Methane. A review

A.R. van Amstel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

46 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Earth's atmosphere is changing because of emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. Carbon dioxide emissions are important and result in half of the warming of the atmosphere. Pollutants from burning like black carbon (soot), nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides have adverse health effects and result in cooling. Pollutants have long masked the greenhouse effect, but improved air quality through reductions in air pollutants increase the warming. Atmospheric processes are intricately linked. Methane is central in all atmospheric chemistry. Methane is also important as a greenhouse gas. Although carbon dioxide should be reduced to prevent global warming, it is relatively cheap to reduce the non-CO2 greenhouse gases such as methane at the same time. Methane's concentration in the troposphere, after a long period of stabiliszation, is rising again since 2006. Here I will give a review on methane, its atmospheric chemistry, its emission sources and global budget.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5-30
JournalJournal of integrative Environmental Sciences
Volume9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

Keywords

  • zoom model tm5
  • atmospheric methane
  • nitrous-oxide
  • gas emissions
  • climate
  • cycle
  • ch4
  • inventories
  • balance
  • plants

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