Article
Environmental Sciences
Sohyeon Geum, Hyeri Park, Haklim Choi, Yeaseul Kim, Haeyoung Lee, Sangwon Joo, Young-Suk Oh, Sylvia Englund Michel, Sunyoung Park
Summary: This study conducted observations of atmospheric methane concentrations and carbon isotopic compositions in East Asia, revealing a high growth rate of methane and its seasonal variations. The sources of methane were found to be predominantly thermogenic in winter and a mixture of microbial and fossil fuel sources in summer. The proportional contribution of microbial sources to methane emissions in summer was estimated to be significant.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
X. Lan, S. Basu, S. Schwietzke, L. M. P. Bruhwiler, E. J. Dlugokencky, S. E. Michel, O. A. Sherwood, P. P. Tans, K. Thoning, G. Etiope, Q. Zhuang, L. Liu, Y. Oh, J. B. Miller, G. Petron, B. H. Vaughn, M. Crippa
Summary: The study investigated the drivers behind the global atmospheric methane increase after 2006 by simulating emission and sink scenarios in a tracer transport model. Fossil fuel emissions were unlikely to be the main driver for the post-2006 methane increase, and a decrease in hydroxyl radicals could not explain the observed increase. Different methane sinks have varying fractionation factors for delta C-13 methane, introducing uncertainty in the results.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Clement Narbaud, Jean-Daniel Paris, Sophie Wittig, Antoine Berchet, Marielle Saunois, Philippe Nedelec, Boris D. Belan, Mikhail Y. Arshinov, Sergei B. Belan, Denis Davydov, Alexander Fofonov, Artem Kozlov
Summary: A large-scale aircraft campaign in the Siberian Arctic coast was conducted to measure methane and carbon dioxide in September 2020. The results show that the European part of Russia's Arctic and western Siberia were influenced by long-range transport of polluted air masses, while the east was primarily affected by local emissions. Freshwater and ocean emissions play a significant role in contributing to methane emissions in the Arctic.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Natalia Pankratova, Andrey Skorokhod, Igor Belikov, Valery Belousov, Valeria Muravya, Mikhail Flint
Summary: Determining the sources of methane emissions in the Arctic is a complex problem, and data analysis suggests temporal and spatial variations in methane concentrations and isotopic features. The direction of air flow is correlated with surface methane concentration, and there are indications of methane emissions from multiple sources.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Joel Thanwerdas, Marielle Saunois, Antoine Berchet, Isabelle Pison, Bruce H. Vaughn, Sylvia Englund Michel, Philippe Bousquet
Summary: This study presents a new variational inverse modeling framework that assimilates both CH4 and δC-13(CH4) observations, and optimizes emissions and source signatures of multiple emission categories at the pixel scale. The results show that assimilating δC-13(CH4) observations can significantly change global flux estimates for wetlands, agriculture and waste, fossil fuels, and biofuels-biomass burning categories.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Ceres A. Woolley Maisch, Rebecca E. Fisher, James L. France, David Lowry, Mathias Lanoiselle, Thomas G. Bell, Grant Forster, Alistair J. Manning, Sylvia E. Michel, Alice E. Ramsden, Mingxi Yang, Euan G. Nisbet
Summary: Isotopic measurements of atmospheric methane are crucial for verifying emissions inventories, and long-term records from the UK suggest that the inventories may be underestimating thermogenic/pyrogenic emissions or overestimating biogenic sources, with methane growth and negative isotopic trends observed.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Pramod Kumar, Gregoire Broquet, Camille Yver-Kwok, Olivier Laurent, Susan Gichuki, Christopher Caldow, Ford Cropley, Thomas Lauvaux, Michel Ramonet, Guillaume Berthe, Frederic Martin, Olivier Duclaux, Catherine Juery, Caroline Bouchet, Philippe Ciais
Summary: A local-scale atmospheric inversion framework was developed to estimate the location and rate of methane and carbon dioxide releases from point sources. Field tests showed promising results in estimating controlled releases, but improvements are needed for accurate source location estimates.
ATMOSPHERIC MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elena Berezina, Anastasia Vasileva, Konstantin Moiseenko, Natalia Pankratova, Andrey Skorokhod, Igor Belikov, Valery Belousov
Summary: Measurements at an atmospheric physics research site in Moscow from 2018 to 2020 revealed moderate interannual variations in near-surface methane levels. The highest concentrations were observed in winter, while the most depleted isotopic signatures were observed in summer and autumn. Microbial methane was found to play a significant role in the formation of methane peaks in Moscow.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Helene Angot, Byron Blomquist, Dean Howard, Stephen Archer, Ludovic Bariteau, Ivo Beck, Matthew Boyer, Molly Crotwell, Detlev Helmig, Jacques Hueber, Hans-Werner Jacobi, Tuija Jokinen, Markku Kulmala, Xin Lan, Tiia Laurila, Monica Madronich, Donald Neff, Tuukka Petaja, Kevin Posman, Lauriane Quelever, Matthew D. Shupe, Isaac Vimont, Julia Schmale
Summary: This paper provides an overview of trace gas measurements conducted during the MOSAiC expedition and highlights the high quality of the monitoring activities. Merged datasets are recommended for further use by the scientific community.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xinyi Chen, Yiqing Wang, Thorsten Zirwes, Feichi Zhang, Henning Bockhorn, Zheng Chen
Summary: The study investigates the applicability of conventional HRR markers in determining the shape of HRR distribution in highly stretched premixed flames, finding that [H][CH2O] and [OH][CH2O] can be used to describe the spatial distribution of HRR in different flame types.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Philipp de Vrese, Lutz Beckebanze, Leonardo de Aro Galera, David Holl, Thomas Kleinen, Lars Kutzbach, Zoe Rehder, Victor Brovkin
Summary: Simulations using land surface models suggest that future increases in Arctic methane emissions may be limited by the thaw-induced drying of permafrost landscapes. However, this study shows that compensatory atmospheric feedbacks may weaken this constraint. The results indicate that while there are significant differences between a wet Arctic and an increasingly dry Arctic, their methane fluxes are comparable.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Maria Laura Grasso, Sara Rozas Azcona, Pierre Arneodo Larochette, Santiago Aparicio, Fabiana Gennari
Summary: The thermochemical reaction between MgH2 and Li2CO3, with and without nickel as a catalyst, was investigated for CO2 transformation into fuels. Successful production of high-yield CH4 was achieved by controlling reaction conditions such as microstructural refining, MgH2:Li2CO3 molar ratio, temperature, and time. The presence of nickel catalyst significantly improved the methane yield. The results demonstrate the potential of thermochemical activation of MgH2:Li2CO3 mixture for CH4 generation and CO2 utilization.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lena Hermesdorf, Bo Elberling, Ludovica D'Imperio, Wenyi Xu, Anders Lambaek, Per L. Ambus
Summary: This study investigates the effects of wildfires on the greenhouse gas emissions in Arctic tundra ecosystems. It finds that wildfires increase carbon dioxide emissions but have minor effects on methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Additionally, wildfires do not significantly impact soil moisture and temperature.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Giulia Zazzeri, Heather Graven, Xiaomei Xu, Eric Saboya, Liam Blyth, Alistair J. Manning, Hannah Chawner, Dien Wu, Samuel Hammer
Summary: The C-14 levels in methane and carbon dioxide were observed in an urban area (London) using a newly developed sampling system. The observed values surpassed the simulated values, indicating higher fossil fuel proportions and atmospheric concentrations. The correlation between observed and simulated net biospheric uptake was poor in June-July.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hadley A. McIntosh Marcek, Lance F. W. Lesack, Beth N. Orcutt, C. Geoff Wheat, Scott R. Dallimore, Kimberley Geeves, Laura L. Lapham
Summary: This study investigates the dynamics of dissolved methane in a small lake within the Mackenzie River Delta, revealing the sources of methane under-ice and the environmental conditions affecting its concentrations. Following ice-out, there is a significant increase in methane emission to the atmosphere, with only half of the winter-derived dissolved methane being oxidized by microbes in the water column.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Daniel Rosch, Gregory H. Jones, Raybel Almeida, Rebecca L. Caravan, Aileen Hui, Amelia W. Ray, Carl J. Percival, Stanley P. Sander, Matthew D. Smarte, Frank A. F. Winiberg, Mitchio Okumura, David L. Osborn
Summary: The concentration of formic acid in Earth's troposphere is underestimated by chemical models. Phototautomerization of acetaldehyde to vinyl alcohol, followed by OH-initiated oxidation, is proposed as a missing source of formic acid. The reaction between OH and vinyl alcohol is influenced by the conformeric structure, with different theoretical studies reaching different conclusions. Our study uses mass spectrometry to show that the glycoaldehyde product channel dominates over formic acid production, supporting the role of conformer-dependent hydrogen bonding.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ruben Sakrabani, Kenisha Garnett, Jerry W. Knox, Jane Rickson, Mark Pawlett, Natalia Falagan, Nicholas T. Girkin, Michelle Cain, M. Carmen Alamar, Paul J. Burgess, Jim Harris, Kumar Patchigolla, Daniel Sandars, Anil Graves, Jack Hannam, Robert Simmons
Summary: The agricultural sector is facing challenges such as climate uncertainty, extreme weather events, pest and disease risks, soil degradation, and food losses. Geopolitical instability and volatile energy prices worsen the situation. Achieving net zero strategies is essential for food security and addressing negative environmental impacts. This paper explores viable options for achieving net zero in the arable/livestock and protected cropping sectors in the UK through a PESTLE analysis, highlighting actions such as policy changes, circular economy approaches, information accessibility, resilience building, dietary changes, target setting, and farm economics. The findings can inform policy and drive meaningful changes in global food and environmental security.
OUTLOOK ON AGRICULTURE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emily Matthews, Thomas J. Bannan, M. Anwar H. Khan, Dudley E. Shallcross, Harald Stark, Eleanor C. Browne, Alexander T. Archibald, Archit Mehra, Stephane J. -B. Bauguittei, Chris Reed, Navaneeth M. Thamban, Huihui Wu, Patrick Barker, James Lee, Lucy J. Carpenter, Mingxi Yang, Thomas G. Bell, Grant Allen, John T. Jayne, Carl J. Percival, Gordon McFiggansa, Martin Gallaghera, Hugh Coe
Summary: This study reveals the presence and importance of urea in the atmosphere, originating primarily from the ocean. It also highlights the potential long-range transport of urea from biomass-burning plumes. The presence of urea has significant implications for marine ecosystems, carbon dioxide uptake, and climate.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Waldemar Schledewitz, Gary Lloyd, Keith Bower, Thomas Choularton, Michael Flynn, Martin Gallagher
Summary: New observations at the Jungfraujoch research station in Switzerland reveal anomalously high concentrations of cloud ice crystals. These concentrations, measured using a high-speed 2D imaging cloud particle spectrometer, exceed expectations for primary and secondary ice production mechanisms. It is suggested that the interaction of turbulent deposition of supercooled droplets on fragile ice-covered snow surfaces creates a strong surface source of ice crystal fragments. Despite low wind speeds, these fragments are re-suspended and continue to grow, contributing significantly to the ice crystal number concentrations.
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Grant Allen
Summary: A comprehensive aircraft survey conducted in British Columbia reveals that methane emissions from onshore oil and gas infrastructure may be 1.7 times higher than the official inventory. The survey also presents a framework for compiling regional greenhouse gas emissions data based on measurements.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Graham A. McAuliffe, John Lynch, Michelle Cain, Sarah Buckingham, Robert M. Rees, Adrian L. Collins, Myles Allen, Raymond Pierrehumbert, Michael R. F. Lee, Taro Takahashi
Summary: The majority of agri-food climate sustainability analyses focus on using global warming potential (GWP(100)) as the main impact assessment, but there have been criticisms regarding its across-the-board application in Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), specifically in food systems with high methane (CH4) emissions. This paper presents a large-scale sensitivity analysis comparing different climate impact assessments, such as GWP(100) and Global Temperature Change Potential (GTP(100)), using a pasture-based beef production system as an example. The authors emphasize the importance of considering alternative metrics and dynamic approaches in LCAs to ensure accurate and robust decision-making.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wen Chao, Gregory H. Jones, Mitchio Okumura, Carl J. Percival, Frank A. F. Winiberg
Summary: Sulfur oxide species (RSOx) have significant importance in various fields, and chlorine-containing sulfur oxides might play a crucial role in sulfate aerosol formation in Venus' cloud layer. This study presents the spectroscopic characteristics of the sulfinyl radical ClSO and reveals its molecular structure and energy states through calculations.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kristen Zuraski, Fred J. Grieman, Aileen O. Hui, Julia Cowen, Frank A. F. Winiberg, Carl J. Percival, Mitchio Okumura, Stanley P. Sander
Summary: The temperature-dependent kinetics, branching fractions, and chaperone effects of the reactions between acetonyl peroxy and hydro peroxy were studied using laser photolysis and spectroscopic techniques. The results provide valuable information about the reaction mechanisms and can be used to estimate the rate coefficients for the reactions involving the respective complexes.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maxamillian A. N. Moss, Dagen D. Hughes, Ian Crawford, Martin W. Gallagher, Michael J. Flynn, David O. Topping
Summary: In a comparative study, the capabilities of K-means, hierarchical clustering algorithm (HCA), and GenieClust were examined. K-means and HCA showed consistent cluster profiles and sizes, while GenieClust effectively differentiated various clusters. The use of an autoencoder (AE) enhanced outlier detection for K-means but may have distorted clustering outcomes for HCA. GenieClust, with or without AE, successfully distinguished distinct clusters with greater variability in compositional loadings, identifying more particle types compared to traditional methods.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ian Crawford, Keith Bower, David Topping, Simone Di Piazza, Dario Massabo, Virginia Vernocchi, Martin Gallagher
Summary: Biological particulate matter (BioPM) is a subset of atmospheric aerosols that is poorly understood but has significant impacts on climate, air quality, and health. This study aimed to develop robust detection methodologies to assess BioPM emissions and their effects. The researchers used real-time bioaerosol spectrometers to monitor BioPM at UK peri-urban and coastal ground sites and developed a classification scheme based on laboratory training data to analyze key species of interest.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Daniel Rosch, Gregory H. Jones, Raybel Almeida, Rebecca L. Caravan, Aileen Hui, Amelia W. Ray, Carl J. Percival, Stanley P. Sander, Matthew D. Smarte, Frank A. F. Winiberg, Mitchio Okumura, David L. Osborn
Summary: The concentration of formic acid in Earth's troposphere is underestimated by chemical models compared to field observations. Phototautomerization of acetaldehyde to vinyl alcohol followed by OH-initiated oxidation of vinyl alcohol is proposed as a missing source of formic acid. The reaction pathway of OH addition is controlled by the conformeric structure of vinyl alcohol.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A
(2023)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Sam Illingworth, Mala L. Radhakrishnan
Summary: This study explores how original poetry written by first-year chemistry/biology undergraduate students can serve as a reflective tool for others to comprehend their course experiences. By encouraging students from an integrated first-year chemistry/biology course to articulate their experiences through poetry, the researchers employ poetic content analysis as a qualitative research method to examine the students’ responses to an open-ended prompt. Through analyzing the poetry, four major categories emerge: knowledge, community, emotions, and identity, with each category providing examples that deepen the understanding of well-documented milestones and ideas concerning the academic experiences of first-year students, thus emphasizing the value of poetry in this regard. Additionally, the presentation of these findings also illustrates how this approach can be used by others to gain insight into student experiences, including those related to learning, belonging, and/or identity in introductory chemistry or related courses.
CHEMISTRY EDUCATION RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Frank A. F. Winiberg, Wen Chao, Rebecca L. Caravan, Charles R. Markus, Stanley P. Sander, Carl J. Percival
Summary: UV-vis spectroscopy is widely used for kinetic studies in physical chemistry. In this article, the design and characterization of a multipass UV-vis absorption spectroscopy white cell coupled to a pulsed-laser photolysis flow reactor are presented. The combined optical setup allows for coalignment of the photolysis laser with a well-defined absorption pathlength probe beam, enabling simultaneous spectrum and single wavelength detection. The system has a pathlength of approximately 450 cm and can detect minimum observable concentrations of 3.7 x 10(11) molecule cm(-3).
REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Graciela B. Raga, Darrel Baumgardner, Blanca Rios, Yanet Diaz-Esteban, Alejandro Jaramillo, Martin Gallagher, Bastien Sauvage, Pawel Wolff, Gary Lloyd
Summary: This study analyzed eight years of upper-tropospheric ice crystal measurements on commercial aircraft, assessing the frequency and characteristics of extreme ice crystal events and uncovering the role of deep convection in particle transport and cloud microphysics. The findings have implications for satellite measurement validation, weather forecasting, and climate change.
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
(2022)