Space Industry and Business News  
ICE WORLD
Diffusing the methane bomb: We can still make a difference
by Staff Writers
Vienna, Austria (SPX) Feb 07, 2019

file image

Permafrost is soil that remains frozen for two or more consecutive years. It is usually composed of rock, soil, sediments, and varying amounts of ice that bind the elements together. The permafrost of the Arctic landscape represents one of the largest natural reservoirs of organic carbon in the world.

When the permafrost thaws, the soil microbes contained in the soil can turn the carbon into carbon dioxide and methane, which are both greenhouse gases that are known to contribute to global warming when released into the atmosphere. Unfortunately, this is exactly what is currently happening as a result of climate change. In fact, the massive amounts of methane that could potentially be released as a result of permafrost thaw, has often been described as a ticking time bomb and has long been a concern for climate scientists.

A study by researchers from IIASA, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, however, suggests that it is possible to neutralize the natural gas threat that lies in wait under the Arctic soil. The team looked at several possible future scenarios, including some where the world continues to release manmade carbon and methane emissions into the atmosphere at the current rate, and some where we meet the targets of the Paris Agreement.

In their analysis, the researchers quantified the upper range value for natural methane emissions that can be released from the Arctic tundra, as it allows it to be put in relation to the much larger release of methane emissions from human activities.

Although estimates of the release of methane from natural sources in the Arctic and estimates of methane from human activity have been presented separately in previous studies, this is the first time that the relative contribution of the two sources to global warming has been quantified and compared.

"It is important to put the two estimates alongside each other to point out how important it is to urgently address methane emissions from human activities, in particular through a phase out of fossil fuels.

It is important for everyone concerned about global warming to know that humans are the main source of methane emissions and that if we can control humans' release of methane, the problem of methane released from the thawing Arctic tundra is likely to remain manageable," explains Lena Hoglund-Isaksson, a senior researcher with the IIASA Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases Program and one of the authors of the study published in Nature Scientific Reports earlier this week.

According to the researchers, their findings confirm the urgency of a transition away from a fossil fuel based society as well as the importance of reducing methane emissions from other sources, in particular livestock and waste.

The results indicate that man-made emissions can be reduced sufficiently to limit methane-caused climate warming by 2100 even in the case of an uncontrolled natural Arctic methane emission feedback. This will however require a committed, global effort towards substantial, but feasible reductions.

"In essence, we want to convey the message that the release of methane from human activities is something we can do something about, especially since the technology for drastic reductions is readily available - often even at a low cost. If we can only get the human emissions under control, the natural emissions should not have to be of major concern," concludes Hoglund-Isaksson.

Research Report: Tracing the climate signal: mitigation of anthropogenic methane emissions can outweigh a large Arctic natural emission increase


Related Links
International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Beyond the Ice Age


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


ICE WORLD
Greenland's southwest ice sheet particularly sensitive to warming
Tucson AZ (SPX) Jan 25, 2019
The ice fields of southwest Greenland are becoming particularly sensitive to a climate cycle called the North Atlantic Oscillation as global warming proceeds, reports an international team that includes a University of Arizona geoscientist. The largest sustained ice loss in Greenland from early 2003 to mid-2013 came from summertime melting of the ice fields in southwest Greenland, the researchers found. Their study is published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

ICE WORLD
3D printed tires and shoes that self-repair

Researchers use artificial neural networks to streamline materials testing

Observing hydrogen's effects in metal

Atom probe tomography reveals chinks in iron crystals that can 'heal'

ICE WORLD
Lockheed Martin to develop cyber electronic warfare pod for UAVs

Britain to spend $1.3M for satellite antennas in light of Brexit

Reflectarray Antenna offers high performance in small package: DARPA

BAE signs $79.8M contract with Navy for Pacific comms support

ICE WORLD
ICE WORLD
China to launch 10 BeiDou satellites in 2019

Magnetic North's erratic behavior forces update to global navigation system

US Air Force contracts Lockheed Martin to continue GPS ground control supprt

GPS-denied navigation on small unmanned helicopters

ICE WORLD
Air Force names first female flight commander for F-16 Viper team

Boeing awarded $39M to finalize new Chinooks for U.S. Special Ops

Kay and Associates awarded $63M for support on Kuwaiti F/A-18s

Boeing bullish on 2019 despite US-China tensions

ICE WORLD
Theoretical model may help solve molecular mystery

Argonne researchers develop new method to reduce quantum noise

Waterproof graphene electronic circuits

New quantum system could help design better spintronics

ICE WORLD
Early spring rain boosts methane from thawing permafrost by 30 percent

New scale to characterize strength and impacts of atmospheric river storms

Extreme rainfall events are connected across the world

River levels tracked from space

ICE WORLD
A warming world increases air pollution

Hungary court jails company officials over 2010 toxic spill

Brazil dam disaster: mourning and dead fish along river of mud

Hospitals filling up in Europe's most polluted capital









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.