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Author Topic: High Methane - Africa, Middle East, and South Asia  (Read 4659 times)

Apocalypse4Real

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High Methane - Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
« on: July 31, 2013, 12:48:59 AM »
While this thread may not fit "permafrost" there are high concentrations of methane release elsewhere that contribute to the ongoing rise of CH4 in the global troposphere.

An example is July 29's very high readings across North Africa, Middle East and South Asia, as well as elsewhere. Some of the high readings are the result of fires, rice production, oil and natural gas production, and biological methane release.


Apocalypse4Real

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Re: High Methane - Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
« Reply #1 on: August 01, 2013, 05:28:32 PM »
North Africa and the Middle East continue to have high CH4 concentrations in the upper troposphere.

On July 31, 2013 12-24 hrs, at 156 mb, the CH4 concentration was as high as 2167 mb. At other layers, in Iran and Central Asia, it ranged as high as 2276 ppb at 293 mb.

Attached is the 156 mb image.

Apocalypse4Real

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Re: High Methane - Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2013, 07:55:42 PM »
Another glance at high methane in North Africa, Middle East and South Asia. The upper tropospheric methane continues to build.

The attached reveals concentrations as high as 2340 ppbv in this area at 218 mb or approximately 36,850 feet altitude.

The buildup seems to be a response to higher emissions and also lower OH in the atmosphere.

prokaryotes

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Re: High Methane - Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2013, 08:03:12 PM »
The buildup seems to be a response to higher emissions and also lower OH in the atmosphere.

Does the monsoon play a role too?

4 Aug 2013 Pakistan and Afghanistan monsoon floods kill dozens
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23568689

Quote
The more conventional explanation is that as the climate warms there is increased rain in the tropics and thus increased emissions from tropical wetlands which need to have been large enough to counteract a probable increase in the methane sink.
http://www.giss.nasa.gov/research/features/200409_methane/


Update

Estimating the contribution of monsoon-related biogenic production to methane emissions from South Asia using CARIBIC observations
Quote
During the summer monsoon the upper troposphere over South Asia is characterized by the monsoon anticyclone centered above the Tibetan Plateau. Surface air that has been rapidly transported upwards through deep convection becomes trapped within the strong anticyclonic circulation. Observations of trace gases within this anticyclone by the CARIBIC flying observatory revealed large enhancements in the greenhouse gas methane (CH4), which increased over the course of the monsoon. Meteorological analysis indicated that these air masses originated primarily in India, for which relatively little is known about CH4 emissions.

Using correlations between concentrations of CH4 and carbon monoxide (CO) we estimated total emissions of 30.8 Tg CH4 during the 2008 monsoon season (June - September), 19.7 Tg of which were identified as additional, monsoon-related biogenic methane using the relationship of CH4 to ethane (C2H6). After accounting for the ~3.9 Tg attributed to rice agriculture in the current inventories, ~15.8 Tg of additional CH4 remain. Underestimated rice emissions provide a partial explanation, with the remainder most likely attributable to microbial production in waterlogged areas such as landfills, polluted waterways and wetlands.
http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/pip/2012gl051756.shtml

Quick compilation

Increased Methane emissions from summer Monsoon
http://climatestate.com/magazine/2013/08/increased-methane-emissions-from-summer-monsoon/
« Last Edit: August 06, 2013, 09:46:58 PM by prokaryotes »

Apocalypse4Real

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Re: High Methane - Africa, Middle East, and South Asia
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2013, 05:20:58 AM »
Thanks! These articles are very helpful!

A4R