Comments on: Worldwide Surge in Atmospheric Methane Levels

By: jennifer

jennifer — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:14:39 +0000

A team of MIT scientists recorded a nearly simultaneous world-wide increase in methane levels -the first increase in ten years. What baffles the team is that this data contradicts theories stating humans are the primary source of increase in greenhouse gas. It takes about one full year for gases generated in the highly industrial northern hemisphere to cycle through and reach the southern hemisphere. Since all worldwide levels rose simultaneously throughout the same year, however, it is probable that this may be part of a natural cycle – and not the direct result of man’s contributions.

http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2009/03/scientists-at-m.html

By: Francis MASSEN

Francis MASSEN — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 14:34:28 +0000

A bit late, but here is the link to the full version of the Rigby paper on CH4:

http://www.mit.edu/~mrigby/publications/2008GL036037.pdf

By: Ian Mott

Ian Mott — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 01:11:22 +0000

And while we wait, yet again, for some verifiable data from the climate zombies, it is timely to remind ourselves that the atmospheric concentration of CH4 is measured in PARTS PER BILLION while that of CO2 is measured in parts per million. So one should never, and honest report authors should take considerable steps to ensure their readers do not, assess Methane changes in the same numerical relevance as CO2.

We await a demonstration of their bona fides with interest.

By: Julian Flood

Julian Flood — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:36:01 +0000

There’s a published study (no, I don’t know where, I read it before I started to take notes) on the effects of SO2 on Arctic methane production. It suppresses it. We have cut back hugely on SO2 emissions and it is obvious that atmospheric methane is going to increase as the SO2 brakes come off all over the world. Presumably SO2 is as well mixed as CO2, so we would expect it to have an effect wherever there are wet bogs and bacteria to rot them down, ie, everywhere.

Today, a methane uptick. I told you so in Feb 06 in answer 2A1 on my website and I’ve been wondering when it would turn up.

The only update I’d add to my solution to warming is a need to study the emissivity of oil-polluted surfaces — my guess is that smoothed seawater doesn’t cool as fast in winter and warms more in summer, which sounds very much like the processes at work in the Arctic. With that addendum I think we’ve got it sussed. Today methane, tomorrow the world!

Unless it all turns out to be more hype. If so, pretend you never read this.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:24:10 +0000

Yep Geoff,

According to Paul Biggs:

There is no Geophysical ‘Review’ Letters – it is Geophysical ‘Research’ Letters and the paper is in press:

Rigby, M., R. Prinn, P. Fraser, P. Simmonds, R. Langenfelds, J. Huang, D. Cunnold, P. Steele, P. Krummel, R. Weiss, S. O’Doherty, P. Salameh, H. Wang, C. Harth, J. Mühle, and L. Porter (2008),

Renewed growth of atmospheric methane,
Geophys. Res. Lett., doi:10.1029/2008GL036037, in press.

By: Geoff Brown

Geoff Brown — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:22:00 +0000

Full Journal reference:
M. Rigby, R. Prinn, P. Fraser, P. Simmonds, R. Langenfelds, J. Huang1, D. Cunnold, P. Steele, P. Krummel, R.Weiss, S. O’Doherty, P. Salameh, H. Wang, C. Harth, J. Mühle, L. Porter. Renewed growth of atmospheric methane. Geophysical Review Letters, 28 pages 2008

By: Geoff Brown

Geoff Brown — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:18:03 +0000

Jennifer

Any luck with that link I gave you?

If you look at the Geophysical Research Letters cover on that page quoted as the latest issue, you will see that it was published at the end of August.

So, I believe that their paper will be published in a FORTHCOMING Issue and their press release stating that it had been already been published in Geophysical Research Letters was a little premature

By: Jan Pompe

Jan Pompe — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:02:50 +0000

do we really have any idea of what it should be doing?

Probably not but some folks seem to be certain that melting ice should cause less albedo and more warming because of it. 2007 can’t be considered evidence that it does.

By: janama

janama — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:54:20 +0000

“Sounds like something is not working quite like it should.”

do we really have any idea of what it should be doing?

By: Jan Pompe

Jan Pompe — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:09:09 +0000

A record rate in the rise of CH4 in a year with record arctic melt with a record cooling rate over the same year. Sounds like something is not working quite like it should.