Quay et al. 1991

Quay, P.D., S.L. King, J. Stutsman, D.O. Wilbur, L.P. Steele, I. Fung, R.H. Gammon, T.A. Brown, G.W. Farwell, P.M. Grootes, and F.H. Schmidt, 1991: Carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric CH₄: Fossil and biomass burning source and strengths. Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 5, 25-47, doi:10.1029/91GB00003.

The 13C/12C of atmospheric methane (CH₄) was measured at Point Barrow 71°N, 156°W), Olympic Peninsula (48°N, 126°W), Mauna Loa (19°N, 155°W), and Cape Grim (41°S, 144°E) between 1987 amd 1989. The global average delta-13C_PDB from these measurements (n = 208) was -47.20±0.13 per mill. The lowest mean annual delta-13C value of 47.61±0.14 per mill was measured at Point Barrow with values increasing to -47.03±0.14 per mill at Cape Grim. The seasonal cycle in the delta-13C of CH₄ was greatest at Point Barrow, with an amplitude of 0.5 per mill, and varied inversely with concentration. The isotopic fractionation during CH₄ oxidation is calculated to be 0.993±0.002 based on the measured CH₄ concentration and delta-13C values. The 14C content of atmospheric CH₄, measured at monthly intervals at the Olympic Peninsula site between 1987 and 1989, is increasing at 1.4±0.5 pM/yr, primarily owing to 14CH₄ release from nuclear reactors. The global average 14C content of 122 pM for CH₄ implies a fossil methane source strength that is 16% of the total source. The global mean delta-13C of 47.2 per mill, when coupled with the 14C results, implies that ~11% is derived from biomass burning. These results indicate for a total CH₄ source of ~550 Tg/yr that natural gas release accounts for ~90 Tg/yr and biomass burning yields ~60 Tg/yr. Preliminary analyses of the delta-13C data using a three-dimensional chemical tracer model indicate that the observed meridional gradients in the annual average delta-13C and concentration of CH₄ are most closely matched with a CH₄ source scenario in which 11% of the CH₄ is derived from biomass burning.

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Quay, P.D., King, S.L., Stutsman, J., Wilbur, D.O., Steele, L.P., Fung, I., Gammon, R.H., Brown, T.A., Farwell, G.W., Grootes, P.M., and Schmidt, F.H.: Carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric CH₄: Fossil and biomass burning source and strengths, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 5, 25-47, doi:10.1029/91GB00003, 1991.

Quay, P.D., S.L. King, J. Stutsman, D.O. Wilbur, L.P. Steele, I. Fung, R.H. Gammon, T.A. Brown, G.W. Farwell, P.M. Grootes, and F.H. Schmidt (1991), Carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric CH₄: Fossil and biomass burning source and strengths, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 5, 25-47, doi:10.1029/91GB00003.

Quay, P.D., S.L. King, J. Stutsman, D.O. Wilbur, L.P. Steele, I. Fung, R.H. Gammon, T.A. Brown, G.W. Farwell, P.M. Grootes, and F.H. Schmidt, 1991: Carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric CH₄: Fossil and biomass burning source and strengths. Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 5, 25-47, doi:10.1029/91GB00003.

Quay, P.D., et al. 1991, Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 5, 25, doi:10.1029/91GB00003.

Quay PD, King SL, Stutsman J, Wilbur DO, Steele LP, Fung I, Gammon RH, Brown TA, Farwell GW, Grootes PM, Schmidt FH. Carbon isotopic composition of atmospheric CH₄: Fossil and biomass burning source and strengths, Global Biogeochem Cycles 1991;5:25-47. doi:10.1029/91GB00003.

P.D. Quay, S.L. King, J. Stutsman, D.O. Wilbur, L.P. Steele, I. Fung, R.H. Gammon, T.A. Brown, G.W. Farwell, P.M. Grootes, F.H. Schmidt, Global Biogeochem. Cycles 5, 25-47, doi:10.1029/91GB00003 (1991).