Anthropogenic Sources of Atmospheric Methane

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Recommended: Role of human beings in perpetuating climate change

Anthropogenic Sources of Atmospheric Methane

Introduction

The atmosphere has always contained the Greenhouse Gas methane. Along with carbon

dioxide, nitrous oxide, and water vapor, methane helps to create the natural greenhouse effect.

These gases trap some of the sun's energy and keep the Earth at a warm enough temperature

to sustain life. If the occurrence of any of these gases in the atmosphere is increased, the

natural greenhouse effect will intensify and further warm the Earth. Due to man's activities, the

amount of atmospheric methane has more than doubled since pre-industrial times. It could

double again by the year 2050. Today, 60 to 70% of methane releases come from human-

related activities.

Pie chart of Greenhouse Gases

The Effect of Methane on Global Warming

Methane is the second largest contributor to potential global warming (carbon dioxide being the

first). Methane is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas, and it increases the greenhouse effect

in two ways. Firstly, it absorbs infrared radiation well, making it twenty times more effective at

trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Secondly, increased amounts of methane

increases the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere, further trapping heat. Another

characteristic of methane relative to global warming is its staying power: the methane released

today could still trap heat more than a decade from now. Its concentration in the atmosphere is

rising annually.

Landfills

The largest source of methane emissions in the United States are landfills. Landfill gas, which is

mainly composed of methane and carbon dioxide, is the result of the anaerobic decomposition of

...

... middle of paper ...

... it and use it for our

benefit.

Sources:

Pipkin. Recent Climate Change. http://madmonster.williams.edu/geol.103/04-Climates2.html, Fall 1996

EPA. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Methane. http://www.epa.gov/oppeoee1/globalwarming/inventory/1998-inv/methane.html, April 7, 1998

World Meteorological Organization. Scientists Support IPCC Global Warming Conclusion, Call for Quick Action. http://www.voyagepub.com/stories/0996cli2.htm , Summer 1996

EPA. Climate Change: Methane and other Greenhouse Gases. http://www.epa.gov/outreach/ghginfo/reports.htm

Global Warming is Happening. http://www.enviroweb.org/edf/ishappening/ishappening_frameset.html. copyright 1997

Methane (CH4). http://global.phy.pdx.edu/sarah/CH4.html

Michael Franklin. Trash Can Be Turned Into Energy Source. http://www.dfpress.com/science/0422972.html, April 1997

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