Abstract
The large-scale source distribution of methane is reflected in the spatial and temporal variation of the atmospheric methane mixing ratio. Furthermore, the stable isotope ratio of methane (13 CH 4/12 CH 4) contains additional information on the methane sources, because these differ in their isotopic composition. The constraints on the magnitude of the various sources of methane provided for by atmospheric measurements of the CH 4 mixing ratio and its 13 C/12 C ratio are investigated by means of a three-dimensional atmospheric transport model that includes a tropospheric background chemistry module which calculates the oxidation of CH 4 by chemical reaction with the hydroxyl radical (OH).
The transport model is run with individual methane source components (e.g. from rice paddies, domestic animals, natural wetlands etc.) and the tropospheric sink specified by the temporally and spatially varying OH concentration predetermined with our combined transport and chemistry model. Using an inverse modelling method, the sources are adjusted to obtain an optimal agreement between model calculated and observed mixing ratios of methane obtained from the NOAA/CMDL monitoring network, supplemented with data of the 13 C/12 C ratio in atmospheric CH 4 from the University of Washington. The procedure results in an improved scenario of global methane sources and an assessment of their uncertanties.
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Hein, R., Heimann, M. (1994). Determination of Global Scale Emissions of Atmospheric Methane Using an Inverse Modelling Method. In: van Ham, J., Janssen, L.J.H.M., Swart, R.J. (eds) Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases: Why and How to Control?. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0982-6_31
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0982-6_31
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