Anthropogenic Sources of Atmospheric Methane Essay -- Geology

Anthropogenic Sources of Atmospheric Methane IntroductionThe atmosphere has always contained the glasshouse Gas methane. Along with light speeddioxide, nitrous oxide, and water vapor, methane helps to create the natural greenhouse effect.These gases gin some of the suns energy and keep the Earth at a warm enough temperatureto sustain life. If the occurrence of any of these gases in the atmosphere is change magnitude, thenatural greenhouse effect will intensify and further warm the Earth. overdue to mans activities, theamount of atmospheric methane has more than doubled since pre-industrial times. It coulddouble again by the year 2050. Today, 60 to 70% of methane releases come from human-related activities. Pie chart of Greenhouse Gases The publication of Methane on international WarmingMethane is the second largest contributor to potential global warming (carbon dioxide being thefirst). Methane is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas, and it increases the greenhouse effectin two ways. Firstly, it absorbs infrared radiation well, making it twenty times more effective attrapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Secondly, increased amounts of methaneincreases the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere, further trapping heat. Anothercharacteristic of methane relative to global warming is its staying power the methane releasedtoday could still trap heat more than a decade from now. Its concentration in the atmosphere isrising annually. LandfillsThe largest source of methane emissions in the United States are landfills. Landfill gas, which ismainly composed of methane and carbon dioxide, is the result of the anaerobic decomposition of... ... it and use it for ourbenefit. Sources Pipkin. Recent Climate Change. http//madmonster.williams.edu/geol.103/04-Climates2.html, Fall 1996EPA. Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Methane. http//www.epa.gov/oppeoee1/globalwarming/inventory/1998-inv/methane.html, April 7, 1998World Meteorological Organ ization. Scientists Support IPCC Global Warming Conclusion, Call for Quick Action. http//www.voyagepub.com/stories/0996cli2.htm , Summer 1996EPA. Climate Change Methane and other Greenhouse Gases. http//www.epa.gov/outreach/ghginfo/reports.htmGlobal Warming is Happening. http//www.enviroweb.org/edf/ishappening/ishappening_frameset.html. copyright 1997Methane (CH4). http//global.phy.pdx.edu/sarah/CH4.htmlMichael Franklin. Trash Can Be moody Into Energy Source. http//www.dfpress.com/science/0422972.html, April 1997