Publication Abstracts

Matthews 1994

Matthews, E., 1994: Assessment of methane sources and their uncertainties. Pure Appl. Chem., 66, 154-162.

Measurements of methane from Greenland and Antarctic ice cores indicate atmospheric concentrations of ∼350 nmol/mol during the Last Glacial Maximum rising to 650 nmol/mol during the preindustrial Holocene (Stauffer et al., 1988; Chapellaz et al., 1990). Pre-industrial source strengths of methane, consistent with historical concentrations and estimates based on isotopes, have been estimated at ∼180-380 Tg (1012 g) per year (Khalil & Rasmussen, 1987; Stauffer et al., 1985; Chappelaz et al., 1993). Wetlands are understood to have been the dominant source with small contributions from wild fires, animals and oceans. During the last two hundred years, atmospheric methane concentrations have more than doubled to ∼1700 nmol/mol (atmospheric burden of ∼4800 Tg) and currently are increasing at ∼0.7% per year (Rasmussen & Khalil, 1981; Craig & Chou, 1982; Khalil & Rasmussen, 1982, 1983, 1985; Ehhalt et al., 1983; Blake, 1984; Rasmussen & Khalil, 1984; Stauffer et al., 1985; Blake & Rowland, 1986, 1988; Pearman et al., 1986; Steele et al., 1987; Khalil et al., 1989; Lang et al., 1990a,b). Currently, the total annual emission of methane is about twice that estimated for the pre-industrial period, but both the relative and absolute contribution of wetlands is smaller than in the past. The total annual source strength is estimated to be ∼450-500 Tg, dominated by natural wetlands, rice cultivation, animals, biomass burning, landfills, and fossil fuel extraction, transmission and distribution, but considerable uncertainties remain with respect to contributions of these individual sources.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{ma09200l,
  author={Matthews, E.},
  title={Assessment of methane sources and their uncertainties},
  year={1994},
  journal={Pure and Applied Chemistry},
  volume={66},
  pages={154--162},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ma09200l
AU  - Matthews, E.
PY  - 1994
TI  - Assessment of methane sources and their uncertainties
JA  - Pure Appl. Chem.
JO  - Pure and Applied Chemistry
VL  - 66
SP  - 154
EP  - 162
ER  -

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