Articles tagged with Methane
Growing plants and trees on landfills can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by four to five times. Phytocapping also cuts the cost of landfill remediation in half and provides biodiversity corridors. The technique uses a layer of top soil and dense vegetation to trap methane and water.
After eight years of near-zero growth, global methane concentrations have resumed their increase, potentially offsetting the slowing growth rate of carbon dioxide. Methane is a key greenhouse gas, accounting for nearly 20% of global warming since the industrial revolution.
A team of MIT researchers has detected a new surge in methane levels, ending a decade-long period of stability. The increase is attributed to an imbalance between emissions and destruction, with the majority of emissions coming from the Northern Hemisphere.
A study suggests that flooding wetlands can lower methane gas emissions by half compared to steady flow conditions. Researchers found that pulses of water through wetlands resulted in lower average emissions over the course of the year.
The IMPACTS program aims to understand possible mechanisms of abrupt climate change and build comprehensive computer models. Researchers focus on four types of ACC: marine ice sheet instability, positive feedback mechanisms in subarctic forests, methane hydrates destabilization, and biosphere-atmosphere feedback leading to megadroughts.
Researchers have successfully sequenced the complete genome of a microbe that eats methylamine, a form of ammonia, using lake mud as a sample. The study showcases a new method for discovering unknown organisms and has significant implications for understanding ecological cycles and monitoring microbial population shifts.
Scientists confirmed a surface liquid lake on Titan, measuring approximately 235 kilometers long and filled with liquid ethane. The discovery was made using the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instrument on NASA's Cassini orbiter.
Scientists discover enzyme crucial for methanogenesis, a process releasing methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The findings could improve industrial processes and provide insights into natural biology's impact on climate change.
Recent research published in July 2008 Geology and GSA Today sheds new light on geological phenomena around the world. The study of ghostly lithospheres past reveals insights into southern Africa's volcanic rocks and Scotland's ancient sandstones, while another paper explores Wyoming's badlands and their ancient mammal fossils.
L'Oreal USA Fellowship recipient Laura Lapham is studying geochemical research in the Gulf of Mexico on gas hydrates and their potential impact on climate change. She aims to collect samples using a manned submersible vehicle, which could provide insights into large amounts of methane loss from ocean sediments.
A UCR-led research team found that an abrupt release of methane triggered global warming and ended the last 'snowball' ice age. The study suggests that methane clathrate destabilization acted as a runaway feedback to increased warming.
Scientists have determined the structure of a catalytic material that can convert methane into benzene, laying the foundation for converting excess methane into various useful fuels and chemicals. The breakthrough was achieved using an ultra-high field nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer to analyze the active catalyst.
Scientists have discovered ice core data showing low CO2 levels and methane fluctuations that match temperature curves. The findings provide insight into climate history and help develop models for future climate changes.
Researchers successfully isolated and sequenced the genome of syntrophic microorganisms that oxidize methane anaerobically. They discovered new bacterial partners and found genes responsible for nitrogen fixation, which may enhance their metabolic versatility. These findings provide insights into the global carbon cycle and climate.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have determined the importance of mixing in anaerobic digesters, which can produce biogas with manure waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and groundwater contamination. The study suggests that increasing mixing intensity is crucial for successful operations.
Researchers identify tropical wetlands as primary methane emitters during glacial times, while forest fires remained constant. The study provides essential information on natural changes in atmospheric methane concentrations prior to human impact.
Researchers investigate anorthosites as a forgotten source of planetary magnetic anomalies, finding strong signatures of the Earth's magnetic field direction in ancient rocks. Another study proposes that gas hydrates in shallow marine sediments are the dominant source of methane in ice core records. A third study explores the feasibili...
Researchers have discovered that paired microbes use a sulfur compound to eliminate methane from the oceans, preventing it from reaching the atmosphere. This process is crucial for regulating global methane and carbon cycles.
Researchers isolated the signal of ocean global warming by analyzing historical temperature records. Volcanic loading in Hawaii triggered earthquakes with divergent mechanisms. Climate scientists found anticorrelated precipitation patterns between China and Brazil, suggesting oceanic circulation triggers abrupt climate events.
Researchers at University of California, Santa Barbara study ocean floor seeps and find that only 1% of dissolved methane escapes into the air, with most transported below surface where it's oxidized by microbial activity. This discovery offers a potential solution to mitigating climate change.
A team of scientists has identified a biological process that breaks down crude oil into methane, offering a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way to produce natural gas. This breakthrough could increase oil sands production by recovering clean-burning methane directly from deeply buried deposits.
Scientists have discovered a new species of bacteria that consumes methane, a potent greenhouse gas, in the geothermal field Hell's Gate in New Zealand. The 'methanotrophic' bacterium is hardy and can thrive in acidic environments, making it a promising candidate for reducing methane emissions from various sources.
A team of scientists identified lakes as a new likely source of prehistoric methane, which could have contributed up to 87% of the early Holocene methane spike. The findings suggest that large releases from lakes may occur again in the future with global warming.
A study found that cows produce more methane in soil when pastured on winter grasslands, rather than in cowsheds. This process is triggered by the amount and quality of organic material from their excrement and the compaction of the soil by their weight.
Astronomers have found persistent morning drizzle of methane over the western foothills of Titan's major continent, Xanadu. The discovery suggests that moisture-laden clouds pushed upslope by winds condense to form a coastal rain, with the drizzle dissipating after local mid-morning.
A team of astronomers at UC Berkeley reports a nearly global cloud cover and morning drizzle of methane over Titan's western foothills. The drizzle may be caused by processes similar to those on Earth, with moisture-laden clouds pushed upslope by winds condensing to form a coastal rain.
Scientists at the University of Chicago have found that Titan's climate is analogous to Earth's tropics, with methane clouds and a tropical weather system. The moon's slow rotation rate and atmosphere produce an updraft that lifts evaporated methane into clouds, similar to Earth's ITCZ.
A study analyzing sediments from a British bog found that methane emissions increased due to intense global warming around 55 million years ago. The team discovered that carbon isotope values of hopanoids suddenly decreased, indicating a shift in the diet of bacteria from carbon-based compounds to methane.
Engineers have developed ceramic tubes that can filter oxygen out of the air, enabling almost pure carbon dioxide production for reprocessing into useful chemicals. This technology has potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power stations by up to zero.
Researchers have found that deep coal seams can be used for permanent storage of carbon dioxide, displacing methane and potentially reducing atmospheric CO2 levels. The study suggests that unmineable coal seams could represent a vast sink for CO2 produced by industry.
A new invention, Gasclam, can continuously monitor underground methane levels, allowing for more efficient brownfield development. This technology could lead to increased construction on previously restricted sites.
A recent study in Nature suggested plants emit methane, but a new study in New Phytologist found methane emissions from plants are negligible and do not contribute to global climate change. The researchers used a novel experiment with heavy carbon isotopes to detect any methane emission, which was undetectable.
Dutch researcher Saikat Mazumder developed a method to estimate CO2 storage in coal using CT scans, improving understanding of crack patterns and gas absorption. Coal was found suitable for filtering out carbon dioxide from waste gases and storing it.
A new satellite method has overcome an obstacle to measuring atmospheric water vapor, providing valuable insights for studying climate and weather. Meanwhile, researchers suggest that irrigation may be causing regional cooling that masks the effects of greenhouse gas warming in certain regions.
Researchers propose an alternative hypothesis for pingo-like features forming underwater: methane hydrate decomposing beneath the seafloor releases gas, squeezing up sediments. Geologic fieldwork and chemical analysis suggest warming seafloor sediment triggers decomposition of buried hydrates.
Archaea are more closely related to humans than previously thought, with a common ancestor living in extreme conditions billions of years ago. Scientists have discovered novel organic compounds and found evidence of ancient archaea fossils, shedding light on their role in global climate change and methane emissions from rice farming.
Researchers at UCI found that atmospheric methane levels have remained nearly flat for seven years, indicating a possible slowdown in global warming threats. Methane pulses were paralleled by increases in ethane, supporting the theory that biomass burning is a significant source of methane.
A German-French research team found specialised microorganisms thriving in the ice-cold Arctic deep-sea, which feed on methane and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The study showed that high flow velocities of mud volcano water reduce the efficiency of natural gas filters by 60%.
Researchers found that northern peatlands released massive amounts of methane gas, contributing to global warming after the ice age. The study suggests a more complex relationship between climate change and natural processes.
A decline in methane emissions from human activities in the 1990s led to slower growth of atmospheric methane levels. However, recent increases in emissions from human sources are offset by reduced wetland emissions, which could mask further rises in methane if drying trends are not reversed.
The Cassini spacecraft has detected a massive ethane cloud surrounding Titan's north pole, contradicting previous assumptions of extensive ethane clouds and surface liquids. The discovery suggests that ethane may be 'snowing' onto the surface, forming methane lakes below.
Researchers estimate that Siberian lakes are releasing five times more methane than previously thought, increasing the present estimate of northern wetland emissions by 10-63%. Methane is being released from thawing permafrost in the form of ancient dead plant material, acting as a 'time bomb' for climate warming.
As permafrost melts in North Siberia, carbon sequestered for 40,000 years is released as methane, exacerbating global warming. Methane emissions from thaw lakes have increased estimates by 10-63%, highlighting the critical role of Northern wetlands in atmospheric methane release.
Researchers analyzed carbon isotopes in Greenland ice core samples to determine the source of a 50% increase in atmospheric methane around 12,000 years ago. They conclude that tropical wetlands and plant production are more likely causes than seafloor methane deposits.
A new analysis of ocean-floor sediments collected near the North Pole reveals that the Arctic was extremely warm, unusually wet, and ice-free during a prehistoric period 55 million years ago. The findings suggest that massive amounts of greenhouse gases were released into the Earth's atmosphere during this time.
Researchers from Max Planck Institute successfully sequenced the genome of a methane-producing Rice Cluster I Archaeon, revealing unique enzymatic mechanisms that enable them to thrive in oxygen-rich environments. This breakthrough could pave the way for developing methods to monitor and potentially reduce methane emissions from floode...
Researchers at Purdue University have successfully grown individual carbon nanotubes vertically on a silicon wafer, paving the way for advanced electronics and sensing technologies. This breakthrough technique enables vertical integration of nanotubes, increasing device density and reducing size.
Recent observations from the Cassini spacecraft and Huygens probe suggest massive methane storms on Titan, creating a 'methane cycle' similar to Earth's water cycle. These storms produce dense clouds of methane and copious precipitation of liquid drops, generating rivers and canals on Titan's surface.
A team of scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has reported a massive methane blowout from the ocean floor, which may provide answers to historical global warming cycles and current climate changes. The study found that nearly all the methane was transported to the atmosphere during the blowout.
Researchers have discovered a surprising amount of carbon in the gas surrounding a young star, Beta Pictoris. The findings may indicate that asteroids and comets in this system could contain large amounts of organic material, which could have delivered building blocks of life to early Earth.
Scientists predict temperature increases of 1.6-6 degrees Celsius due to natural processes injecting more CO2 into the atmosphere, exceeding current models' 1.5-4.5 degree Celsius predictions.
A new theory suggests that life emerged in environments with unique biochemistry, such as oxygen-free sediment. The microbe Methanosarcina acetivorans produces both methane and acetate, shedding light on early metabolism and the evolution of microbial production of methane.
A study by the University of Chicago found that vegan diets are more energy-efficient and produce fewer greenhouse gases compared to meat-based diets. Reducing food choices like eggs or hamburgers can make a significant impact on reducing emissions, with even small changes resulting in substantial benefits.
A new model of Titan's evolution, developed by the University of Nantes and University of Arizona, proposes that methane-rich ice stores the moon's atmospheric methane supply. The study validates data from ESA's Huygens probe, showing that methane outgassing occurs through cryovolcanic eruptions, producing temporary flows on the surface.
Researchers found a sizeable and active archaeal community in deep sediment layers using energy from breaking down methane molecules. These microbes live on the slow side, requiring less energy to maintain and taking longer to divide than expected.
Researchers examine past warming episodes to understand potential future consequences, suggesting a possible link between human-induced global warming and rapid climate changes. Ancient greenhouse gas emissions may hold clues to mitigating the effects of climate change.
Research suggests that changes in wetland systematics and natural gas emissions during the glacial period may be responsible for elevated methane levels. The study analyzed ice core samples from Greenland, finding no evidence of clathrates releasing methane into the atmosphere.
Scientists have created a general circulation model to study Titan's climate and predict cloud distribution. The model, developed by a European team, successfully explains the formation of several types of ethane and methane clouds on Titan.
A study suggests that plant methane emissions do not contribute to global warming, but rather are a natural part of the greenhouse effect. However, reforestation programs may be slightly impacted by these emissions, with potential benefits outweighing negative effects.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics found that living plants emit significantly more methane than dead plant material, and this process is not hindered by oxygen. The discovery suggests that about 10-30% of global annual methane production comes from plants, with tropical regions being the largest contributors.