Ice core and firn air 14CH4 measurements from preindustrial to present suggest that anthropogenic fossil CH4 emissions are underestimated

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dc.contributor.authorHmiel, Ben_AU
dc.contributor.authorPetrenko, VVen_AU
dc.contributor.authorDyonisius, MNen_AU
dc.contributor.authorBuizert, Cen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSmith, AMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorPlace, PFen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHarth, CMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorBeaudette, Ren_AU
dc.contributor.authorHua, Qen_AU
dc.contributor.authorYang, Ben_AU
dc.contributor.authorVimont, Ien_AU
dc.contributor.authorSchmitt, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorEtheridge, DMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorFain, Xen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWeiss, RFen_AU
dc.contributor.authorSeveringhaus, JPen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2023-06-26T23:52:27Zen_AU
dc.date.available2023-06-26T23:52:27Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2019-04-08en_AU
dc.date.statistics2023-03-24en_AU
dc.description.abstractConcentrations of atmospheric methane (CH4), a potent greenhouse gas, have more than doubled since preindustrial times yet its contemporary budget is incompletely understood, with substantial discrepancies between global emission inventories and atmospheric observations (Kirschke et al., 2013; Saunois et al., 2016). Radiomethane (14CH4) can distinguish between fossil emissions from geologic reservoirs (radiocarbon free) and contemporaneous biogenic sources, although poorly constrained direct 14CH4 emissions from nuclear reactors complicate this interpretation in the modern era (Lassey et al., 2007; Zazzeri et al 2018). It has been debated how fossil emissions (172-195 Tg CH4/yr, (Saunois et al., 2016; Schwietzke et al., 2016)) are partitioned between anthropogenic sources (such as fossil fuel extraction and consumption) and natural sources (such as geologic seeps); emission inventories suggest the latter accounts for ~50-60 Tg CH4/yr (Etiope, 2015; Etiope et al., 2008). Geologic emissions were recently shown to be much smaller at the end of the Pleistocene ~11,600 years ago (Petrenko et al. 2017); However, this period is an imperfect analog for the present day due to the much larger terrestrial ice sheet cover, lowered sea level, and more extensive permafrost. We use preindustrial ice core measurements of 14CH4 to show that natural fossil CH4 emissions to the atmosphere are ~1.7 Tg CH4/yr, with a maximum of 6.1 Tg CH4/yr (95% confidence limit), an order of magnitude smaller than estimates from global inventories. This result suggests that contemporary anthropogenic fossil emissions are likely underestimated by a corresponding amount (~48-58 Tg CH4/yr, or ~25-33% of current estimates). © Author(s) 2019. CC Attribution 4.0 license.en_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumberEGU2019/EGU2019-11868en_AU
dc.identifier.booktitleGeophysical Research Abstractsen_AU
dc.identifier.citationHmiel, B., Petrenko, V., Dyonisius, M., Buizert, C., Smith, A., Place, P., Harth, C., Beaudette, R., Hua, Q., Yang, B., Vimont, I., Schmitt, J., Etheridge, D., Fain, X., Weiss, R., & Severinghaus, J. (2019). Ice core and firn air 14CH4 measurements from preindustrial to present suggest that anthropogenic fossil CH4 emissions are underestimated. Paper presented to the EGU General Assembly 2019, Vienna, Austria, 7-12 April 2019. In Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 21, EGU2019-11868. Retrieved from: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2019/EGU2019-11868.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate12 April 2019en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameEGU General Assembly 2019en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceVienna, Austriaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate7 April 2019en_AU
dc.identifier.otherEGU2019-11868en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2019/EGU2019-11868.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/15068en_AU
dc.identifier.volume21en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherCopernicus GmbHen_AU
dc.subjectDrill coresen_AU
dc.subjectAiren_AU
dc.subjectCarbon 14en_AU
dc.subjectGreenhouse gasesen_AU
dc.subjectPollutionen_AU
dc.subjectPlumesen_AU
dc.subjectIndustrial wastesen_AU
dc.subjectFossilsen_AU
dc.titleIce core and firn air 14CH4 measurements from preindustrial to present suggest that anthropogenic fossil CH4 emissions are underestimateden_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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