Articles tagged with Methane
A new study published in Reviews of Geophysics strongly suggests that early agriculture helped slow a natural cooling process, leading to the warmer climate we experience today. The research, led by William Ruddiman, analyzed ice-core data and ancient pollen samples to find evidence of human impact on the climate.
Researchers are mining existing landfills to recycle materials and convert them into energy, boosting methane production. This approach could extend a landfill's lifespan from 25-30 years to over 150 years, reducing the need for new landfills in urban areas.
A comprehensive study published in Nature Communications suggests that under the Arctic ice sheet, significant amounts of methane may have been stored as hydrates, releasing climate gas into the ocean and atmosphere for millennia. The findings indicate that modern ice sheets could also contain vast reservoirs of potent greenhouse gas.
Researchers found that northern lakes and ponds emit methane equivalent to two-thirds of all natural methane sources in the region, highlighting the urgency of reducing human-induced climate change
A new study by Stockholm University estimates that northern lakes and ponds are a critical source of methane emissions. The study suggests that these emissions could increase by 20-50% before the end of this century, potentially fueling a positive feedback loop on future warming.
A new study finds that Arctic tundra releases at least as much methane during its cold season as it does during summer, challenging current climate change models. The research team found that up to half of annual methane emissions occur in the cold months, with drier tundra sites emitting more methane than wetland sites.
A new University of Washington study confirms that composting food scraps is the right thing to do for the environment. Composting significantly reduces methane emissions from landfills compared to sending food waste to landfills.
Researchers found that freshwater rivers and streams pump about 10 times more methane into the atmosphere than previously estimated, driven by human activity in agricultural and urban watersheds. This discovery highlights the importance of improving stream health in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
A new study found that microorganisms, including bacteria and archaea, might be responsible for some of the natural gas harvested by hydraulic fracturing operations. The microbes are thought to be introduced into the shale through the fracturing fluid, which can create a new ecosystem that enhances methane production.
Anne Thompson has received the 2015 Roger Revelle Medal for her groundbreaking research on ozone and other trace gases in the troposphere and stratosphere. Her work, conducted in the 1980s and early 1990s, established a link between chemical changes, climate forcings, and the earth's oxidizing capacity.
Researchers at UCSB decipher the history of paleoclimate change, revealing an abrupt warming in sea surface temperatures and simultaneous releases of methane that accelerated climate shift. The discovery sheds light on potential processes behind rapid climate changes.
Researchers develop methods to accurately simulate methane adsorption and desorption in porous carbon, relevant for energy research and climate change mitigation. The study used computational methods to analyze molecular interactions between methane and activated carbon, providing insights into preventing gas adsorption.
A new hyperspectral infrared camera can photograph and film methane in the air, addressing uncertainty around its sources and sinks. The camera measures emissions from environments such as sewage sludge deposits, combustion processes, animal husbandry, and lakes.
Scientists have created a climate-friendly rice variety that reduces methane emissions by up to 99% compared to traditional rice. The new rice type grows in a way that minimizes the production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and also increases biomass, leading to more food.
The Arctic Ocean is a significant source of atmospheric methane due to interactions between the atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean. The study found that sea ice can be a source of methane, releasing it into the atmosphere during melting and freezing processes.
Researchers measured kangaroo methane production and found it was no lower than that of horses. Well-fed animals produced less gas due to faster food passage through the gut, not a unique low-production trait.
Researchers found that kangaroos emit around the same amount of methane as horses or ostriches per body size, but higher when food intake is increased. The study suggests that differences in methane production are more related to bacterial exposure conditions than specific bacteria types.
Researchers found that grain size determines methane hydrate behavior under stress, with maximum capacity at 15-20 nm. This discovery has implications for predicting and preventing hydrate failure and exploring their use as a future energy source.
Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed flexible metal-organic frameworks that can store methane efficiently, addressing the low energy density issue with natural gas as a transportation fuel. The new design enables higher usable capacity and internal heat management during adsorption and desorption.
Researchers have created a new material that can store methane more efficiently, enabling the development of natural gas-powered cars with greater driving range and reduced hassle. The flexible MOF expands when methane is pumped in and contracts when it's extracted, making it suitable for use in home compressors.
Researchers have discovered two new organisms that play an unknown role in greenhouse gas emissions and consumption, belonging to a previously unexplored group called Bathyarchaeota. The discovery expands our understanding of life on Earth and suggests we are missing other organisms involved in carbon cycling and methane production.
Researchers have found nano-wire connections between thermophilic AOM consortia, enabling energy transfer between archaea and sulphate reducers. These direct power wires facilitate the growth of sulphate reducers, providing insight into the anaerobic oxidation of methane.
A University of Vermont study reveals that abandoned oil and gas wells near fracking sites can serve as conduits for methane escape, affecting the debate over proposed EPA regulations. The study's findings suggest that even a small percentage of damaged wellbores can pose an environmental risk.
The New Horizons mission has revealed a wide range of colors across Pluto's surface, with dark red regions at the equator and brighter, bluer regions at higher latitudes. The team also discovered significant regional differences in volatile ices on Pluto's surface, including water ice in previously undetected regions.
Researchers at the University of Washington found bubble plumes off the coast of Washington and Oregon, suggesting that warmer ocean temperatures are releasing frozen methane. This process could contribute to climate change by amplifying environmental changes already impacting local biology and fisheries.
CAGE has deployed two methane observatories on the ocean floor in the Arctic Ocean, monitoring methane and CO2 releases, ocean acidification, and circulation. The observatories will collect crucial data for a full year, helping to understand processes related to climate change.
Researchers at Caltech found that ocean microbes can consume large amounts of methane using electrons to share energy over long distances. The microbes use a symbiotic relationship to break down methane, which could help mitigate climate change.
A recently discovered deep-sea methane seep off the San Diego coast has revealed a unique ecosystem with diverse habitat types and adapted creatures. The site, which produces methane as it sinks to the ocean floor, supports a community of organisms that consume and convert the gas.
Researchers at UNIST developed a simple process to treat waste coffee grounds for methane storage using sodium hydroxide and heating. The process produces a stable carbon capture material with environmental benefits of recycling a waste product.
Scientists have identified a new family of copper storage proteins called Csp that are present in diverse bacteria, raising questions about how bacteria use copper ions. This discovery may help develop biotechnological applications to exploit methane and protect the environment from its potent greenhouse gas effects.
A team of researchers at Berkeley Lab has achieved another milestone in hybrid artificial photosynthesis by generating renewable molecular hydrogen and synthesizing carbon dioxide into methane. The new system uses solar energy to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen, which is then used by microbes to produce methane.
New research suggests Arctic soils could remove more methane from the atmosphere than release it, with bacteria playing a key role in this process. As temperatures increase, these soils become more efficient at absorbing methane, which could help offset rising atmospheric levels and slow global warming.
A new feed supplement has been shown to reduce dairy cow methane emissions by 30% without affecting feed intake, fiber digestibility, or milk production. This could have significant implications for global climate change, as animal agriculture is a major source of methane emissions.
Scientists have successfully collected plankton and animal larvae from the deep ocean using a new sampler, PlankZooka, which uses spinning blades to gently pump water through a net system. This allows for more precise sampling and analysis of deep-sea ecosystems.
New findings suggest that some natural gas wells, compressor stations, and processing plants in the Barnett Shale leak far more methane than previously estimated, with some sites emitting up to 47.8% of their produced gas. Human error and lack of maintenance are identified as primary causes of these emissions.
A new bio-inspired zeolite catalyst converts methane to methanol with high efficiency and selectivity, enabling small-scale 'gas-to-liquid' technologies. The catalyst's trinuclear copper-oxo-cluster active center is stabilized in the zeolite micropores.
A new research from the University of Georgia identifies an unexpected process regulating methane emissions from freshwater environments. High rates of anaerobic methane oxidation substantially reduce atmospheric emissions of methane from freshwater wetlands.
Researchers from UiT The Arctic University of Norway have imaged deep Arctic Ocean methane seeps for the first time using a custom-designed system. The images reveal over 1000 active seep sites at depths of over 1000 m, providing valuable insights into gas hydrate and climate change.
Researchers discovered methane in six Martian meteorites, similar to the Martian atmosphere's composition. This finding suggests that methane could be used as a food source by rudimentary forms of life on Mars.
Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution discovered that methane formation occurs independently of venting process and is produced on geological time scales deep beneath seafloor. Abiotic compound formate is formed during vent circulation process, providing evidence for purely chemical processes in origin of life.
Researchers discovered that nanobubbles persist in liquid, influencing the formation and dissociation of natural gas hydrates. The findings provide insight into the mechanism of hydrate decomposition and could lead to more efficient and safe extraction of methane hydrates.
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) has been awarded a $5 million grant from NASA to develop next-generation rocket engines using liquid methane. The project aims to create more efficient propulsion systems for in-space travel, with potential applications for Mars and lunar landers.
Researchers discovered a link between iceberg discharges and increased tropical methane production, suggesting that cold water from the North Atlantic could have crippled the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, leading to changes in precipitation patterns.
A new study has identified a critical piece of evidence for how the Earth responds to changes in climate, finding that cold water influx from icebergs altered rainfall patterns and led to rapid increases in atmospheric methane. The findings suggest that Heinrich events, which caused huge icebergs to enter the North Atlantic, had a sign...
Switching to natural gas trucks could worsen climate impacts if not done efficiently, a study suggests. Methane emissions from the supply chain and engine inefficiencies pose significant challenges.
Researchers have identified the mechanism by which methanogens obtain electrons from solid surfaces, paving the way for more efficient microbial factories that produce methane gas. The discovery also sheds light on microbially influenced corrosion, a significant global problem with estimated annual economic losses of $1 billion.
A new hydrogeochemical modelling approach reveals the specific methane generation process in Europe for the first time. The formation of biogenic shale gas in Sweden's crust is relatively young, dating back to deglaciation around 12,000 years ago.
Researchers found that ocean currents strongly affect methane-consuming bacterial populations in Arctic cold seeps, controlling their prevalence and methane consumption rates. Fluctuations in these communities were linked to changes in water temperature and salinity.
New research matches underwater volcanic eruptions with their sound signatures to better detect seafloor emissions. Shale boom is linked to increased ozone pollution concentrations in Texas areas. Titan's atmosphere changes fluctuate according to the Sun's magnetic cycle, affecting methane levels.
A study published in Nature Geoscience found that ocean currents can significantly impact the removal of methane from seawater. The researchers discovered that fluctuations in current strength and variability control the prevalence of methanotrophic bacteria, leading to reduced methane consumption.
Scientists at UiT The Arctic University of Norway have discovered a new source of methane in the Arctic Ocean, abiotic methane formed by chemical reactions in the oceanic crust. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the origin of methane and suggests vast systems of methane hydrate throughout the Arctic.
A new study by University of Washington astronomer Benjamin Charnay and co-authors proposes that violent methane storms high in Titan's dense atmosphere could be the answer to the moon's eastward-sloping sand dunes. The storms produce strong gusts much faster than Titan's usual winds, dominating sand transport and realigning the dunes.
Researchers at Penn State and USGS use a new stream-based monitoring system to detect high levels of methane in Sugar Run stream, consistent with what would be found in shale gas. The findings show that stream monitoring is an effective method for assessing the environmental impact of extracting natural gas using fracking.
A Dartmouth-led team is studying the environmental and financial benefits of converting methane gas from cow manure into electricity and heat on Vermont and New York dairy farms. The project aims to quantify how integrating food and energy production affects farm viability and environmental impacts.
A University of New Hampshire professor has identified a new source of abiotic methane for gas hydrates in the Arctic Ocean, suggesting a previously undiscovered stable reservoir. The findings indicate that gas hydrates throughout the Arctic may be supplied by a significant portion of abiotic gas.
A study published in Geobiology reveals that methane production in thermokarst lake sediments can increase up to three times when exposed to higher temperatures. The findings suggest that biological methane production may play a larger role in total methane emissions in the future.
Researchers developed new techniques to locate, quantify and attribute sources of leaked methane emissions from oil and gas operations. They used space-based observations to identify high methane releases in the US, challenging previous estimates of low leakage rates.
Methane seeps, natural gas leaks in the sea floor, host unique microbial communities distinct from other seafloor ecosystems. These microbes control methane emissions, preventing gas from reaching the atmosphere.
A team of scientists suggests that hydrothermal processes at the rock-water boundary could produce methane in Enceladus' ocean. Analyzing Cassini data, they propose two possible explanations for the moon's methane abundance: one involving hydrothermal activity and another based on ice formation/melting cycles.
Researchers at UC Santa Cruz found that methane-rich groundwater contributes to lake emissions, which can exacerbate global warming. The study suggests that future warming in the Arctic could expand the active layer and increase methane transport to lakes.