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of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO
2University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA
What is methane?
Chemical formula: CH4
Second most abundant
greenhouse gas emitted
from anthropogenic
activities
~30 times stronger than
carbon dioxide as an
absorber of infrared
radiation
very powerful greenhouse gas
Methane Concentration
Relatively constant with altitude
Background concentration: ~1.85ppmv
Methane Sources
Thermogenic
Biogenic
Gas Chromatography
FID: Flame Ionization
Detector
C2 C10 hydrocarbons
MS: Mass
Spectrometer
Unambiguous detection
What is happening
here?
Dinuba
Dinuba
HYSPLIT Trajectories:
Dinuba Data Point
backwards trajectory
forward trajectory
(100-3,000 ft)
Sized by CH4
concentration
(100-3,000 ft)
Sized by CH4
concentration
(100-3,000 ft)
Sized by CH4
concentration
(100-3,000 ft)
Sized by CH4
concentration
(100-3,000 ft)
Sized by CH4
concentration
Sized by CH4
concentration
Sized by CH4
concentration
Sized by CH4
concentration
Why are we
seeing a spike
in methane
here?
thermogenic
Thermogenic Methane?
Butane
Pentane
Hexane
Ethane
Acetonitrile
Thermogenic Methane?
Butane
Pentane
Hexane
Ethane
Acetonitrile
Thermogenic Methane?
Butane
Pentane
Hexane
Ethane
Acetonitrile
Thermogenic Methane?
Butane
Pentane
Hexane
Ethane
Acetonitrile
Thermogenic Methane?
Butane
Pentane
Hexane
Ethane
Acetonitrile
thermogenic
biogenic
wild fire
Wennberg et al. On the Sources of Methane to the Los Angeles Atmosphere. Environmental
Science and Technology 2012
Energy Biomass
Burning
Thermogenic Methane?
Butane
Pentane
Hexane
Ethane
Acetonitrile
Some evidence of thermogenic
methane
Biogenic Methane?
Ethanol
Methanol
DMS
Isoprene
Biogenic Methane?
Ethanol
Methanol
DMS
Isoprene
Biogenic Methane?
Ethanol
Methanol
DMS
Isoprene
Biogenic Methane?
Ethanol
Methanol
DMS
Isoprene
Biogenic Methane?
Ethanol
Methanol
DMS
Isoprene
Dinuba
Dinuba
Compound
Biogenic or
Thermogenic
Background
Dinuba Region % Increase
Concentration Concentration in Dinuba
(pptv)
(pptv)
Region
Isoprene
Biogenic
4.0
193
4687
DMS
Biogenic
0.9
3.3
258
Acetonitrile
Thermogenic
125
399
219
Ethanol
Biogenic
651
1981
204
Methanol
Biogenic
4637
8727
88
Hexane
Thermogenic
14
21
50
Pentane
Thermogenic
39
51
30
Butane
Thermogenic
85
97
14
Ethane
Thermogenic
1215
1297
thermogenic
biogenic
Conclusion
Methane enhancement in Dinuba region is
most likely from biogenic sources.
There is evidence of some enhancement
from thermogenic sources.
Future Research
We need more data!
Future SARPs need to fly over and take
ground samples in the Dinuba region.
Future researchers can use isotopic and
radiocarbon signatures of methane to
confirm and quantify emission sources.
Acknowledgements
Thank You!
Questions?