Roadside management strategies to reduce greenhouse gases.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-06-01

Californias Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB 32), Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act : (SB 375), and Executive Order S-14-08 direct Caltrans to develop actions to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs). Air : pollution reduction is...

75 FR 70254 - PSD and Title V Permitting Guidance for Greenhouse Gases

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-17

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-OAR-2010-0841; FRL-9228-2] PSD and Title V Permitting..., ``PSD and Title V Permitting Guidance for Greenhouse Gases'' on its significant guidance Internet Web... guidance titled, ``PSD and Title V Permitting Guidance for Greenhouse Gases.'' This document has been...

Biomass Burning and the Production of Greenhouse Gases. Chapter 9

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Joel S.

1994-01-01

Biomass burning is a source of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. In addition, biomass burning is a source of chemically active gases, including carbon monoxide, nonmethane hydrocarbons, and nitric oxide. These gases, along with methane, lead to the chemical production of tropospheric ozone (another greenhouse gas) as well as control the concentration of the hydroxyl radical, which regulates the lifetime of almost every atmospheric gas. Following biomass burning, biogenic emissions of nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, and methane are significantly enhanced. It is hypothesized that enhanced postburn biogenic emissions of these gases are related to fire-induced changes in soil chemistry and/or microbial ecology. Biomass burning, once believed to be a tropical phenomenon, has been demonstrated by satellite imagery to also be a regular feature of the world's boreal forests. One example of biomass burning is the extensive 1987 fire that destroyed more than 12 million acres of boreal forest in the People's Republic of China and across its border in the Soviet Union. Recent estimates indicate that almost all biomass burning is human-initiated and that it is increasing with time. With the formation of greenhouse and chemically active gases as direct combustion products and a longer-term enhancement of biogenic emissions of gases, biomass burning may be a significant driver for global change.

Greenhouse gases accounting and reporting for waste management--a South African perspective.

PubMed

Friedrich, Elena; Trois, Cristina

2010-11-01

This paper investigates how greenhouse gases are accounted and reported in the waste sector in South Africa. Developing countries (including South Africa) do not have binding emission reduction targets, but many of them publish different greenhouse gas emissions data which have been accounted and reported in different ways. Results show that for South Africa, inventories at national and municipal level are the most important tools in the process of accounting and reporting greenhouse gases from waste. For the development of these inventories international initiatives were important catalysts at national and municipal levels, and assisted in developing local expertise, resulting in increased output quality. However, discrepancies in the methodology used to account greenhouse gases from waste between inventories still remain a concern. This is a challenging issue for developing countries, especially African ones, since higher accuracy methods are more data intensive. Analysis of the South African inventories shows that results from the recent inventories can not be compared with older ones due to the use of different accounting methodologies. More recently the use of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) procedures in Africa, geared towards direct measurements of greenhouse gases from landfill sites, has increased and resulted in an improvement of the quality of greenhouse gas inventories at municipal level. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emission and Sink of Greenhouse Gases in Soils of Moscow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mozharova, N. V.; Kulachkova, S. A.; Lebed'-Sharlevich, Ya. I.

2018-03-01

The first inventory and zoning of the emission and sink of methane and carbon dioxide in the urban structure of greenhouse gases from soils and surface technogenic formations (STFs) (Technosols) on technogenic, recrementogenic, and natural sediments have been performed with consideration for the global warming potential under conditions of different formation rate of these gases, underflooding, and sealing. From gas geochemical criteria and anthropogenic pedogenesis features, the main sources of greenhouse gases, their intensity, and mass emission were revealed. The mass fractions of emissions from the sectors of waste and land use in the inventories of greenhouse gas emissions have been determined. New sources of gas emission have been revealed in the first sector, the emissions from which add tens of percent to the literature and state reports. In the second sector, emissions exceed the available data in 70 times. Estimation criteria based on the degree of manifestation and chemical composition of soil-geochemical anomalies and barrier capacities have been proposed. The sink of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and the internal (latent) sink of methane in soils and STFs have been determined. Ecological functions of soils and STFs have been shown, and the share of latent methane sink has been calculated. The bacterial oxidation of methane in soils and STFs exceeds its emission to the atmosphere in almost hundred times.

Impact Delivery of Reduced Greenhouse Gases on Early Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haberle, R. M.; Zahnle, K.; Barlow, N.

2017-01-01

Reducing greenhouse gases are once again the latest trend in finding solutions to the early Mars climate dilemma. In its current form - as proposed by Ramirez et al. [1], later refined by Wordsworth et al. [2], and confirmed by Ramirez [3] - collision induced absorptions between CO2-H2 or CO2-CH4 provide enough extra greenhouse power to raise global mean surface temperatures to the melting point of water provided the atmosphere is thick enough and the reduced gases are abundant enough. To raise surface temperatures significantly by this mechanism, surface pressures must be at least 500 mb and H2 and/or CH4 concentrations must be at or above the several percent level. Both Wordsworth et al. [2] and Ramirez [3] show that the melting point can be reached in atmospheres with 1-2 bars of CO2 and 2-10% H2; smaller concentrations of H2 will suffice if CH4 is also present. If thick weakly reducing atmospheres are the solution to the faint young Sun paradox, then plausible mechanisms must be found to generate and sustain the gases. Possible sources of reducing gases include volcanic outgassing, serpentinization, and impact delivery; sinks include photolyis, oxidation, and escape to space. The viability of the reduced greenhouse hypothesis depends, therefore, on the strength of these sources and sinks.

Greenhouse effect of trace gases, 1970-1980

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lacis, A.; Hansen, J.; Lee, P.; Lebedeff, S.; Mitchell, T.

1981-01-01

Increased abundances were measured for several trace atmospheric gases in the decade 1970-1980. The equilibrium greenhouse warming for the measured increments of CH4, chlorofluorocarbons and N2O is between 50% and 100% of the equilibrium warming for the measured increase of atmospheric CO2 during the same 10 years. The combined warming of CO2 and trace gases should exceed natural global temperature variability in the 1980's and cause the global mean temperature to rise above the maximum of the late 1930's.

Comparison of emission estimates for non-CO2 greenhouse gases from livestock and poultry in Korea from 1990 to 2010.

PubMed

Paik, Chunhyun; Chung, Yongjoo; Kim, Hugon; Kim, Young Jin

2016-04-01

It has often been claimed that non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases (NCGGs), such as methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated greenhouse gases, are significant contributors to climate change. Here we nvestigate emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide from livestock and poultry production, which is recognized as a major source of those NCGGs, in Korea over the period of 1990 through 2010. Based on the data on livestock and poultry populations, emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide are first derived based on the Tier 1 approach. Then, the Tier 2 approach is adopted to obtain emission estimates of methane and nitrous oxide from cattle, which are known to be the largest sources of these NCGGs and account for about 70% of emissions from livestock and poultry in Korea. The result indicates that the Tier 2 estimates of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management are significantly different from the Tier 1 estimates over the analysis period. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

75 FR 22699 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Minor Harmonizing Changes to the General Provisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Minor Harmonizing Changes to the General Provisions AGENCY... provisions for the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Rule, published on March 16, 2010. DATES... practice and procedure, Greenhouse gases, Suppliers, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Dated: April...

Greenhouse gases as clues to permanence of farmlands.

PubMed

Janzen, H Henry

2007-06-01

Farmlands are expansive, diverse, and intensively managed ecosystems. These lands, so critical to human welfare, are threatened by growing stresses as demand for food escalates, fresh water wanes, cheap fuels deplete, and other uses jostle for space. With these coming pressures, how can we foster permanence on the lands that sustain us? In this essay I contemplate the hypothesis that the greenhouse gases, because they emanate from the interwoven flows of C, N, and energy in ecosystems, can help steer us toward permanence (sustainability). Alongside other indicators these emissions may detect the ecosystem's pulse, alerting us to inefficiencies and guiding us to better practices. To be effective signals, however, the greenhouse gases will need to be considered in their local settings, monitored longer and in more "listening places," and measured across boundaries of disciplines and biomes. This approach may help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our farmlands. But we may find that, in the long run, the main beneficiaries of our inquiry have been, not just the atmosphere, but our fragile lands, perhaps in ways we cannot yet foresee.

Impact Delivery of Reduced Greenhouse Gases on Early Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haberle, R. M.; Zahnle, K. J.; Barlow, N. G.

2017-12-01

Reducing greenhouse gases are the latest trend in finding solutions to the early Mars climate dilemma. In thick CO2 atmospheres with modest concentrations of H2 and/or CH4, collision induced absorptions can reduce the outgoing long wave radiation enough to provide a significant greenhouse effect. To raise surface temperatures significantly by this process, surface pressures must be at least 500 mb and H2 and/or CH4 concentrations must be at or above the several percent level. Volcanism, serpentinization, and impacts are possible sources for reduced gases. Here we investigate the delivery of such gases by impact degassing from comets and asteroids. We use a time-marching stochastic impactor model that reproduces the observed crater size frequency distribution of Noachian surfaces. Following each impact, reduced gases are added to the atmosphere from a production function based on gas equilibrium calculations for several classes of meteorites and comets at typical post-impact temperatures. Escape and photochemistry then remove the reduced greenhouse gases continuously in time throughout each simulation. We then conduct an ensemble of simulations with this simple model varying the surface pressure, impact history, reduced gas production and escape functions, and mix of impactor types, to determine if this could be a potentially important part of the early Mars story. Our goal is to determine the duration of impact events that elevate reduced gas concentrations to significant levels and the total time of such events throughout the Noachian. Our initial simulations indicate that large impactors can raise H2 concentrations above the 10% level - a level high enough for a very strong greenhouse effect in a 1 bar CO2 atmosphere - for millions of years, and that the total time spent at or above that level can be in the 10's of millions of years range. These are interesting results that we plan to explore more thoroughly for the meeting.

From Anti-greenhouse Effect of Solar Absorbers to Cooling Effect of Greenhouse Gases: A 1-D Radiative Convective Model Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shia, R.

2012-12-01

The haze layer in Titan's upper atmosphere absorbs 90% of the solar radiation, but is inefficient for trapping infrared radiation generated by the surface. Its existence partially compensates for the greenhouse warming and keeps the surface approximately 9°C cooler than would otherwise be expected from the greenhouse effect alone. This is the so called anti-greenhouse effect (McKay et al., 1991). This effect can be used to alleviate the warming caused by the increasing level of greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. A one-dimensional radiative convective model (Kasting et al., 2009 and references listed there) is used to investigate the anti-greenhouse effect in the Earth atmosphere. Increasing of solar absorbers, e.g. aerosols and ozone, in the stratosphere reduces the surface solar flux and cool the surface. However, the absorption of the solar flux also increases the temperature in the upper atmosphere, while reduces the temperature at the surface. Thus, the temperature profile of the atmosphere changes and the regions with positive vertical temperature gradient are expanded. According to Shia (2010) the radiative forcing of greenhouse gases is directly related to the vertical temperature gradient. Under the new temperature profile increases of greenhouse gases should have less warming effect. When the solar absorbers keep increasing, eventually most of the atmosphere has positive temperature gradient and increasing greenhouse gases would cool the surface (Shia, 2011). The doubling CO2 scenario in the Earth atmosphere is simulated for different levels of solar absorbers using the 1-D RC model. The model results show that if the solar absorber increases to a certain level that less than 50% solar flux reaching the surface, doubling CO2 cools the surface by about 2 C. This means if the snowball Earth is generated by solar absorbers in the stratosphere, increasing greenhouse gases would make it freeze even more (Shia, 2011). References: Kasting, J. et al

Greenhouse effect of chlorofluorocarbons and other trace gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, James; Lacis, Andrew; Prather, Michael

1989-01-01

A comparison is made of the radiative (greenhouse) forcing of the climate system due to changes of atmospheric chlorofluorocarbons and other trace gases. It is found that CFCs, defined to include chlorofluorocarbons, chlorocarbons, and fluorocarbons, now provide about one-quater of current annual increases in anthropogenic greenhouse climate forcing. If the growth rates of CFC production in the early 1970s had continued to the present, current annual growth of climate forcing due to CFCs would exceed that due to CO2.

Greenhouse gases emission from municipal waste management: The role of separate collection.

PubMed

Calabrò, Paolo S

2009-07-01

The municipal solid waste management significantly contributes to the emission in the atmosphere of greenhouse gases (e.g. CO(2), CH(4), N(2)O) and therefore the management process from collection to treatment and disposal has to be optimized in order to reduce these emissions. In this paper, starting from the average composition of undifferentiated municipal solid waste in Italy, the effect of separate collection on greenhouse gases emissions from municipal waste management has been assessed. Different combinations of separate collection scenarios and disposal options (i.e. landfilling and incineration) have been considered. The effect of energy recovery from waste both in landfills and incinerators has also been addressed. The results outline how a separate collection approach can have a significant effect on the emission of greenhouse gases and how wise municipal solid waste management, implying the adoption of Best Available Technologies (i.e. biogas recovery and exploitation system in landfills and energy recovery system in Waste to Energy plants), can not only significantly reduce greenhouse gases emissions but, in certain cases, can also make the overall process a carbon sink. Moreover it has been shown that separate collection of plastic is a major issue when dealing with global warming relevant emissions from municipal solid waste management.

76 FR 73885 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-29

.... 211112 Natural gas liquid extraction facilities. Underground Coal Mines........ 212113 Underground... natural gas liquids in addition to suppliers of petroleum products. 2. Summary of Comments and Responses... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases; Final Rule #0;#0;Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 229 / Tuesday...

Iatrogenic greenhouse gases: the role of anaesthetic agents.

PubMed

Uzoigwe, Chika E; Sanchez Franco, Luis C; Forrest, Michael D

2016-01-01

The contribution of health-care activity to climate change is not negligible and is increasing. Anaesthetic greenhouse gases, in particular the fluranes, have a much more potent global warming capacity, volume for volume, than carbon dioxide, but their emissions remain completely unregulated.

76 FR 22825 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-25

... Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency... Subpart W: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. As part of the... greenhouse gas emissions for the petroleum and natural gas systems source category of the greenhouse gas...

Request for Correction 10008 Endangerment Findings for Greenhouse Gases

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Request for correction by Peabody Energy Company for the EPA to correct temperature data in Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act

The relative roles of sulfate aerosols and greenhouse gases in climate forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiehl, J. T.; Briegleb, B. P.

1993-01-01

Calculations of the effects of both natural and anthropogenic tropospheric sulfate aerosols indicate that the aerosol climate forcing is sufficiently large in a number of regions of the Northern Hemisphere to reduce significantly the positive forcing from increased greenhouse gases. Summer sulfate aerosol forcing in the Northern Hemisphere completely offsets the greenhouse forcing over the eastern United States and central Europe. Anthropogenic sulfate aerosols contribute a globally averaged annual forcing of -0.3 watt per square meter as compared with +2.1 watts per square meter for greenhouse gases. Sources of the difference in magnitude with the previous estimate of Charlson et al. (1992) are discussed.

Global CO2 Distributions over Land from the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hammerling, Dorit M.; Michalak, Anna M.; O'Dell, Christopher; Kawa, Randolph S.

2012-01-01

January 2009 saw the successful launch of the first space-based mission specifically designed for measuring greenhouse gases, the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). We present global land maps (Level 3 data) of column-averaged CO2 concentrations (X(sub CO2)) derived using observations from the GOSAT ACOS retrieval algorithm, for July through December 2009. The applied geostatistical mapping approach makes it possible to generate maps at high spatial and temporal resolutions that include uncertainty measures and that are derived directly from the Level 2 observations, without invoking an atmospheric transport model or estimates of CO2 uptake and emissions. As such, they are particularly well suited for comparison studies. Results show that the Level 3 maps for July to December 2009 on a lO x 1.250 grid, at six-day resolution capture much of the synoptic scale and regional variability of X(sub CO2), in addition to its overall seasonality. The uncertainty estimates, which reflect local data coverage, X(sub CO2) variability, and retrieval errors, indicate that the Southern latitudes are relatively well-constrained, while the Sahara Desert and the high Northern latitudes are weakly-constrained. A probabilistic comparison to the PCTM/GEOS-5/CASA-GFED model reveals that the most statistically significant discrepancies occur in South America in July and August, and central Asia in September to December. While still preliminary, these results illustrate the usefulness of a high spatiotemporal resolution, data-driven Level 3 data product for direct interpretation and comparison of satellite observations of highly dynamic parameters such as atmospheric CO2.

High accuracy Primary Reference gas Mixtures for high-impact greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieuwenkamp, Gerard; Zalewska, Ewelina; Pearce-Hill, Ruth; Brewer, Paul; Resner, Kate; Mace, Tatiana; Tarhan, Tanil; Zellweger, Christophe; Mohn, Joachim

2017-04-01

Climate change, due to increased man-made emissions of greenhouse gases, poses one of the greatest risks to society worldwide. High-impact greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O) and indirect drivers for global warming (e.g. CO) are measured by the global monitoring stations for greenhouse gases, operated and organized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Reference gases for the calibration of analyzers have to meet very challenging low level of measurement uncertainty to comply with the Data Quality Objectives (DQOs) set by the WMO. Within the framework of the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), a project to improve the metrology for high-impact greenhouse gases was granted (HIGHGAS, June 2014-May 2017). As a result of the HIGHGAS project, primary reference gas mixtures in cylinders for ambient levels of CO2, CH4, N2O and CO in air have been prepared with unprecedented low uncertainties, typically 3-10 times lower than usually previously achieved by the NMIs. To accomplish these low uncertainties in the reference standards, a number of preparation and analysis steps have been studied and improved. The purity analysis of the parent gases had to be performed with lower detection limits than previously achievable. E.g., to achieve an uncertainty of 2•10-9 mol/mol (absolute) on the amount fraction for N2O, the detection limit for the N2O analysis in the parent gases has to be in the sub nmol/mol domain. Results of an OPO-CRDS analyzer set-up in the 5µm wavelength domain, with a 200•10-12 mol/mol detection limit for N2O, will be presented. The adsorption effects of greenhouse gas components at cylinder surfaces are critical, and have been studied for different cylinder passivation techniques. Results of a two-year stability study will be presented. The fit-for-purpose of the reference materials was studied for possible variation on isotopic composition between the reference material and the sample. Measurement results for a suit of CO2 in air

Trace Gases, CO2, Climate, and the Greenhouse Effect.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aubrecht, Gordon J., II

1988-01-01

Reports carbon dioxide and other trace gases can be the cause of the Greenhouse Effect. Discusses some effects of the temperature change and suggests some solutions. Included are several diagrams, graphs, and a table. (YP)

Environment Eu agrees on cut in greenhouse gases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-03-12

In an unexpected development, the European Union`s (EU) Council of Environment Ministers has agreed to a 2010 deadline for a 15% reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases. The agreement outlines the European Commission`s strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}), to be negotiated in the UN conference on climate change to be held in Kyoto, Japan in December (CW, Feb. 26, p. 8). The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) says the commission`s target could curb competitiveness and even lead to the closure of some plants. {open_quotes}It`s certainly a target that is unrealistic--2010 is too close.more » Industry needs more time to adjust, assuming that it can at all,{close_quotes} Cefic environment counselor Claude Culem tells CW. {open_quotes}It [is] obviously a unilateral decision [made] by the commission with little [consideration] for industry.{close_quotes}« less

Remote Sensing of Spatial Distributions of Greenhouse Gases in the Los Angles Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, Dejian; Pongetti, Thomas J.; Sander, Stanley P.; Cheung, Ross; Stutz, Jochen; Park, Chang Hyoun; Li, Qinbin

2011-01-01

The Los Angeles air basin is a significant anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases and pollutants including CO2, CH4, N2O, and CO, contributing significantly to regional and global climate change. Recent legislation in California, the California Global Warming Solutions Act (AB32), established a statewide cap for greenhouse gas emissions for 2020 based on 1990 emissions. Verifying the effectiveness of regional greenhouse gas emissions controls requires high-precision, regional-scale measurement methods combined with models that capture the principal anthropogenic and biogenic sources and sinks. We present a novel approach for monitoring the spatial distributions of greenhouse gases in the Los Angeles basin using high resolution remote sensing spectroscopy. We participated in the CalNex 2010 campaign to provide greenhouse gas distributions for comparison between top-down and bottom-up emission estimates.

Mechanisms of impact of greenhouse gases on the Earth's ozone layer in the Polar Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zadorozhny, Alexander; Dyominov, Igor

A numerical 2-D zonally averaged interactive dynamical radiative-photochemical model of the atmosphere including aerosol physics is used to examine the impact of the greenhouse gases CO2, CH4, and N2O on the future long-term changes of the Earth's ozone layer, in particular on its expected recovery after reduction of anthropogenic discharges of chlorine and bromine compounds into the atmosphere. The model allows calculating self-consistently diabatic circu-lation, temperature, gaseous composition of the troposphere and stratosphere at latitudes from the North to South Poles, as well as distribution of sulphate aerosol particles and polar strato-spheric clouds (PSCs) of types I and II. The scenarios of expected changes of the anthropogenic pollutants for the period from 1980 through 2050 are taken from Climate Change 2001. The processes, which determine the influence of anthropogenic growth of atmospheric abun-dance of the greenhouse gases on the long-term changes of the Earth's ozone layer in the Polar Regions, have been studied in details. Expected cooling of the stratosphere caused by increases of greenhouse gases, most importantly CO2, essentially influences the ozone layer by two ways: through temperature dependencies of the gas phase reaction rates and through enhancement of polar ozone depletion via increased PSC formation. The model calculations show that a weak-ness in efficiencies of all gas phase catalytic cycles of the ozone destruction due to cooling of the stratosphere is a dominant mechanism of the impact of the greenhouse gases on the ozone layer in Antarctic as well as at the lower latitudes. This mechanism leads to a significant acceleration of the ozone layer recovery here because of the greenhouse gases growth. On the contrary, the mechanism of the impact of the greenhouse gases on the ozone through PSC modification be-gins to be more effective in Arctic in comparison with the gas phase mechanism in springs after about 2020, which leads to retard

The state of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere using global observations through 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasova, Oksana; Koide, Hiroshi; Dlugokencky, Ed

2016-04-01

We present results from the eleventh annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/ghg/GHGbulletin.html) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The results are based on research and observations performed by laboratories contributing to the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme (www.wmo.int/gaw). The Bulletin presents results of global analyses of observational data collected according to GAW recommended practices and submitted to the World Data Center for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG). Bulletins are prepared by the WMO/GAW Scientific Advisory Group for Greenhouse Gases (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/ScientificAdvisoryGroups.html) in collaboration with WDCGG. Observations used for global analysis are collected at more than 100 marine and terrestrial sites worldwide for CO2 and CH4 and at a smaller number of sites for other greenhouse gases. Globally averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO2, CH4 and N2O derived from this network reached new highs in 2014, at 397.7±0.1 ppm, 1833±1 ppb and 327.1±0.1 ppb respectively. These values constitute 143%, 254% and 121% of pre-industrial (before 1750) levels. The atmospheric increase of CO2 from 2013 to 2014 was 1.9 ppm, which is smaller than the increase from 2012 to 2013 and the average growth rate for the past decade (˜2.06 ppm per year), but larger than the average growth rate for the 1990s (˜1.5 ppm per year). Smaller growth in 2014 compared with other recent years is most likely related to a relatively small net change in large fluxes between the atmosphere and terrestrial biosphere. The rise of atmospheric CO2 has been only about a half of what is expected if all excess CO2 from burning fossil-fuels stayed in the air. The other half has been absorbed by the land biosphere and the oceans, leading to ocean acidification. For both CH4 and N2O the increases from 2013 to 2014 were larger than those observed from 2012 to 2013 and the mean rates over the past 10 years. The National

Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ledley, Tamara S.; Sundquist, Eric; Schwartz, Stephen; Hall, Dorothy K.; Fellows, Jack; Killeen, Timothy

1999-01-01

The American Geophysical Union (AGU), as a scientific organization devoted to research on the Earth and space sciences, provides current scientific information to the public on issues pertinent to geophysics. The Council of the AGU approved a position statement on Climate Change and Greenhouse Gases in December 1998. The statement, together with a short summary of the procedures that were followed in its preparation, review, and adoption were published in the February 2, 1999 issue of Eos ([AGU, 1999]. The present article reviews scientific understanding of this issue as presented in peer-reviewed publications that serves as the underlying basis of the position statement.

Evaluation of emission of greenhouse gases from soils amended with sewage sludge.

PubMed

Paramasivam, S; Fortenberry, Gamola Z; Julius, Afolabi; Sajwan, Kenneth S; Alva, A K

2008-02-01

Increase in concentrations of various greenhouse gases and their possible contributions to the global warming are becoming a serious concern. Anthropogenic activities such as cultivation of flooded rice and application of waste materials, such as sewage sludge which are rich in C and N, as soil amendments could contribute to the increase in emission of greenhouse gases such as methane (CH(4)) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) into the atmosphere. Therefore, evaluation of flux of various greenhouse gases from soils amended with sewage sludge is essential to quantify their release into the atmosphere. Two soils with contrasting properties (Candler fine sand [CFS] from Florida, and Ogeechee loamy sand [OLS] from Savannah, GA) were amended with varying rates (0, 24.7, 49.4, 98.8, and 148.3 Mg ha(-1)) of 2 types of sewage sludge (industrial [ISS] and domestic [DSS] origin. The amended soil samples were incubated in anaerobic condition at field capacity soil water content in static chamber (Qopak bottles). Gas samples were extracted immediately after amending soils and subsequently on a daily basis to evaluate the emission of CH(4), CO(2) and N(2)O. The results showed that emission rates and cumulative emission of all three gases increased with increasing rates of amendments. Cumulative emission of gases during 25-d incubation of soils amended with different types of sewage sludge decreased in the order: CO(2) > N(2)O > CH(4). The emission of gases was greater from the soils amended with DSS as compared to that with ISS. This may indicate the presence of either low C and N content or possible harmful chemicals in the ISS. The emission of gases was greater from the CFS as compared to that from the OLS. Furthermore, the results clearly depicted the inhibitory effect of acetylene in both soils by producing more N(2)O and CH(4) emission compared to the soils that did not receive acetylene at the rate of 1 mL g(-1) soil. Enumeration of microbial population by fluorescein diacetate

Persistence of climate changes due to a range of greenhouse gases.

PubMed

Solomon, Susan; Daniel, John S; Sanford, Todd J; Murphy, Daniel M; Plattner, Gian-Kasper; Knutti, Reto; Friedlingstein, Pierre

2010-10-26

Emissions of a broad range of greenhouse gases of varying lifetimes contribute to global climate change. Carbon dioxide displays exceptional persistence that renders its warming nearly irreversible for more than 1,000 y. Here we show that the warming due to non-CO(2) greenhouse gases, although not irreversible, persists notably longer than the anthropogenic changes in the greenhouse gas concentrations themselves. We explore why the persistence of warming depends not just on the decay of a given greenhouse gas concentration but also on climate system behavior, particularly the timescales of heat transfer linked to the ocean. For carbon dioxide and methane, nonlinear optical absorption effects also play a smaller but significant role in prolonging the warming. In effect, dampening factors that slow temperature increase during periods of increasing concentration also slow the loss of energy from the Earth's climate system if radiative forcing is reduced. Approaches to climate change mitigation options through reduction of greenhouse gas or aerosol emissions therefore should not be expected to decrease climate change impacts as rapidly as the gas or aerosol lifetime, even for short-lived species; such actions can have their greatest effect if undertaken soon enough to avoid transfer of heat to the deep ocean.

World Energy Projection System Plus Model Documentation: Greenhouse Gases Module

EIA Publications

2011-01-01

This report documents the objectives, analytical approach and development of the World Energy Projection System Plus (WEPS ) Greenhouse Gases Model. It also catalogues and describes critical assumptions, computational methodology, parameter estimation techniques, and model source code.

Veracruz State Preliminary Greenhouse Gases Emissions Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welsh Rodriguez, C.; Rodriquez Viqueira, L.; Guzman Rojas, S.

2007-05-01

At recent years, the international organisms such as United Nations, has discussed that the temperature has increased slightly and the pattern of precipitations has changed in different parts of the world, which cause either extreme droughts or floods and that the extreme events have increased. These are some of the risks of global climate change because of the increase of gas concentration in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxides, nitrogen oxides and methane - which increase the greenhouse effect. Facing the consequences that could emerge because of the global temperature grown, there is a genuine necessity in different sectors of reduction the greenhouse gases and reduced the adverse impacts of climate change. To solve that, many worldwide conventions have been realized (Rio de Janeiro, Kyoto, Montreal) where different countries have established political compromises to stabilize their emissions of greenhouse gases. The mitigation and adaptation policies merge as a response to the effects that the global climate change could have, on the humans as well as the environment. That is the reason to provide the analysis of the areas and geographic zones of the country that present major vulnerability to the climate change. The development of an inventory of emissions that identifies and quantifies the principal sources of greenhouse gases of a country, and also of a region is basic to any study about climate change, also to develop specific political programs that allow to preserve and even improve a quality of the atmospheric environment, and maybe to incorporate to international mechanisms such as the emissions market. To estimate emissions in a systematic and consistent way on a regional, national and international level is a requirement to evaluate the feasibility and the cost-benefit of instrumented possible mitigation strategies and to adopt politics and technologies to reduce emissions. Mexico has two national inventories of emissions, 1990 and 1995, now it is

Production of Greenhouse Gases in The Atmosphere of Early Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kress, Monika E.; McKay, Christopher P.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Mars was much warmer and wetter 3.5 to 4 billion years ago than it is today, suggesting that its climate was able to support life in the distant past. Carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases which may have kept Mars warm during this time. We explore the possibility that these gases were produced via grain-catalyzed reactions in the warm, dusty aftermath of large comet and/or asteroid impacts which delivered Mars, volatile inventory.

Effect of Greenhouse Gases Dissolved in Seawater

PubMed Central

Matsunaga, Shigeki

2015-01-01

A molecular dynamics simulation has been performed on the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane dissolved in a sodium chloride aqueous solution, as a simple model of seawater. A carbon dioxide molecule is also treated as a hydrogen carbonate ion. The structure, coordination number, diffusion coefficient, shear viscosity, specific heat, and thermal conductivity of the solutions have been discussed. The anomalous behaviors of these properties, especially the negative pressure dependence of thermal conductivity, have been observed in the higher-pressure region. PMID:26729101

Effect of Greenhouse Gases Dissolved in Seawater.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Shigeki

2015-12-30

A molecular dynamics simulation has been performed on the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane dissolved in a sodium chloride aqueous solution, as a simple model of seawater. A carbon dioxide molecule is also treated as a hydrogen carbonate ion. The structure, coordination number, diffusion coefficient, shear viscosity, specific heat, and thermal conductivity of the solutions have been discussed. The anomalous behaviors of these properties, especially the negative pressure dependence of thermal conductivity, have been observed in the higher-pressure region.

75 FR 74457 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-30

...EPA is promulgating a regulation to require monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from petroleum and natural gas systems. This action adds this source category to the list of source categories already required to report greenhouse gas emissions. This action applies to sources with carbon dioxide equivalent emissions above certain threshold levels as described in this regulation. This action does not require control of greenhouse gases.

Impact Delivery of Reduced Greenhouse Gases on Early MARS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haberle, R. M.; Zahnle, K.

2017-01-01

While there is abundant evidence for flowing liquid water on the ancient Martian surface, a widely accepted greenhouse mechanism for explaining this in the presence of a faint young sun has yet to emerge. Gases such as NH3, CO2 alone, SO2, clouds, and CH4, have sustainability issues or limited greenhouse power. Recently, Ramirez et al. proposed that CO2-H2 atmospheres, through collision induced absorptions (CIA), could solve the problem if large amounts are present (1.3-4 bars of CO2, 50-20% H2). However, they had to estimate the strength of the H2- CO2 interaction from the measured strength of the H2- N2 interaction. Recent ab initio calculations show that the strength of CO2-H2 CIA is greater than Ramirez et al. assumed. Wordsworth et al. also calculated the absorption coefficients for CO2-CH4 CIA and show that on early Mars a 0.5 bar CO2 atmosphere with percent levels of H2 or CH4 can raise mean annual temperatures by tens of degrees Kelvin. Freezing temperatures can be reached in atmospheres containing 1-2 bars of CO2 and 2-10% H2 and CH4. The new work demonstrates that less CO2 and reduced gases are needed than Ramirez et al. originally proposed, which improves prospects for their hypothesis. If thick weakly reducing atmospheres are the solution to the faint young sun paradox, then plausible mechanisms must be found to generate and sustain the required concentrations of H2 and CH4. Possible sources of reducing gases include volcanic outgassing, serpentinization, and impact delivery; sinks include photolysis, oxidation, and hydrogen escape. The viability of the reduced greenhouse hypothesis depends, therefore, on the strength of these sources and sinks.

Relative Contribution of Greenhouse Gases and Ozone Change to Temperature Trends in the Stratosphere: A Chemistry/Climate Model Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stolarski, Richard S.; Douglass, A. R.; Newman, P. A.; Pawson, S.; Schoeberl, M. R.

2006-01-01

Long-term changes in greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, are expected to lead to a warming of the troposphere and a cooling of the stratosphere. We examine the cooling of the stratosphere and compare the contributions greenhouse gases and ozone change for the decades between 1980 and 2000. We use 150 years of simulation done with our coupled chemistry/climate model (GEOS 4 GCM with GSFC CTM chemistry) to calculate temperatures and constituents fiom,1950 through 2100. The contributions of greenhouse gases and ozone to temperature change are separated by a time-series analysis using a linear trend term throughout the period to represent the effects of greenhouse gases and an equivalent effective stratospheric chlorine (EESC) term to represent the effects of ozone change. The temperature changes over the 150 years of the simulation are dominated by the changes in greenhouse gases. Over the relatively short period (approx. 20 years) of ozone decline between 1980 and 2000 changes in ozone are competitive with changes in greenhouse gases. The changes in temperature induced by the ozone change are comparable to, but smaller than, those of greenhouse gases in the upper stratosphere (1-3 hPa) at mid latitudes. The ozone term dominates the temperature change near both poles with a negative temperature change below about 3-5 hPa and a positive change above. At mid latitudes in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere (above about 1 hPa) and in the middle stratosphere (3 to 70 ma), the greenhouse has term dominates. From about 70 hPa down to the tropopause at mid latitudes, cooling due to ozone changes is the largest influence on temperature. Over the 150 years of the simulation, the change in greenhouse gases is the most important contributor to temperature change. Ozone caused a perturbation that is expected to reverse over the coming decades. We show a model simulation of the expected temperature change over the next two decades (2006-2026). The simulation shows a

The terrestrial biosphere as a net source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

PubMed

Tian, Hanqin; Lu, Chaoqun; Ciais, Philippe; Michalak, Anna M; Canadell, Josep G; Saikawa, Eri; Huntzinger, Deborah N; Gurney, Kevin R; Sitch, Stephen; Zhang, Bowen; Yang, Jia; Bousquet, Philippe; Bruhwiler, Lori; Chen, Guangsheng; Dlugokencky, Edward; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Melillo, Jerry; Pan, Shufen; Poulter, Benjamin; Prinn, Ronald; Saunois, Marielle; Schwalm, Christopher R; Wofsy, Steven C

2016-03-10

The terrestrial biosphere can release or absorb the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), and therefore has an important role in regulating atmospheric composition and climate. Anthropogenic activities such as land-use change, agriculture and waste management have altered terrestrial biogenic greenhouse gas fluxes, and the resulting increases in methane and nitrous oxide emissions in particular can contribute to climate change. The terrestrial biogenic fluxes of individual greenhouse gases have been studied extensively, but the net biogenic greenhouse gas balance resulting from anthropogenic activities and its effect on the climate system remains uncertain. Here we use bottom-up (inventory, statistical extrapolation of local flux measurements, and process-based modelling) and top-down (atmospheric inversions) approaches to quantify the global net biogenic greenhouse gas balance between 1981 and 2010 resulting from anthropogenic activities and its effect on the climate system. We find that the cumulative warming capacity of concurrent biogenic methane and nitrous oxide emissions is a factor of about two larger than the cooling effect resulting from the global land carbon dioxide uptake from 2001 to 2010. This results in a net positive cumulative impact of the three greenhouse gases on the planetary energy budget, with a best estimate (in petagrams of CO2 equivalent per year) of 3.9 ± 3.8 (top down) and 5.4 ± 4.8 (bottom up) based on the GWP100 metric (global warming potential on a 100-year time horizon). Our findings suggest that a reduction in agricultural methane and nitrous oxide emissions, particularly in Southern Asia, may help mitigate climate change.

The terrestrial biosphere as a net source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Hanqin; Lu, Chaoqun; Ciais, Philippe; Michalak, Anna M.; Canadell, Josep G.; Saikawa, Eri; Huntzinger, Deborah N.; Gurney, Kevin R.; Sitch, Stephen; Zhang, Bowen; Yang, Jia; Bousquet, Philippe; Bruhwiler, Lori; Chen, Guangsheng; Dlugokencky, Edward; Friedlingstein, Pierre; Melillo, Jerry; Pan, Shufen; Poulter, Benjamin; Prinn, Ronald; Saunois, Marielle; Schwalm, Christopher R.; Wofsy, Steven C.

2016-03-01

The terrestrial biosphere can release or absorb the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), and therefore has an important role in regulating atmospheric composition and climate. Anthropogenic activities such as land-use change, agriculture and waste management have altered terrestrial biogenic greenhouse gas fluxes, and the resulting increases in methane and nitrous oxide emissions in particular can contribute to climate change. The terrestrial biogenic fluxes of individual greenhouse gases have been studied extensively, but the net biogenic greenhouse gas balance resulting from anthropogenic activities and its effect on the climate system remains uncertain. Here we use bottom-up (inventory, statistical extrapolation of local flux measurements, and process-based modelling) and top-down (atmospheric inversions) approaches to quantify the global net biogenic greenhouse gas balance between 1981 and 2010 resulting from anthropogenic activities and its effect on the climate system. We find that the cumulative warming capacity of concurrent biogenic methane and nitrous oxide emissions is a factor of about two larger than the cooling effect resulting from the global land carbon dioxide uptake from 2001 to 2010. This results in a net positive cumulative impact of the three greenhouse gases on the planetary energy budget, with a best estimate (in petagrams of CO2 equivalent per year) of 3.9 ± 3.8 (top down) and 5.4 ± 4.8 (bottom up) based on the GWP100 metric (global warming potential on a 100-year time horizon). Our findings suggest that a reduction in agricultural methane and nitrous oxide emissions, particularly in Southern Asia, may help mitigate climate change.

Keeping Mars warm with new super greenhouse gases

PubMed Central

Gerstell, M. F.; Francisco, J. S.; Yung, Y. L.; Boxe, C.; Aaltonee, E. T.

2001-01-01

Our selection of new super greenhouse gases to fill a putative “window” in a future Martian atmosphere relies on quantum-mechanical calculations. Our study indicates that if Mars could somehow acquire an Earth-like atmospheric composition and surface pressure, then an Earth-like temperature could be sustained by a mixture of five to seven fluorine compounds. Martian mining requirements for replenishing the fluorine could be comparable to current terrestrial extraction. PMID:11226208

Air pollution, greenhouse gases and climate change : global and regional perspectives

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) warm the surface and the atmosphere with significant implications for rainfall, retreat of glaciers and sea ice, sea level, among other factors. What is less recognized than problems with GHGs, however, is a comparably major g...

The terrestrial biosphere as a net source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere

DOE PAGES

Tian, Hanqin; Lu, Chaoqun; Ciais, Philippe; ...

2016-03-09

The terrestrial biosphere can release or absorb the greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH 4) and nitrous oxide (N 2O), and therefore has an important role in regulating atmospheric composition and climate 1. Anthropogenic activities such as land-use change, agriculture and waste management have altered terrestrial biogenic greenhouse gas fluxes, and the resulting increases in methane and nitrous oxide emissions in particular can contribute to climate change 2, 3. The terrestrial biogenic fluxes of individual greenhouse gases have been studied extensively 4, 5, 6, but the net biogenic greenhouse gas balance resulting from anthropogenic activities and its effect onmore » the climate system remains uncertain. Here we use bottom-up (inventory, statistical extrapolation of local flux measurements, and process-based modelling) and top-down (atmospheric inversions) approaches to quantify the global net biogenic greenhouse gas balance between 1981 and 2010 resulting from anthropogenic activities and its effect on the climate system. We find that the cumulative warming capacity of concurrent biogenic methane and nitrous oxide emissions is a factor of about two larger than the cooling effect resulting from the global land carbon dioxide uptake from 2001 to 2010. This results in a net positive cumulative impact of the three greenhouse gases on the planetary energy budget, with a best estimate (in petagrams of CO 2 equivalent per year) of 3.9 ± 3.8 (top down) and 5.4 ± 4.8 (bottom up) based on the GWP100 metric (global warming potential on a 100-year time horizon). Lastly, our findings suggest that a reduction in agricultural methane and nitrous oxide emissions, particularly in Southern Asia, may help mitigate climate change.« less

The state of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere using global observations through 2013

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasova, Oksana; Koide, Hiroshi; Dlugokencky, Ed; Montzka, Stephen A.; Keeling, Ralph; Tanhua, Toste; Lorenzoni, Laura

2015-04-01

We present results from the tenth annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/ ghg/GHGbulletin.html) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The results are based on research and observations performed by laboratories contributing to the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme (www.wmo.int/gaw). The Bulletin presents results of global analyses of observational data collected according to GAW recommended practices and submitted to the World Data Center for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG), and for the first time, it includes a summary of ocean acidification. Bulletins are prepared by the WMO/GAW Scientific Advisory Group for Greenhouse Gases (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/ScientificAdvisoryGroups.html) in collaboration with WDCGG. The summary of ocean acidification and trends in ocean pCO2 was jointly produced by the International Ocean Carbon Coordination Project (IOCCP) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO), the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR), and the Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The tenth Bulletin included a special edition published prior to the United Nations Climate Summit in September 2014. The scope of this edition was to demonstrate the level of emission reduction necessary to stabilize radiative forcing by long-lived greenhouse gases. It shows in particular that a reduction in radiative forcing from its current level (2.92 W m-2 in 2013) requires significant reductions in anthropogenic emissions of all major greenhouse gases. Observations used for global analysis are collected at more than 100 marine and terrestrial sites worldwide for CO2 and CH4 and at a smaller number of sites for other greenhouse gases. Globally averaged dry-air mole fractions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide derived from this network reached new highs in 2013, with CO2 at 396.0 ± 0.1 ppm, CH4 at

Greenhouse effects due to man-made perturbations of trace gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, W. C.; Yung, Y. L.; Lacis, A. A.; Mo, T.; Hansen, J. E.

1976-01-01

Nitrous oxide, methane, ammonia, and a number of other trace constituents of the earth's atmosphere have infrared absorption bands in the spectral range from 7 to 14 microns. Despite their small amounts, these gases can have a significant effect on the thermal structure of the atmosphere by transmitting most of the thermal radiation from the earth's surface to the lower atmosphere. In the present paper, this greenhouse effect is computed for a number of trace gases. The nature and climatic implications of possible changes in the concentrations of N2O, CH4, NH3, and HNO3 are discussed.

Mitigation of greenhouse gases emissions impact and their influence on terrestrial ecosystem.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wójcik Oliveira, K.; Niedbała, G.

2018-05-01

Nowadays, one of the most important challenges faced by the humanity in the current century is the increasing temperature on Earth, caused by a growing emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Terrestrial ecosystems, as an important component of the carbon cycle, play an important role in the sequestration of carbon, which is a chance to improve the balance of greenhouse gases. Increasing CO2 absorption by terrestrial ecosystems is one way to reduce the atmospheric CO2 emissions. Sequestration of CO2 by terrestrial ecosystems is not yet fully utilized method of mitigating CO2 emission to the atmosphere. Terrestrial ecosystems, especially forests, are essential for the regulation of CO2 content in the atmosphere and more attention should be paid to seeking the natural processes of CO2 sequestration.

Emissions of greenhouse gases from the use of transportation fuels and electricity. Volume 2: Appendixes A--S

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeLuchi, M.A.

1993-11-01

This volume contains the appendices to the report on Emission of Greenhouse Gases from the Use of Transportation Fuels and Electricity. Emissions of methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and other greenhouse gases are discussed. Sources of emission including vehicles, natural gas operations, oil production, coal mines, and power plants are covered. The various energy industries are examined in terms of greenhouse gas production and emissions. Those industries include electricity generation, transport of goods via trains, trucks, ships and pipelines, coal, natural gas and natural gas liquids, petroleum, nuclear energy, and biofuels.

75 FR 12489 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Minor Harmonizing Changes to the General Provisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-16

... distribution facilities. 211112 Natural gas liquid extraction facilities. Suppliers of Industrial GHGs 325120... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Minor Harmonizing Changes to the General Provisions AGENCY... provisions for the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reporting Rule. The amendments do not change the...

Photoacoustic Experimental System to Confirm Infrared Absorption Due to Greenhouse Gases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaneko, Fumitoshi; Monjushiro, Hideaki; Nishiyama, Masayoshi; Kasai, Toshio; Harris, Harold H.

2010-01-01

An experimental system for detecting infrared absorption using the photoacoustic (PA) effect is described. It is aimed for use at high-school level to illustrate the difference in infrared (IR) absorption among the gases contained in the atmosphere in connection with the greenhouse effect. The experimental system can be built with readily…

Remote Sensing of Spatial Distributions of Greenhouse Gases in the Los Angeles Basin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu, Dejian; Sander, Stanley P.; Pongetti, Thomas J.; Cheung, Ross; Stutz, Jochen

2010-01-01

The Los Angeles air basin is a significant anthropogenic source of greenhouse gasses and pollutants including CO2, CH4, N2O, and CO, contributing significantly to regional and global climate change. Recent legislation in California, the California Global Warning Solutions Act (AB32), established a statewide cap for greenhouse gas emissions for 2020 based on 1990 emissions. Verifying the effectiveness of regional greenhouse gas emissions controls requires high-precision, regional-scale measurement methods combined with models that capture the principal anthropogenic and biogenic sources and sinks. We present a novel approach for monitoring the spatial distribution of greenhouse gases in the Los Angeles basin using high resolution remote sensing spectroscopy. We participated in the CalNex 2010 campaign to provide greenhouse gas distributions for comparison between top-down and bottom-up emission estimates.

Use of 222Rn for estimation of greenhouse gases emissions at Russian territory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berezina, E. V.; Elansky, N. F.

2009-04-01

It is well known that 222Rn is widely used as a tracer for studying different atmospheric processes including estimations of greenhouse gases emissions. Calculation of 222Rn fluxes from the soil into the atmosphere allows quantitative estimation of greenhouse gases emissions having the soil origin or sources of which are located near the surface. For accurate estimation of 222Rn fluxes detailed investigations of spatial and temporal variations of its concentrations are necessary. 222Rn concentrations data in the atmospheric surface layer over continental Russia from Moscow to Vladivostok obtained during the six TROICA (Transcontinental Observations Into the Chemistry of the Atmosphere) expeditions of the mobile laboratory along the Trans-Siberian railroad are analyzed. Spatial distribution, diurnal and seasonal variations of surface 222Rn concentrations along the Trans-Siberian railroad are investigated. According to the obtained data surface 222Rn concentration values above continental Russia vary from 0.5 to 75 Bq/m3 depending on meteorological conditions and geological features of the territory with the average value being 8.42 ± 0.10 Bq/m3. The average 222Rn concentration is maximum in the autumn expedition and minimum in the spring one. The factors mostly influencing 222Rn concentration variations are studied: surface temperature inversions, geological features of the territory, precipitations. 222Rn accumulation features in the atmospheric surface layer during night temperature inversions are analyzed. It was noted that during night temperature inversions the surface 222Rn concentration is 7 - 8 times more than the one during the nights without temperature inversions. Since atmospheric stratification determines accumulation and diurnal variations of many atmospheric pollutants as well as greenhouse gases its features are analyzed in detail. Surface temperature inversions were mainly observed from 18:00-19:00 to 06:00-07:00 in the warm season and from 16

Documentation for Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2008

EIA Publications

2011-01-01

The Energy Policy Act of 1992 required the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) to prepare an inventory of aggregate U.S. national emissions of greenhouse gases for the period 1987-1990, with annual updates thereafter. This report documents the methodology for the seventeenth annual inventory, covering national emissions over the period 1990-2008.

From SO{sub 2} to greenhouse gases: trends and events shaping future emissions trading programs in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Joseph Kruger

2005-06-15

Cap-and-trade programs have become widely accepted for the control of conventional air pollution in the United States. However, there is still no political consensus to use these programs to address greenhouse gases. Meanwhile, in the wake of the success of the US SO{sub 2} and NOx trading programs, private companies, state governments, and the European Union are developing new trading programs or other initiatives that may set precedents for a future national US greenhouse gas trading scheme. This paper summarizes the literature on the 'lessons learned' from the SO{sub 2} trading program for greenhouse gas trading, including lessons about themore » potential differences in design that may be necessary because of the different sources, science, mitigation options, and economics inherent in greenhouse gases. The paper discusses how the programs and initiatives mentioned above have been shaped by lessons from past trading programs and whether they are making changes to the SO{sub 2} model to address greenhouse gases. It concludes with an assessment of the implications of these initiatives for a future US national greenhouse gas trading program. 91 refs., 2 tabs.« less

Genetic implications for forest trees of increasing levels of greenhouse gases and UV-B radiation

Treesearch

David F. Karnosky; Kevin E. Percy; Blanka Mankovska

2000-01-01

Globally, the environment is changing and deteriorating as greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and tropospheric ozone (03) continue to increase at a rate of about 1% per year (Keeling et al. 1995, Chameides et al. 1995). The increase in these gases is directly related to anthropogenic activities (Chameides et al...

Greenhouse gases dissolved in soil solution - often ignored, but important?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weymann, Daniel; Brueggemann, Nicolas; Puetz, Thomas; Vereecken, Harry

2014-05-01

Flux measurements of climate-relevant trace gases from soils are frequently undertaken in contemporary ecosystem studies and substantially contribute to our understanding of greenhouse gas balances of the biosphere. While the great majority of such investigations builds on closed chamber and eddy covariance measurements, where upward gas fluxes to the atmosphere are measured, fewest concurrently consider greenhouse gas dissolution in the seepage and leaching of dissolved gases via the vadose zone to the groundwater. Here we present annual leaching losses of dissolved N2O and CO2 from arable, grassland, and forest lysimeter soils from three sites differing in altitude and climate. We aim to assess their importance in comparison to direct N2O emission, soil respiration, and further leaching parameters of the C- and N cycle. The lysimeters are part of the Germany-wide lysimeter network initiative TERENO-SoilCan, which investigates feedbacks of climate change to the pedosphere on a long-term scale. Soil water samples were collected weekly from different depths of the profiles by means of suction cups. A laboratory pre-experiment proved that no degassing occurred under those sampling conditions. We applied the headspace equilibration technique to determine dissolved gas concentrations by gas chromatography. The seepage water of all lysimeters was consistently supersaturated with N2O and CO2 compared to water equilibrated ambient air. In terms of N2O, leaching losses increased in the ascending order forest, grassland, and arable soils, respectively. In case of the latter soils, we observed a strong variability of N2O, with dissolved concentrations up to 23 μg N L-1. However, since seepage discharge of the arable lysimeters was comparatively small and mostly limited to the hydrological winter season, leached N2O appeared to be less important than direct N2O emissions. In terms of dissolved CO2,our measurements revealed considerable leaching losses from the mountainous

Potential effects of anthropogenic greenhouse gases on avian habitats and populations in the northern Great Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Diane L.

1994-01-01

Biotic response to the buildup of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere is considerably more complex than an adjustment to changing temperature and precipitation. The fertilization effect carbon dioxide has on some plants, the impact UVB radiation has on health and productivity of organisms, and the resulting changes in competitive balance and trophic structure must also be considered. The intent of this paper is to review direct and indirect effects of anthropogenic greenhouse gases on wildlife, and to explore possible effects on populations of birds and their habitats in the northern Great Plains.Many of the potential effects of increasing greenhouse gases, such as declining plant nutritional value, changes in timing of insect emergence, and fewer and saltier wetlands, foreshadow a decline in avian populations on the Great Plains. However, other possible effects such as increased drought resistance and water use efficiency of vegetation, longer growing seasons, and greater overall plant biomass promise at least some mitigation. Effects of multiple simultaneous perturbations such as can be expected under doubled carbon dioxide scenarios will require substantial basic research to clarify.

76 FR 37300 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Revisions to Best...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-27

... natural gas. 211112 Natural gas liquid extraction facilities. Table 1 of this preamble is not intended to... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Revisions to Best Available... regulations for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule. Specifically, EPA is...

Greenhouse Gases

MedlinePlus

... Information Administration (EIA) does not estimate emissions of water vapor. Research by NASA suggests a stronger impact from the indirect human effects on water vapor concentrations. Ozone is technically a greenhouse gas ...

76 FR 36472 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases; Changes to Provisions for Electronics Manufacturing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-22

... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases; Changes to Provisions for Electronics Manufacturing (Subpart I) To... proposing changes to the calculation and monitoring provisions in the Electronics Manufacturing portion... Category Examples of affected Category NAICS facilities Electronics Manufacturing......... 334111...

The state of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere using global observations through 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasova, Oksana; Vermeulen, Alex; Ueno, Mikio

2017-04-01

We present results from the twelfth annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/ghg/GHGbulletin.html) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The results are based on research and observations performed by laboratories contributing to the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW) Programme (www.wmo.int/gaw). The Bulletin presents results of global analyses of observational data collected according to GAW recommended practices and submitted to the World Data Center for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG). Bulletins are prepared by the WMO/GAW Scientific Advisory Group for Greenhouse Gases (http://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/arep/gaw/ScientificAdvisoryGroups.html) in collaboration with WDCGG. Observations used for global analysis are collected at more than 100 marine and terrestrial sites worldwide for CO2 and CH4 and at a smaller number of sites for other greenhouse gases. Globally averaged dry-air mole fractions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide derived from this network reached new highs in 2015, with CO2 at 400.0±0.1 ppm, CH4 at 1845±2 ppb and N2O at 328.0±0.1 ppb. These values constitute 144%, 256% and 121% of pre-industrial (before 1750) levels, respectively. It is predicted that 2016 will be the first year in which CO2 at the Mauna Loa Observatory remains above 400 ppm all year, and hence for many generations ( Betts et al., 2016). The atmospheric increase of CO2 from 2014 to 2015 was 2.3 ppm, which is larger than the increase from 2013 to 2014 and the average growth rate for the past decade (˜2.08 ppm per year), despite evidence that global anthropogenic emissions remained essentially static between 2014 and 2015. The higher growth rate in 2015 compared with the previous years is due to increased natural emissions of CO2 related to the most recent El Niño event. According to the most recent data, increased growth rates have persisted far into 2016, consistent with the expected lag between CO2 growth and the ENSO index. The average

Perfluoroalkyl Amines: A New Class of Long-Lived Greenhouse Gases?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, C. J.; Mabury, S. A.

2008-12-01

Polyfluorinated compounds have the potential to act as potent greenhouse gases, due to absorption of the carbon-fluorine bond in the atmospheric window. Perfluoroalkyl amines are a class of thermally and chemically stable compounds marketed for use in numerous applications, including electronic testing and heat transfer. To assess the potential for climate impact, the radiative efficiency and atmospheric lifetime of perfluorotributyl amine (PFBAm) were determined. PFBAm was shown to have a radiative efficiency of 0.86 W m-2 ppb-1, which is higher than any compound yet detected in the atmosphere. The lifetime of this compound is likely limited by photolysis in the mesosphere, on the timescale of 800 years. The potential for perfluoroalkyl amines to behave as greenhouse gases is only realized if they are present in the atmosphere. The perfluorotripropyl and perfluorotrihexyl amine congeners are listed as high-production chemicals, with production in the range of hundreds of tonnes between 1986 and 2002 (1). An air sampling, extraction and analysis method employing thermal desorption, cryofocusing and GC-MS with negative chemical ionization has been developed to detect perfluoroalkyl amines in the atmosphere. Results and implications of the air sampling study will be discussed. (1)Howard, P. H.; Meylan, W. "EPA Great Lakes Study for Identification of PBTs to Develop Analytical Methods: Selection of Additional PBTs - Interim Report," EPA Contract No. EP-W-04-019, 2007.

Sludge thermal oxidation processes: mineral recycling, energy impact, and greenhouse effect gases release.

PubMed

Guibelin, E

2004-01-01

Different treatment routes have been studied for a mixed sludge: the conventional agricultural use is compared with the thermal oxidation processes, including incineration (in gaseous phase) and wet air oxidation (in liquid phase). The interest of a sludge digestion prior to the final treatment has been also considered according to the two major criteria, which are the fossil energy utilisation and the greenhouse effect gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) release. Thermal energy has to be recovered on thermal processes to make these processes environmentally friendly, otherwise their main interest is to extract or destroy micropollutants and pathogens from the carbon cycle. In case of continuous energy recovery, incineration can produce more energy than it consumes. Digestion is especially interesting for agriculture: according to these two schemes, the energy final balance can also be in excess. As to wet air oxidation, it is probably one of the best ways to minimize greenhouse effect gases emission.

Global emissions of fluorinated greenhouse gases until 2050: technical mitigation potentials and costs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purohit, Pallav; Hoglund-Isaksson, Lena

2016-04-01

The anthropogenic fluorinated (F-gases) greenhouse gas emissions have increased significantly in recent years and are estimated to rise further in response to increased demand for cooling services and the phase out of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) under the Montreal Protocol. F-gases (HFCs, PFCs and SF6) are potent greenhouse gases, with a global warming effect up to 22,800 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2). This study presents estimates of current and future global emissions of F-gases, their technical mitigation potential and associated costs for the period 2005 to 2050. The analysis uses the GAINS model framework to estimate emissions, mitigation potentials and costs for all major sources of anthropogenic F-gases for 162 countries/regions, which are aggregated to produce global estimates. For each region, 18 emission source sectors with mitigation potentials and costs were identified. Global F-gas emissions are estimated at 0.7 Gt CO2eq in 2005 with an expected increase to about 3.6 Gt CO2eq in 2050. There are extensive opportunities to reduce emissions by over 95 percent primarily through replacement with existing low GWP substances. The initial results indicate that at least half of the mitigation potential is attainable at a cost of less than 20€ per t CO2eq, while almost 90 percent reduction is attainable at less than 100€ per t CO2eq. Currently, several policy proposals have been presented to amend the Montreal Protocol to substantially curb global HFC use. We analyze the technical potentials and costs associated with the HFC mitigation required under the different proposed Montreal Protocol amendments.

Atmospheric Removal of Very Long-lived Greenhouse Gases in the Mesosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Totterdill, A.; Kovacs, T.; Gomez Martin, J.; FENG, W.; Chipperfield, M.; Plane, J. M.

2013-12-01

Chlorofluorocarbons are known to have serious ozone depleting and global warming potentials. Perfluorinated compounds such as SF6, NF3, SF5CF3 and CF3CF2Cl which have very long lifetimes (ranging from a few centuries to over 3000 years) are too stable to affect stratospheric ozone but do have among the highest per molecule radiative forcing of any greenhouse pollutant, making them extremely potent greenhouse gases. Due to the stability of these gases in the lower atmosphere, mesospheric loss processes could significantly reduce their estimated atmospheric lifetimes and hence, overall climate impact. Potential sinks include reactions with metals and energetic particles such as electrons or short wavelength photons already present in the upper atmosphere. The metals, in this instance iron, sodium or potassium, are produced by meteoric ablation, while background and energetic electrons have the continuous source of photoionization and auroral precipitation, respectively. In this study we investigate the removal potentials of four very long lived gases (SF6, NF3, SF5CF3 and CF3CF2Cl). First, by four metals (Fe, Mg, Na and K), where rate coefficients are measured using the Fast Flow Tube and Pulsed Laser Flash Photolysis / Laser Induced Fluorescence techniques. Second, removal by electron attachment was investigated using a quadrupole mass spectrometer. measurements. Third, Lyman-alpha (121.56 nm) photolysis was measured in a VUV absorption cell. The resulting removal rate coefficients are currently being input into the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) to obtain lifetime measurements for these species.

Diurnal cycle of greenhouse gases and biogenic hydrocarbons during summer near Cool, CA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flowers, B. A.; Floerchinger, C.; Knighton, W. B.; Dubey, M. K.; Herndon, S. C.; Kelley, P.; Luke, W. T.; Shaw, W. J.; Barnard, J.; Laulainen, N.; Zaveri, R. A.

2010-12-01

Photosynthesis by forests is a large sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and also a large source of biogenic volatile organics (VOCs) that produce aerosols, nucleate clouds, and interact with nitrogen oxides (NOx) to produce ozone. To elucidate these complex biogeochemical mechanisms, we performed continuous high temporal resolution measurements of CO2, VOC, trace gases, and aerosol in June 2010 at the T1 site, 70 km from Sacramento, CA, during the Carbonaceous Aerosol and Radiative Effects Study (CARES) in June 2010. Throughout the month we find that diurnal profiles exhibit minima in CO2 and maxima in isoprene during daytime. Both their amplitudes are modulated strongly by cloud cover consistent with a common photosynthetic mechanism. In contrast, we find that diurnal monoterpene profiles peak at night while CO2 is at its maxima. Their amplitudes are modulated by temperature and boundary layer height. The monoterpenes and CO2 cycle show larger increases at warmer temperatures, suggesting respiration as a common driver. Additional measurements of CH4, CO, benzene, toluene, NO, NOy and O3 are used to define biogeochemical cycling of greenhouse gases and are demonstrated as a baseline for separating anthropogenic and biogenic emissions and observing transport of greenhouse gases and air pollution.

Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Read the Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act, signed by the Administrator on December 7, 2009. The final findings were published in the Federal Register under Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0171.

GreenNet: A Global Ground-Based Network of Instruments Measuring Greenhouse Gases in the Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Floyd, M.; Grunberg, M.; Wilson, E. L.

2017-12-01

Climate change is the most important crisis of our lifetime. For policy makers to take action to combat the effects of climate change, they will need definitive proof that it is occurring globally. We have developed a low-cost ground instrument - a portable miniaturized laser heterodyne radiometer (mini-LHR) - capable of measuring concentrations of two of the most potent anthropogenic greenhouse gases, CO2 and methane, in columns in the atmosphere. They work by combining sunlight that has undergone absorption by gases with light from a laser. This combined light is detected by a photoreciever and a radio frequency beat signal is produced. From this beat signal, concentrations of these gases throughout the atmospheric column can be determined. A network of mini-LHR instruments in locations around the world will give us the data necessary to significantly reduce uncertainty in greenhouse gas sinks and sources contributing to climate change. Each instrument takes one reading per minute while the sun is up. With a goal to establish up to 500 instrument sites, the estimated total data per day will likely exceed 1GB. Every piece of data must be sorted as it comes in to determine whether it is a good or bad reading. The goal of the citizen science project is to collaborate with citizen scientists enrolled with Zooniverse.org to cycle through our data and help sort it, while also learning about the mini-LHR, greenhouse gases and climate change. This data will be used to construct an algorithm to automatically sort data that relies on statistical analyses of the previously sorted data.

76 FR 59542 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Changes to Provisions for Electronics Manufacturing To...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-27

... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Changes to Provisions for Electronics Manufacturing To Provide... regulation to amend the calculation and monitoring provisions in the Electronics Manufacturing portion of the... Electronics Manufacturing 334111 Microcomputer manufacturing facilities. 334413 Semiconductor, photovoltaic...

Greenhouse gases observation from space: overview of TANSO and GOSAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamazaki, Takashi

2017-11-01

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is developing Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT). GOSAT is the first satellite to monitor the columnar density of carbon dioxide and methane operationally from space. The GOSAT is the joint endeavor with JAXA, National Institute for Environmental Studies and Ministry of the Environment. The GOSAT will be launched with the H-IIA launch vehicle in early 2009. This paper shows the overview of GOSAT and its mission instrument, TANSO. Mission objectives, sensor and satellite design, its performance and summary of ground test results are also provided.

The Effect of Soil Manganese on Japanese Larch (Larix Leptolepis Sieb. and Zucc.) Seedlings in the Greenhouse

Treesearch

Callie Jo Schweitzer; William E. Sharpe; Pamela J. Edwards

1999-01-01

Preliminary analysis of 9 year old Japanese larch trees and soil subjected to appliitions of triple ambient annual nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) deposftfon revealed elevated available soil and foliar manganese (Mn) levels and decreased growth compared to controls. A greenhouse study was conducted in which Japanese larch seedlings were grown in geld collected soil...

Extraction and Analysis of Regional Emission and Absorption Events of Greenhouse Gases with GOSAT and OCO-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasai, K.; Shiomi, K.; Konno, A.; Tadono, T.; Hori, M.

2016-12-01

Global observation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) with high spatio-temporal resolution and accurate estimation of sources and sinks are important to understand greenhouse gases dynamics. Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) has observed column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO2 (XCO2) and CH4 (XCH4) over 7 years since January 2009 with wide swath but sparse pointing. Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) has observed XCO2 jointly on orbit since July 2014 with narrow swath but high resolution. We use two retrieved datasets as GOSAT observation data. One is ACOS GOSAT/TANSO-FTS Level 2 Full Product by NASA/JPL, and the other is NIES TANSO-FTS L2 column amount (SWIR). By using these GOSAT datasets and OCO-2 L2 Full Product, the biases among datasets, local sources and sinks, and temporal variability of greenhouse gases are clarified. In addition, CarbonTracker, which is a global model of atmospheric CO2 and CH4 developed by NOAA/ESRL, are also analyzed for comparing between satellite observation data and atmospheric model data. Before analyzing these datasets, outliers are screened by using quality flag, outcome flag, and warn level in land or sea parts. Time series data of XCO2 and XCH4 are obtained globally from satellite observation and atmospheric model datasets, and functions which express typical inter-annual and seasonal variation are fitted to each spatial grid. Consequently, anomalous events of XCO2 and XCH4 are extracted by the difference between each time series dataset and the fitted function. Regional emission and absorption events are analyzed by time series variation of satellite observation data and by comparing with atmospheric model data.

Greenhouse Trace Gases in Deadwood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Covey, Kristofer; Bueno de Mesquita, Cliff; Oberle, Brad; Maynard, Dan; Bettigole, Charles; Crowther, Thomas; Duguid, Marlyse; Steven, Blaire; Zanne, Amy; Lapin, Marc; Ashton, Mark; Oliver, Chad; Lee, Xuhui; Bradford, Mark

2016-04-01

Deadwood, long recognized as playing an important role in carbon cycling in forest ecosystems, is more recently drawing attention for its potential role in the cycling of other greenhouse trace gases. We report data from four independent studies measuring internal gas concentrations in deadwood in in three Quercus dominated upland forest systems in the Northeastern and Central United States. Mean methane concentrations in deadwood were 23 times atmospheric levels, indicating a lower bound, mean radial wood surface area flux of ~6 x 10-4 μmol CH4 m-2 s-1. Site, decay class, diameter, and species were all highly significant predictors of methane abundance in deadwood, and log diameter and decay stage interacted as important controls limiting methane concentrations in the smallest and most decayed logs. Nitrous oxide concentrations were negatively correlated with methane and on average ~25% lower than ambient, indicating net consumption of nitrous oxide. These data suggest nonstructural carbohydrates fuel archaeal methanogens and confirm the potential for widespread in situ methanogenesis in both living and deadwood. Applying this understanding to estimate methane emissions from microbial activity in living trees implies a potential global flux of 65.6±12.0 Tg CH4 yr-1, more than 20 times greater than currently considered.

Greenhouse gases fluxes and soil thermal properties in a pasture in central Missouri.

PubMed

Nkonglolo, Nsalambi Vakanda; Johnson, Shane; Schmidt, Kent; Eivazi, Frieda

2010-01-01

Fluctuations of greenhouse gases emissions and soil properties occur at short spatial and temporal scales, however, results are often reported for larger scales studies. We monitored CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes and soil temperature (T), thermal conductivity (K), resistivity (R) and thermal diffusivity (D) from 2004 to 2006 in a pasture. Soil air samples for determination of CO2, CH4 and N20 concentrations were collected from static and vented chambers and analyzed within two hours of collection with a gas chromatograph. T, K, R and D were measured in-situ using a KD2 probe. Soil samples were also taken for measurements of soil chemical and physical properties. The pasture acted as a sink in 2004, a source in 2005 and again a sink of CH4 in 2006. CO2 and CH4 were highest, but N2O as well as T, K and D were lowest in 2004. Only K was correlated with CO2 in 2004 while T correlated with both N2O (r = 0.76, p = 0.0001) and CO2 (r = 0.88, p = 0.0001) in 2005. In 2006, all gases fluxes were significantly correlated with T, K and R when the data for the entire year were considered. However, an in-depth examination of the data revealed the existence of month-to-month shifts, lack of correlation and differing spatial structures. These results stress the need for further studies on the relationship between soil properties and gases fluxes. K and R offer a promise as potential controlling factors for greenhouse gases fluxes in this pasture.

A Group Increment Scheme for Infrared Absorption Intensities of Greenhouse Gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kokkila, Sara I.; Bera, Partha P.; Francisco, Joseph S.; Lee, Timothy J.

2012-01-01

A molecule's absorption in the atmospheric infrared (IR) window (IRW) is an indicator of its efficiency as a greenhouse gas. A model for estimating the absorption of a fluorinated molecule within the IRW was developed to assess its radiative impact. This model will be useful in comparing different hydrofluorocarbons and hydrofluoroethers contribution to global warming. The absorption of radiation by greenhouse gases, in particular hydrofluoroethers and hydrofluorocarbons, was investigated using ab initio quantum mechanical methods. Least squares regression techniques were used to create a model based on this data. The placement and number of fluorines in the molecule were found to affect the absorption in the IR window and were incorporated into the model. Several group increment models are discussed. An additive model based on one-carbon groups is found to work satisfactorily in predicting the ab initio calculated vibrational intensities.

On the role of atmosphere-ocean interactions in the expected long-term changes of the Earth's ozone layer caused by greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zadorozhny, Alexander; Dyominov, Igor

It is well known that anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere produce a global warming of the troposphere and a global cooling of the stratosphere. The expected stratospheric cooling essentially influences the ozone layer via increased polar stratospheric cloud formation and via temperature dependences of the gas phase reaction rates. One more mechanism of how greenhouse gases influences the ozone layer is enhanced water evaporation from the oceans into the atmosphere because of increasing temperatures of the ocean surface due to greenhouse effect. The subject of this paper is a study of the influence of anthropogenic pollution of the atmosphere by the greenhouse gases CO2, CH4, N2O and ozone-depleting chlorine and bromine compounds on the expected long-term changes of the ozone layer with taking into account an increase of water vapour content in the atmosphere due to greenhouse effect. The study based on 2-D zonally averaged interactive dynamical radiative-photochemical model of the troposphere and stratosphere. The model allows to self-consistently calculating diabatic circulation, temperature, gaseous composition of the troposphere and stratosphere at latitudes from the South to North Poles, as well as distribution of sulphate aerosol particles and polar stratospheric clouds of two types. It was supposed in the model that an increase of the ocean surface temperature caused by greenhouse effect is similar to calculated increase of atmospheric surface temperature. Evaporation rate from the ocean surface was computed in dependence of latitude. The model time-dependent runs were made for the period from 1975 to 2100 using two IPCC scenarios depicting maximum and average expected increases of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The model calculations show that anthropogenic increasing of water vapour abundance in the atmosphere due to heating of the ocean surface caused by greenhouse effect gives a sensible contribution to the expected ozone

The Influence of Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gases and Aerosols on the Surface Heat and Moisture Budgets.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramaswamy, V.; Freidenreich, S.; Ginoux, P. A.; Ming, Y.; Paynter, D.; Persad, G.; Schwarzkopf, M. D.

2017-12-01

Emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols alter atmospheric composition and `force' major perturbations in the radiative fluxes at the top-of-the-atmosphere and surface. In this paper, we discuss the radiative changes caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gases and aerosols at the surface, and its importance in the context of effects on the global hydrologic cycle. An important characteristic of imbalances forced by radiative species is the tendency for responses to occur in the non-radiative components, in order for the surface energy and moisture budgets to re-establish equilibrium. Using the NOAA/ GFDL global climate models used in CMIP3 and CMIP5, and to be used in CMIP6, we investigate how the surface energy balance has evolved with time under the action of the emissions, and the manner of changes in the surface radiative, sensible and latent heat components. We diagnose the relative importance of the forcings on the global and continental scales, the differing mechanisms due to greenhouse gases and aerosols on surface heat and moisture budgets, and the relative roles of the atmospheric constituents on precipitation and evaporation. Scattering and absorbing properties of aerosols can have contrasting effects on precipitation, with the aerosol indirect effect presenting another complication owing to the uncertainty in its magnitude. We compare the modeled surface flux changes against observations made from multiple platforms over the 20th and the early period of the 21st centuries, and asses the models' strengths and weaknesses. We also explore the consequences for the surface balance and precipitation in the 21st century under various emission scenarios.

78 FR 20632 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Notice of Data Availability Regarding Global Warming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-05

... Greenhouse Gases: Notice of Data Availability Regarding Global Warming Potential Values for Certain... the availability of estimated global warming potentials, as well as data and analysis submitted in... global warming potentials and the data and analysis supporting them. We are also requesting comment on...

75 FR 12451 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Minor Harmonizing Changes to the General Provisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-16

... facilities. 211112 Natural gas liquid extraction facilities. Suppliers of Industrial GHGs 325120 Industrial...,000 metric tons CO2e or more. Natural gas and natural gas liquids suppliers (subpart NN): (A) All... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Minor Harmonizing Changes to the General Provisions AGENCY...

Note: Measurement system for the radiative forcing of greenhouse gases in a laboratory scale.

PubMed

Kawamura, Yoshiyuki

2016-01-01

The radiative forcing of the greenhouse gases has been studied being based on computational simulations or the observation of the real atmosphere meteorologically. In order to know the greenhouse effect more deeply and to study it from various viewpoints, the study on it in a laboratory scale is important. We have developed a direct measurement system for the infrared back radiation from the carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. The system configuration is similar with that of the practical earth-atmosphere-space system. Using this system, the back radiation from the CO2 gas was directly measured in a laboratory scale, which roughly coincides with meteorologically predicted value.

75 FR 14081 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Minor Harmonizing Changes to the General Provisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-24

... is equivalent to 25,000 metric tons CO2e or more. Natural gas and natural gas liquids suppliers... Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Minor Harmonizing Changes to the General Provisions Correction In...\\ Applicable in 2010 and Future Years Coal-to-liquids suppliers (subpart LL): (A) All producers of coal-to...

Evaluation of headspace equilibration methods for quantifying greenhouse gases in groundwater.

PubMed

Jahangir, M M R; Johnston, P; Khalil, M I; Grant, J; Somers, C; Richards, K G

2012-11-30

The objective of the study was to evaluate the different headspace equilibration methods for the quantification of dissolved greenhouse gases in groundwater. Groundwater samples were collected from wells with contrasting hydrogeochemical properties and degassed using the headspace equilibration method. One hundred samples from each well were randomly selected, treatments were applied and headspace gases analysed by gas chromatography. Headspace equilibration treatments varied helium (He):water ratio, shaking time and standing time. Mean groundwater N(2)O, CO(2) and CH(4) concentrations were 0.024 mg N L(-1), 13.71 mg C L(-1) and 1.63 μg C L(-1), respectively. All treatments were found to significantly influence dissolved gas concentrations. Considerable differences in the optimal He:water ratio and standing time were observed between the three gases. For N(2)O, CO(2) and CH(4) the optimum operating points for He:water ratio was 4.4:1, 3:1 and 3.4:1; shaking time was 13, 12 and 13 min; and standing time was 63, 17 and 108 min, respectively. The headspace equilibration method needs to be harmonised to ensure comparability between studies. The experiment reveals that He:water ratio 3:1 and shaking time 13 min give better estimation of dissolved gases than any lower or higher ratios and shaking times. The standing time 63, 17 and 108 min should be applied for N(2)O, CO(2) and CH(4), respectively. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Centuries of thermal sea-level rise due to anthropogenic emissions of short-lived greenhouse gases

PubMed Central

Zickfeld, Kirsten

2017-01-01

Mitigation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases with short lifetimes (order of a year to decades) can contribute to limiting warming, but less attention has been paid to their impacts on longer-term sea-level rise. We show that short-lived greenhouse gases contribute to sea-level rise through thermal expansion (TSLR) over much longer time scales than their atmospheric lifetimes. For example, at least half of the TSLR due to increases in methane is expected to remain present for more than 200 y, even if anthropogenic emissions cease altogether, despite the 10-y atmospheric lifetime of this gas. Chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons have already been phased out under the Montreal Protocol due to concerns about ozone depletion and provide an illustration of how emission reductions avoid multiple centuries of future TSLR. We examine the “world avoided” by the Montreal Protocol by showing that if these gases had instead been eliminated in 2050, additional TSLR of up to about 14 cm would be expected in the 21st century, with continuing contributions lasting more than 500 y. Emissions of the hydrofluorocarbon substitutes in the next half-century would also contribute to centuries of future TSLR. Consideration of the time scales of reversibility of TSLR due to short-lived substances provides insights into physical processes: sea-level rise is often assumed to follow air temperature, but this assumption holds only for TSLR when temperatures are increasing. We present a more complete formulation that is accurate even when atmospheric temperatures are stable or decreasing due to reductions in short-lived gases or net radiative forcing. PMID:28069937

Centuries of thermal sea-level rise due to anthropogenic emissions of short-lived greenhouse gases.

PubMed

Zickfeld, Kirsten; Solomon, Susan; Gilford, Daniel M

2017-01-24

Mitigation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases with short lifetimes (order of a year to decades) can contribute to limiting warming, but less attention has been paid to their impacts on longer-term sea-level rise. We show that short-lived greenhouse gases contribute to sea-level rise through thermal expansion (TSLR) over much longer time scales than their atmospheric lifetimes. For example, at least half of the TSLR due to increases in methane is expected to remain present for more than 200 y, even if anthropogenic emissions cease altogether, despite the 10-y atmospheric lifetime of this gas. Chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons have already been phased out under the Montreal Protocol due to concerns about ozone depletion and provide an illustration of how emission reductions avoid multiple centuries of future TSLR. We examine the "world avoided" by the Montreal Protocol by showing that if these gases had instead been eliminated in 2050, additional TSLR of up to about 14 cm would be expected in the 21st century, with continuing contributions lasting more than 500 y. Emissions of the hydrofluorocarbon substitutes in the next half-century would also contribute to centuries of future TSLR. Consideration of the time scales of reversibility of TSLR due to short-lived substances provides insights into physical processes: sea-level rise is often assumed to follow air temperature, but this assumption holds only for TSLR when temperatures are increasing. We present a more complete formulation that is accurate even when atmospheric temperatures are stable or decreasing due to reductions in short-lived gases or net radiative forcing.

Calibration standards for major greenhouse gases and carbon monoxide: status and challenges.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zellweger, Christoph; Mohn, Joachim; Wyss, Simon A.; Brewer, Paul; Mace, Tatiana; Nieuwenkamp, Gerard; Pearce-Hill, Ruth; Tarhan, Tanil; Walden, Jari; Emmenegger, Lukas

2017-04-01

Human influence on increasing greenhouse gas mole fractions in the atmosphere and effects on positive radiative forcing as well as observed global warming and sea level rise are well accepted [1]. For interpretation of global or continental scale greenhouse gas data, obtained from different laboratories, measurement results have to coincide within compatibility goals set by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) [2]. Despite significant advances in measurement techniques [3], WMO compatibility goals are regularly missed, shown by round-robin experiments of standard gases and comparisons of field samples or parallel measurements. Therefore, precise and accurate calibration using standards with good long-term stability is needed to reduce uncertainties of atmospheric measurements. This is addressed by the WMO Global Atmosphere Watch Programme (GAW), where Central Calibration Laboratories (CCLs) maintain calibration scales to ensure consistency of measurements within the network to primary reference materials. Furthermore, participating GAW laboratories are supported by World Calibration Centres (WCCs) performing audits and organizing round-robin comparisons. The CCL participates regularly in comparisons with independent primary scales to assure traceability of established primary reference materials to fundamental quantities (SI) [e.g. 4]. Within the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) ENV52 project "Metrology for high-impact greenhouse gases" (HIGHGAS), static and dynamic primary reference gas mixtures for ambient levels of CO2, CH4, N2O and CO in air were prepared by different National Metrology Institutes (NMIs). In order to progress beyond the state of the art, research focused on improving passivation chemistry, quantification of target impurities in the air matrix, and determining the isotopic composition. These primary reference gas mixtures were compared in a round robin experiment against standards calibrated against reference gases currently

[Emission inventory of greenhouse gases from agricultural residues combustion: a case study of Jiangsu Province].

PubMed

Liu, Li-hua; Jiang, Jing-yan; Zong, Liang-gang

2011-05-01

Burning of agricultural crop residues was a major source greenhouse gases. In this study, the proportion of crop straws (rice, wheat, maize, oil rape, cotton and soja) in Jiangsu used as household fuel and direct open burning in different periods (1990-1995, 1996-2000, 2001-2005 and 2006-2008) was estimated through questionnaire. The emission factors of CO2, CO, CH4 and NO20 from the above six types of crop straws were calculated by the simulated burning experiment. Thus the emission inventory of greenhouse gases from crop straws burning was established according to above the burning percentages and emission factors, ratios of dry residues to production and crop productions of different periods in Jiangsu province. Results indicated that emission factors of CO2, CO, CH4 and N2O depended on crop straw type. The emission factors of CO2 and CH4 were higher for oil rape straw than the other straws, while the maize and the rice straw had the higher N2O and CO emission factor. Emission inventory of greenhouse gases from agricultural residues burning in Jiangsu province showed, the annual average global warming potential (GWP) of six tested crop straws were estimated to be 9.18 (rice straw), 4.35 (wheat straw), 2.55 (maize straw), 1.63 (oil rape straw), 0.55 (cotton straw) and 0. 39 (soja straw) Tg CO2 equivalent, respectively. Among the four study periods, the annual average GWP had no obvious difference between the 1990-1995 and 2006-2008 periods, while the maximal annual average GWP (23.83 Tg CO2 equivalent) happened in the 1996-2000 period, and the minimum (20.30 Tg CO2 equivalent) in 1996-2000 period.

Understanding and quantifying greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions: the UK GHG Emissions and Feedback Programme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matthiesen, Stephan; Palmer, Paul; Watson, Andrew; Williams, Mathew

2016-04-01

We give an overview over the structure, objectives, and methods of the UK-based Greenhouse Gases Emissions and Feedback Programme. The overarching objective of this research programme is to deliver improved GHG inventories and predictions for the UK, and for the globe at a regional scale. To address this objective, the Programme has developed a comprehensive, multi-year and interlinked measurement and data analysis programme, focussing on the major GHGs carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The Programme integrates three UK research consortia with complementary objectives, focussing on observation and modelling in the atmosphere, the oceans, and the terrestrial biosphere: GAUGE (Greenhouse gAs Uk and Global Emissions) will produce robust estimates of the UK GHG budget, using new and existing atmospheric measurement networks and modelling activities at a range of scales. It integrates inter-calibrated information from ground-based, airborne, ferry-borne, balloon-borne, and space-borne sensors, including new sensor technology. The GREENHOUSE (Generating Regional Emissions Estimates with a Novel Hierarchy of Observations and Upscaled Simulation Experiments) project aims to understand the spatio-temporal patterns of biogenic GHG emissions in the UK's landscape of managed and semi-managed ecosystems. It uses existing UK field data and several targeted new measurement campaigns to build regional GHG inventories and improve the capabilities of land surface models. RAGNARoCC (Radiatively active gases from the North Atlantic Region and Climate Change) is an oceanographic project to investigate the air-sea fluxes of GHGs in the North Atlantic region. Through dedicated research cruises as well as data collection from ships of opportunity, it develops a comprehensive budget of natural and anthropogenic components of the carbon cycle in the North Atlantic and a better understanding of why the air-sea fluxes of CO2 vary regionally, seasonally and multi

Voluntary reporting of greenhouse gases under Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holt, E. Jr.; Vernet, J.E. Jr.

DOE is developing guidelines for the voluntary reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and their reductions, under Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. The establishment of this voluntary program should encourage the reduction of greenhouse gases while providing the opportunity to share innovative approaches to achieving such reductions. This social learning aspect is an important element of the program. In addition to greenhouse gas reductions achieved during a given year, reporters are encouraged to also report their actual emissions of such gases for 1987 through 1990. Due to the voluntary nature of this program, and the myriad differencesmore » among the potential reporting entities and possible uses for the data reported, the guidelines will need to be structured so as to maximize participation without compromising the usefulness of the data collected. Through a broad notice of inquiry, published in the Federal Register on July 27, 1993, the Department began seeking input into development of the guidelines. Subsequently, to gain a better understanding of the various sectors of the economy, six public workshops were held during the 1993. One workshop addressed institutional issues of potential interest to all sectors of the economy, with the other five workshops focusing more on matters of concern to specific sectors. These meetings were structured so as to provide broad representation from potential reporting entities along with public interest organizations. It is clear that there are significant variations among those reporting greenhouse information. Presently voluntary, the program will need flexibility to encourage broad participation.« less

Space-Based Measurements of CO2 from the Japanese Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) and the NASA Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crisp, David

2011-01-01

Space-based remote sensing observations hold substantial promise for future long-term monitoring of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The principal advantages of space based measurements include: (1) Spatial coverage (especially over oceans and tropical land) (2) Sampling density (needed to resolve CO2 weather). The principal challenge is the need for high precision To reach their full potential, space based CO2 measurements must be validated against surface measurements to ensure their accuracy. The TCCON network is providing the transfer standard There is a need for a long-term vision to establish and address community priorities (1) Must incorporate ground, air, space-based assets and models (2) Must balance calls for new observations with need to maintain climate data records.

The southern Brazilian grassland biome: soil carbon stocks, fluxes of greenhouse gases and some options for mitigation.

PubMed

Pillar, V D; Tornquist, C G; Bayer, C

2012-08-01

The southern Brazilian grassland biome contains highly diverse natural ecosystems that have been used for centuries for grazing livestock and that also provide other important environmental services. Here we outline the main factors controlling ecosystem processes, review and discuss the available data on soil carbon stocks and greenhouse gases emissions from soils, and suggest opportunities for mitigation of climatic change. The research on carbon and greenhouse gases emissions in these ecosystems is recent and the results are still fragmented. The available data indicate that the southern Brazilian natural grassland ecosystems under adequate management contain important stocks of organic carbon in the soil, and therefore their conservation is relevant for the mitigation of climate change. Furthermore, these ecosystems show a great and rapid loss of soil organic carbon when converted to crops based on conventional tillage practices. However, in the already converted areas there is potential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by using cropping systems based on no soil tillage and cover-crops, and the effect is mainly related to the potential of these crop systems to accumulate soil organic carbon in the soil at rates that surpass the increased soil nitrous oxide emissions. Further modelling with these results associated with geographic information systems could generate regional estimates of carbon balance.

The ice record of greenhouse gases: a view in the context of future changes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raynaud, D.; Barnola, J.-M.; Chappellaz, J.; Blunier, T.; Indermühle, A.; Stauffer, B.

2000-01-01

Analysis of air trapped in polar ice provides the most direct information on the natural variability of Greenhouse Trace Gases (GTG). It gives the context for the dramatic change in their atmospheric concentrations induced by anthropogenic activities over the last 200 yr, leading to present-day levels which have been unprecedented over the last 400,000 yr. The GTG ice record also provides insight into the processes generally involved in the interplay between these trace gases and the climate and in particular those which are likely to take place in the next centuries in terms of climate changes and climate feedbacks on ecosystems. The paper gives selected examples of the GTG record, taken during different climatic periods in the past, and illustrating what we can learn in terms of processes.

Atmospheric observations and inverse modelling for quantifying emissions of point-source synthetic greenhouse gases in East Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, Tim; Manning, Alistair; Li, Shanlan; Kim, Jooil; Park, Sunyoung; Muhle, Jens; Weiss, Ray

2017-04-01

The fluorinated species carbon tetrafluoride (CF4; PFC-14), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and trifluoromethane (CHF3; HFC-23) are potent greenhouse gases with 100-year global warming potentials of 6,630, 16,100 and 12,400, respectively. Unlike the majority of CFC-replacements that are emitted from fugitive and mobile emission sources, these gases are mostly emitted from large single point sources - semiconductor manufacturing facilities (all three), aluminium smelting plants (CF4) and chlorodifluoromethane (HCFC-22) factories (HFC-23). In this work we show that atmospheric measurements can serve as a basis to calculate emissions of these gases and to highlight emission 'hotspots'. We use measurements from one Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE) long term monitoring sites at Gosan on Jeju Island in the Republic of Korea. This site measures CF4, NF3 and HFC-23 alongside a suite of greenhouse and stratospheric ozone depleting gases every two hours using automated in situ gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry instrumentation. We couple each measurement to an analysis of air history using the regional atmospheric transport model NAME (Numerical Atmospheric dispersion Modelling Environment) driven by 3D meteorology from the Met Office's Unified Model, and use a Bayesian inverse method (InTEM - Inversion Technique for Emission Modelling) to calculate yearly emission changes over seven years between 2008 and 2015. We show that our 'top-down' emission estimates for NF3 and CF4 are significantly larger than 'bottom-up' estimates in the EDGAR emissions inventory (edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu). For example we calculate South Korean emissions of CF4 in 2010 to be 0.29±0.04 Gg/yr, which is significantly larger than the Edgar prior emissions of 0.07 Gg/yr. Further, inversions for several separate years indicate that emission hotspots can be found without prior spatial information. At present these gases make a small contribution to global radiative forcing, however, given

Assessment of Eco-friendly Gases for Electrical Insulation to Replace the Most Potent Industrial Greenhouse Gas SF6.

PubMed

Rabie, Mohamed; Franck, Christian M

2018-01-16

Gases for electrical insulation are essential for the operation of electric power equipment. This Review gives a brief history of gaseous insulation that involved the emergence of the most potent industrial greenhouse gas known today, namely sulfur hexafluoride. SF 6 paved the way to space-saving equipment for the transmission and distribution of electrical energy. Its ever-rising usage in the electrical grid also played a decisive role in the continuous increase of atmospheric SF 6 abundance over the last decades. This Review broadly covers the environmental concerns related to SF 6 emissions and assesses the latest generation of eco-friendly replacement gases. They offer great potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from electrical equipment but at the same time involve technical trade-offs. The rumors of one or the other being superior seem premature, in particular because of the lack of dielectric, environmental, and chemical information for these relatively novel compounds and their dissociation products during operation.

Interactive Photochemistry in Earth System Models to Assess Uncertainty in Ozone and Greenhouse Gases. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prather, Michael J.; Hsu, Juno; Nicolau, Alex

Atmospheric chemistry controls the abundances and hence climate forcing of important greenhouse gases including N 2O, CH 4, HFCs, CFCs, and O 3. Attributing climate change to human activities requires, at a minimum, accurate models of the chemistry and circulation of the atmosphere that relate emissions to abundances. This DOE-funded research provided realistic, yet computationally optimized and affordable, photochemical modules to the Community Earth System Model (CESM) that augment the CESM capability to explore the uncertainty in future stratospheric-tropospheric ozone, stratospheric circulation, and thus the lifetimes of chemically controlled greenhouse gases from climate simulations. To this end, we have successfullymore » implemented Fast-J (radiation algorithm determining key chemical photolysis rates) and Linoz v3.0 (linearized photochemistry for interactive O 3, N 2O, NO y and CH 4) packages in LLNL-CESM and for the first time demonstrated how change in O2 photolysis rate within its uncertainty range can significantly impact on the stratospheric climate and ozone abundances. From the UCI side, this proposal also helped LLNL develop a CAM-Superfast Chemistry model that was implemented for the IPCC AR5 and contributed chemical-climate simulations to CMIP5.« less

Renewable energies in electricity generation for reduction of greenhouse gases in Mexico 2025.

PubMed

Islas, Jorge; Manzini, Fabio; Martínez, Manuel

2002-02-01

This study presents 4 scenarios relating to the environmental futures of electricity generation in Mexico up to the year 2025. The first scenario emphasizes the use of oil products, particularly fuel oil, and represents the historic path of Mexico's energy policy. The second scenario prioritizes the use of natural gas, reflecting the energy consumption pattern that arose in the mid-1990s as a result of reforms in the energy sector. In the third scenario, the high participation of renewable sources of energy is considered feasible from a technical and economic point of view. The fourth scenario takes into account the present- and medium-term use of natural-gas technologies that the energy reform has produced, but after 2007 a high and feasible participation of renewable sources of energy is considered. The 4 scenarios are evaluated up to the year 2025 in terms of greenhouse gases (GHG) and acid rain precursor gases (ARPG).

Moisture effects on greenhouse gases generation in nitrifying gas-phase compost biofilters.

PubMed

Maia, Guilherme D N; Day, George B; Gates, Richard S; Taraba, Joseph L; Coyne, Mark S

2012-06-01

Gas-phase compost biofilters are extensively used in concentrated animal feeding operations to remove odors and, in some cases, ammonia from air sources. The expected biochemical pathway for these predominantly aerobic systems is nitrification. However, non-uniform media with low oxygen levels can shift biofilter microbial pathways to denitrification, a source of greenhouse gases. Several factors contribute to the formation of anoxic/anaerobic zones: media aging, media and particle structure, air velocity distribution, compaction, biofilm thickness, and moisture content (MC) distribution. The present work studies the effects of media moisture conditions on ammonia (NH(3)) removal and greenhouse gas generation (nitrous oxide, N(2)O and methane, CH(4)) for gas-phase compost biofilters subject to a 100-day controlled drying process. Continuous recordings were made for the three gases and water vapor (2.21-h sampling cycle, each cycle consisted of three gas species, and water vapor, for a total of 10,050 data points). Media moisture conditions were classified into three corresponding media drying rate (DR) stages: Constant DR (wetter media), falling DR, and stable-dry system. The first-half of the constant DR period (0-750 h; MC=65-52%, w.b.) facilitated high NH(3) removal rates, but higher N(2)O generation and no CH(4) generation. At the drier stages of the constant DR (750-950 h; MC=52-48%, w.b.) NH(3) removal remained high but N(2)O net generation decreased to near zero. In the falling DR stage (1200-1480 h; MC=44-13%) N(2)O generation decreased, CH(4) increased, and NH(3) was no longer removed. No ammonia removal or greenhouse gas generation was observed in the stable-dry system (1500-2500 h; MC=13%). These results indicate that media should remain toward the drier region of the constant DR (in close proximity to the falling DR stage; MC=50%, approx.), to maintain high levels of NH(3) removal, reduced levels of N(2)O generation, and nullify levels of CH(4

Delivery of micrometeoritic greenhouse gases and "smoke" particles during the post-lunar "late heavy bombardment" of the Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurette, M.; Brack, A.; Duprat, J.; Engrand, C.

(1) Processed micrometeorites in Astrobiology. In previous studies, we considered the contribution of unmelted micrometeorites in astrobiology. We now argue that even processed micrometeorites that are destroyed upon atmospheric entry could have participated in the birth of life on Earth. Unweathered micrometeorites from our new "Concordia-collection" show high sulfur contents of about 5%. With the simple assumption that all sulfur from volatilized micrometeorites is initially oxidized during atmospheric entry, like organic carbon, our model predicts an enormous initial input rate of SO2 in the thermosphere (˜ 1016 g/yr) that lasted for, at least, 100 Myr after the Moon forming impact (this impact blew off the primitive atmosphere). This post-lunar SO2 input was probably quickly transformed into stratospheric sulfate aerosols that were finally deposited in the early oceans. A plausible reaction pathway to eliminate such an excess of sulfates requires the likely existence of abundant early hydrothermal sources, converting sulfates dissolved in water into huge deposits of iron sulfides and exhalations of H2S, as in contemporary sources. In the "sulfide world" promoted by Wächtershäuser, sulfides, FeS and H2S, can reduce CO2 to organic sulfides in the form of thiols, as demonstrated in laboratory simulation experiments. Thiols can lead to thioesters, which probably behaved as activating agents in prebiotic chemistry, according to de Duve; (2) Post-lunar greenhouse effects. It is likely that the greenhouse gases CO2 and H2O released from the Earth's interior counterbalanced the "faint" early Sun luminosity. But these gases were blown off by the Moon forming impact. However, during the first ˜ 100 Myr of the post-lunar period, we predict enormous input rates of three powerful micrometeoritic greenhouse gases (SO2, H2O, CO2). They should have produced a marked heating of the Earth's surface, which had to be counterbalanced by a strong cooling. Hunten and

Evaluation of photo-acoustic infrared multigas analyzer in measuring concentrations of greenhouse gases emitted from feedlot soil/manure

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Photo-acoustic infrared multigas analyzers (PIMAs) are being increasingly utilized to measure concentrations and fluxes of greenhouse gases (i.e., N2O, CO2, and CH4) at the soil surface because of their low cost, portability, and ease of operation. This research evaluated a PIMA in combination with ...

Greenhouse gases and greenhouse effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chilingar, G. V.; Sorokhtin, O. G.; Khilyuk, L.; Gorfunkel, M. V.

2009-09-01

Conventional theory of global warming states that heating of atmosphere occurs as a result of accumulation of CO2 and CH4 in atmosphere. The writers show that rising concentration of CO2 should result in the cooling of climate. The methane accumulation has no essential effect on the Earth’s climate. Even significant releases of the anthropogenic carbon dioxide into the atmosphere do not change average parameters of the Earth’s heat regime and the atmospheric greenhouse effect. Moreover, CO2 concentration increase in the atmosphere results in rising agricultural productivity and improves the conditions for reforestation. Thus, accumulation of small additional amounts of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere as a result of anthropogenic activities has practically no effect on the Earth’s climate.

Performance Verification of GOSAT-2 FTS-2 Simulator and Sensitivity Analysis for Greenhouse Gases Retrieval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamei, A.; Yoshida, Y.; Dupuy, E.; Hiraki, K.; Matsunaga, T.

2015-12-01

The GOSAT-2, which is scheduled for launch in early 2018, is the successor mission to the Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT). The FTS-2 onboard the GOSAT-2 is a Fourier transform spectrometer, which has three bands in the near to short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) region and two bands in the thermal infrared (TIR) region to observe infrared light reflected and emitted from the Earth's surface and atmosphere with high-resolution spectra. Column amounts and vertical profiles of major greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are retrieved from acquired radiance spectra. In addition, the FTS-2 has several improvements from the FTS onboard the GOSAT: 1) added spectral coverage in the SWIR region for carbon monoxide (CO) retrieval, 2) increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for all bands, 3) extended range of along-track pointing angles for sunglint observations, 4) intelligent pointing to avoid cloud contamination. Since 2012, we have been developing a software tool, which is called the GOSAT-2 FTS-2 simulator, to simulate spectral radiance data that will be acquired by the GOSAT-2 FTS-2. The objective of it is to analyze/optimize data with respect to the sensor specification, the parameters for Level 1 processing, and the improvement of Level 2 retrieval algorithms. It consists of six components: 1) overall control, 2) sensor carrying platform, 3) spectral radiance calculation, 4) Fourier transform module, 5) Level 1B (L1B) processing, and 6) L1B data output. More realistic and faster simulations have been made possible by the improvement of details about sensor characteristics, the sophistication of data processing and algorithms, the addition of various observation modes, the use of surface and atmospheric ancillary data, and the speed-up and parallelization of radiative transfer code. This simulator is confirmed to be working properly from the reproduction of GOSAT FTS L1B data depends on the ancillary data. We will summarize the

Measurements of Greenhouse Gases around the Sacramento Area: The Airborne Greenhouse Emissions Survey (AGES) Campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karion, A.; Fischer, M. L.; Turnbull, J. C.; Sweeney, C.; Faloona, I. C.; Zagorac, N.; Guilderson, T. P.; Saripalli, S.; Sherwood, T.

2009-12-01

The state of California is leading the United States by enacting legislation (AB-32) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The success of reduction efforts can be gauged with accurate emissions inventories and potentially verified with atmospheric measurements of greenhouse gases (GHGs) over time. Measurements of multiple GHGs and associated trace gas species in a specific region also provide information on emissions ratios for source apportionment. We conducted the Airborne Greenhouse Emissions Survey (AGES) campaign to determine emissions signature ratios for the sources that exist in the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento Valley areas. Specifically, we attempt to determine the emissions signatures of sources that influence ongoing measurements made at a tall-tower measurement site near Walnut Grove, CA. For two weeks in February and March of 2009, a Cessna 210 was flown throughout the Sacramento region, making continuous measurements of CO2, CH4, and CO while also sampling discrete flasks for a variety of additional tracers, including SF6, N2O, and 14C in CO2 (Δ14CO2). Flight paths were planned using wind predictions for each day to maximize sampling of sources whose emissions would also be sampled contemporaneously by the instrumentation at the Walnut Grove tower (WGC), part of the ongoing California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement (CALGEM) project between NOAA/ESRL’s Carbon Cycle group and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). Flights were performed in two distinct patterns: 1) flying across a plume upwind and downwind of the Sacramento urban area, and 2) flying across the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta from Richmond to Walnut Grove, a region consisting of natural wetlands as well as several power plants and refineries. Results show a variety of well-correlated mixing ratio signals downwind of Sacramento, documenting the urban signature emission ratios, while emissions ratios in the Delta region were more variable, likely due

Shipboard monitoring of non-CO2 greenhouse gases in Asia and Oceania using commercially cargo vessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nara, H.; Tanimoto, H.; Mukai, H.; Nojiri, Y.; Tohjima, Y.; Machida, T.; Hashimoto, S.

2011-12-01

The National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) has been performing a long-term program for monitoring trace gases of atmospheric importance over the Pacific Ocean since 1995. The NIES Voluntary Observing Ships (NIES-VOS) program currently makes use of commercial cargo vessels because they operate regularly over fixed routes for long periods and sail over a wide area between various ports (e.g., between Japan and the United States, between Japan and Australia/New Zealand, and between Japan and southeast Asia). This program allows systematic and continuous measurements of non-CO2 greenhouse gases, providing long-term datasets for background air over the Pacific Ocean and regionally polluted air around east Asia. We observe both long-lived greenhouse gases (e.g., carbon dioxide) and short-lived air pollutants (e.g., tropospheric ozone, carbon monoxide) on a continuous basis. Flask samples are collected for later laboratory analysis of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon monoxide by using gas chromatographic techniques. In addition, we recently installed cavity ringdown spectrometers for high-resolution measurement of methane and carbon dioxide to capture their highly variable features in regionally polluted air around southeast Asia (e.g., Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Philippine), which is now thought to be a large source due to expanding socioeconomic activities as well as biomass burnings. Contrasting the Japan-Australia/New Zealand and Japan-southeast Asia cruises revealed regional characteristics of sources and sinks of these atmospherically important species, suggesting the existence of additional sources for methane, nitrous oxides, and carbon monoxide in this tropical Asian region.

Effects of water-saving irrigation on emissions of greenhouse gases and prokaryotic communities in rice paddy soil.

PubMed

Ahn, Jae-Hyung; Choi, Min-Young; Kim, Byung-Yong; Lee, Jong-Sik; Song, Jaekyeong; Kim, Gun-Yeob; Weon, Hang-Yeon

2014-08-01

The effects of water-saving irrigation on emissions of greenhouse gases and soil prokaryotic communities were investigated in an experimental rice field. The water layer was kept at 1-2 cm in the water-saving (WS) irrigation treatment and at 6 cm in the continuous flooding (CF) irrigation treatment. WS irrigation decreased CH(4) emissions by 78 % and increased N(2)O emissions by 533 %, resulting in 78 % reduction of global warming potential compared to the CF irrigation. WS irrigation did not affect the abundance or phylogenetic distribution of bacterial/archaeal 16S rRNA genes and the abundance of bacterial/archaeal 16S rRNAs. The transcript abundance of CH(4) emission-related genes generally followed CH(4) emission patterns, but the difference in abundance between mcrA transcripts and amoA/pmoA transcripts best described the differences in CH(4) emissions between the two irrigation practices. WS irrigation increased the relative abundance of 16S rRNAs and functional gene transcripts associated with Anaeromyxobacter and Methylocystis spp., suggesting that their activities might be important in emissions of the greenhouse gases. The N(2)O emission patterns were not reflected in the abundance of N(2)O emission-related genes and transcripts. We showed that the alternative irrigation practice was effective for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions from rice fields and that it did not affect the overall size and structure of the soil prokaryotic community but did affect the activity of some groups.

Emission Inventory of Halogenated greenhouse gases in China during 1980-2050

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, X.; Velders, G. J. M.; Ravishankara, A. R.; Molina, M.; Su, S.; Zhang, J.; Zhou, X.; Hu, J.; Prinn, R. G.

2015-12-01

China is currently the largest producer and consumer of ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) which are regulated by the Montreal Protocol (MP). Many ODSs are also powerful greenhouse gases (GHGs). The Multilateral Fund has subsidized ~1 billion US dollars for the ODS phase out in China, and thus the return on this investment is of great interest. This study gives a comprehensive emission inventory in China from 1980 to 2013 of halocarbons including ODSs and their alternatives, the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that are also greenhouse gases. We then project these emissions up to 2050 according to the MP and several policy options. Total emissions of ODS and HFCs were estimated to be ~500 CO2-eq Tg/yr in 2013 which are equivalent to ~5% of total GHG emissions in China including fossil fuel CO2 emissions. Our estimate shows that China has succeeded in substantially reducing CFC-11-equivalent emissions (to protect the ozone layer), and CO2-equivalent emissions (to protect climate) of ODSs since the mid-1990s when their phase out started in China in compliance with the MP. Furthermore, the avoided CO2-eq emissions due to compliance with the MP are even greater compared to the reduced emissions, for example net cumulative avoided emissions during 19 year period between 1995-2013 are comparable to the current one year CO2 emissions from fossil fuels in China. We find that HFC CO2-eq emissions increased rapidly in last decade, which make up ~2% in 2005 to ~20% of total halocarbon CO2-eq emissions in 2013. Under a baseline scenario in which HFCs are used as alternatives in the ongoing phase out of HCFCs in China, emissions of HFCs are predicted to be important components of both China's and global future GHG emissions. However, potential exists for minimizing China's HFC emissions under mitigation scenarios. Our conclusions about China's past and future ODS and HFC emission trajectories are likely to apply to other developing countries, with important implications for mitigating

Increased soil emissions of potent greenhouse gases under increased atmospheric CO2.

PubMed

van Groenigen, Kees Jan; Osenberg, Craig W; Hungate, Bruce A

2011-07-13

Increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO(2)) can affect biotic and abiotic conditions in soil, such as microbial activity and water content. In turn, these changes might be expected to alter the production and consumption of the important greenhouse gases nitrous oxide (N(2)O) and methane (CH(4)) (refs 2, 3). However, studies on fluxes of N(2)O and CH(4) from soil under increased atmospheric CO(2) have not been quantitatively synthesized. Here we show, using meta-analysis, that increased CO(2) (ranging from 463 to 780 parts per million by volume) stimulates both N(2)O emissions from upland soils and CH(4) emissions from rice paddies and natural wetlands. Because enhanced greenhouse-gas emissions add to the radiative forcing of terrestrial ecosystems, these emissions are expected to negate at least 16.6 per cent of the climate change mitigation potential previously predicted from an increase in the terrestrial carbon sink under increased atmospheric CO(2) concentrations. Our results therefore suggest that the capacity of land ecosystems to slow climate warming has been overestimated. ©2011 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved

Air pollution, greenhouse gases and climate change: Global and regional perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanathan, V.; Feng, Y.

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) warm the surface and the atmosphere with significant implications for rainfall, retreat of glaciers and sea ice, sea level, among other factors. About 30 years ago, it was recognized that the increase in tropospheric ozone from air pollution (NO x, CO and others) is an important greenhouse forcing term. In addition, the recognition of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on stratospheric ozone and its climate effects linked chemistry and climate strongly. What is less recognized, however, is a comparably major global problem dealing with air pollution. Until about ten years ago, air pollution was thought to be just an urban or a local problem. But new data have revealed that air pollution is transported across continents and ocean basins due to fast long-range transport, resulting in trans-oceanic and trans-continental plumes of atmospheric brown clouds (ABCs) containing sub micron size particles, i.e., aerosols. ABCs intercept sunlight by absorbing as well as reflecting it, both of which lead to a large surface dimming. The dimming effect is enhanced further because aerosols may nucleate more cloud droplets, which makes the clouds reflect more solar radiation. The dimming has a surface cooling effect and decreases evaporation of moisture from the surface, thus slows down the hydrological cycle. On the other hand, absorption of solar radiation by black carbon and some organics increase atmospheric heating and tend to amplify greenhouse warming of the atmosphere. ABCs are concentrated in regional and mega-city hot spots. Long-range transport from these hot spots causes widespread plumes over the adjacent oceans. Such a pattern of regionally concentrated surface dimming and atmospheric solar heating, accompanied by widespread dimming over the oceans, gives rise to large regional effects. Only during the last decade, we have begun to comprehend the surprisingly large regional impacts. In S. Asia and N. Africa, the large north-south gradient in the ABC

Carbon Dioxide Separation from Flue Gases: A Technological Review Emphasizing Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

PubMed Central

Songolzadeh, Mohammad; Soleimani, Mansooreh; Takht Ravanchi, Maryam; Songolzadeh, Reza

2014-01-01

Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO2 in the atmosphere is a global warming. Human activities are a major cause of increased CO2 concentration in atmosphere, as in recent decade, two-third of greenhouse effect was caused by human activities. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a major strategy that can be used to reduce GHGs emission. There are three methods for CCS: pre-combustion capture, oxy-fuel process, and post-combustion capture. Among them, post-combustion capture is the most important one because it offers flexibility and it can be easily added to the operational units. Various technologies are used for CO2 capture, some of them include: absorption, adsorption, cryogenic distillation, and membrane separation. In this paper, various technologies for post-combustion are compared and the best condition for using each technology is identified. PMID:24696663

Carbon dioxide separation from flue gases: a technological review emphasizing reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

PubMed

Songolzadeh, Mohammad; Soleimani, Mansooreh; Takht Ravanchi, Maryam; Songolzadeh, Reza

2014-01-01

Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as CO2 in the atmosphere is a global warming. Human activities are a major cause of increased CO2 concentration in atmosphere, as in recent decade, two-third of greenhouse effect was caused by human activities. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a major strategy that can be used to reduce GHGs emission. There are three methods for CCS: pre-combustion capture, oxy-fuel process, and post-combustion capture. Among them, post-combustion capture is the most important one because it offers flexibility and it can be easily added to the operational units. Various technologies are used for CO2 capture, some of them include: absorption, adsorption, cryogenic distillation, and membrane separation. In this paper, various technologies for post-combustion are compared and the best condition for using each technology is identified.

Collaborative Emission Reduction Model Based on Multi-Objective Optimization for Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollutants.

PubMed

Meng, Qing-chun; Rong, Xiao-xia; Zhang, Yi-min; Wan, Xiao-le; Liu, Yuan-yuan; Wang, Yu-zhi

2016-01-01

CO2 emission influences not only global climate change but also international economic and political situations. Thus, reducing the emission of CO2, a major greenhouse gas, has become a major issue in China and around the world as regards preserving the environmental ecology. Energy consumption from coal, oil, and natural gas is primarily responsible for the production of greenhouse gases and air pollutants such as SO2 and NOX, which are the main air pollutants in China. In this study, a mathematical multi-objective optimization method was adopted to analyze the collaborative emission reduction of three kinds of gases on the basis of their common restraints in different ways of energy consumption to develop an economic, clean, and efficient scheme for energy distribution. The first part introduces the background research, the collaborative emission reduction for three kinds of gases, the multi-objective optimization, the main mathematical modeling, and the optimization method. The second part discusses the four mathematical tools utilized in this study, which include the Granger causality test to analyze the causality between air quality and pollutant emission, a function analysis to determine the quantitative relation between energy consumption and pollutant emission, a multi-objective optimization to set up the collaborative optimization model that considers energy consumption, and an optimality condition analysis for the multi-objective optimization model to design the optimal-pole algorithm and obtain an efficient collaborative reduction scheme. In the empirical analysis, the data of pollutant emission and final consumption of energies of Tianjin in 1996-2012 was employed to verify the effectiveness of the model and analyze the efficient solution and the corresponding dominant set. In the last part, several suggestions for collaborative reduction are recommended and the drawn conclusions are stated.

Collaborative Emission Reduction Model Based on Multi-Objective Optimization for Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollutants

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yi-min; Wan, Xiao-le; Liu, Yuan-yuan; Wang, Yu-zhi

2016-01-01

CO2 emission influences not only global climate change but also international economic and political situations. Thus, reducing the emission of CO2, a major greenhouse gas, has become a major issue in China and around the world as regards preserving the environmental ecology. Energy consumption from coal, oil, and natural gas is primarily responsible for the production of greenhouse gases and air pollutants such as SO2 and NOX, which are the main air pollutants in China. In this study, a mathematical multi-objective optimization method was adopted to analyze the collaborative emission reduction of three kinds of gases on the basis of their common restraints in different ways of energy consumption to develop an economic, clean, and efficient scheme for energy distribution. The first part introduces the background research, the collaborative emission reduction for three kinds of gases, the multi-objective optimization, the main mathematical modeling, and the optimization method. The second part discusses the four mathematical tools utilized in this study, which include the Granger causality test to analyze the causality between air quality and pollutant emission, a function analysis to determine the quantitative relation between energy consumption and pollutant emission, a multi-objective optimization to set up the collaborative optimization model that considers energy consumption, and an optimality condition analysis for the multi-objective optimization model to design the optimal-pole algorithm and obtain an efficient collaborative reduction scheme. In the empirical analysis, the data of pollutant emission and final consumption of energies of Tianjin in 1996–2012 was employed to verify the effectiveness of the model and analyze the efficient solution and the corresponding dominant set. In the last part, several suggestions for collaborative reduction are recommended and the drawn conclusions are stated. PMID:27010658

Measurement of greenhouse gases in UAE by using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abou-Elnour, Ali; Odeh, Mohamed; Abdelrhman, Mohammed; Balkis, Ahmed; Amira, Abdelraouf

2017-04-01

In the present work, a reliable and low cost system has been designed and implemented to measure greenhouse gases (GHG) in United Arab Emirates (UAE) by using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A set of accurate gas, temperature, pressure, humidity sensors are integrated together with a wireless communication system on a microcontroller based platform to continuously measure the required data. The system instantaneously sends the measured data to a center monitoring unit via the wireless communication system. In addition, the proposed system has the features that all measurements are recorded directly in a storage device to allow effective monitoring in regions with weak or no wireless coverage. The obtained data will be used in all further sophisticated calculations for environmental research and monitoring purposes.

European trends in greenhouse gases emissions from integrated solid waste management.

PubMed

Calabrò, Paolo S; Gori, Manuela; Lubello, Claudio

2015-01-01

The European Union (EU) has 28 member states, each with very different characteristics (e.g. surface, population density, per capita gross domestic product, per capita municipal solid waste (MSW) production, MSW composition, MSW management options). In this paper several integrated waste management scenarios representative of the European situation have been generated and analysed in order to evaluate possible trends in the net emission of greenhouse gases and in the required landfill volume. The results demonstrate that an integrated system with a high level of separate collection, efficient energy recovery in waste-to-energy plants and very limited landfill disposal is the most effective according to the indices adopted. Moreover, it is evident that a fully integrated system can make MSW management a carbon sink with a potentiality of up to approximately 40 Mt CO2eq year(-1).

Aspects regarding vertical distribution of greenhouse gases resulted from in situ airborne measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boscornea, Andreea; Sorin Vajaiac, Nicolae; Ardelean, Magdalena; Benciu, Silviu Stefan

2016-04-01

In the last decades the air quality, as well as other components of the environment, has been severely affected by uncontrolled emissions of gases - most known as greenhouse gases (GHG). The main role of GHG is given by the direct influence on the Earth's radiative budget, through Sun light scattering and indirectly by participating in cloud formation. Aldo, many efforts were made for reducing the high levels of these pollutants, e.g., International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) initiatives, Montreal Protocol, etc., this issue is still open. In this context, this study aims to present several aspects regarding the vertical distribution in the lower atmosphere of some greenhouse gases: water vapours, CO, CO2 and methane. Bucharest and its metropolitan area is one of the most polluted regions of Romania due to high traffic. For assessing the air quality of this area, in situ measurements of water vapours, CO, CO2 and CH4 were performed using a Britten Norman Islander BN2 aircraft equipped with a Picarro gas analyser, model G2401-mc, able to provide precised, continuous and accurate data in real time. This configuration consisting in aircraft and airborne instruments was tested for the first time in Romania. For accomplishing the objectives of the measurement campaign, there were proposed several flight strategies which included vertical and horizontal soundings from 105 m to 3300 m and vice-versa around Clinceni area (20 km West of Bucharest). During 5 days (25.08.2015 - 31.08.2015) were performed 7 flights comprising 10h 18min research flight hours. The measured concentrations of GHS ranged between 0.18 - 2.2 ppm for water vapours with an average maximum value of 1.7 ppm, 0.04 - 0.53 ppm for CO with an average maximum value of 0.21 ppm, 377 - 437.5 ppm for CO2 with an average maximum value of 397 ppm and 1.7 - 6.1 ppm for CH4 with an average maximum value of 2.195 ppm. It was noticed that measured concentrations of GHG are decreasing for high values of sounding

On Road Study of Colorado Front Range Greenhouse Gases Distribution and Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petron, G.; Hirsch, A.; Trainer, M. K.; Karion, A.; Kofler, J.; Sweeney, C.; Andrews, A.; Kolodzey, W.; Miller, B. R.; Miller, L.; Montzka, S. A.; Kitzis, D. R.; Patrick, L.; Frost, G. J.; Ryerson, T. B.; Robers, J. M.; Tans, P.

2008-12-01

The Global Monitoring Division and Chemical Sciences Division of the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory have teamed up over the summer 2008 to experiment with a new measurement strategy to characterize greenhouse gases distribution and sources in the Colorado Front Range. Combining expertise in greenhouse gases measurements and in local to regional scales air quality study intensive campaigns, we have built the 'Hybrid Lab'. A continuous CO2 and CH4 cavity ring down spectroscopic analyzer (Picarro, Inc.), a CO gas-filter correlation instrument (Thermo Environmental, Inc.) and a continuous UV absorption ozone monitor (2B Technologies, Inc., model 202SC) have been installed securely onboard a 2006 Toyota Prius Hybrid vehicle with an inlet bringing in outside air from a few meters above the ground. To better characterize point and distributed sources, air samples were taken with a Portable Flask Package (PFP) for later multiple species analysis in the lab. A GPS unit hooked up to the ozone analyzer and another one installed on the PFP kept track of our location allowing us to map measured concentrations on the driving route using Google Earth. The Hybrid Lab went out for several drives in the vicinity of the NOAA Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) tall tower located in Erie, CO and covering areas from Boulder, Denver, Longmont, Fort Collins and Greeley. Enhancements in CO2, CO and destruction of ozone mainly reflect emissions from traffic. Methane enhancements however are clearly correlated with nearby point sources (landfill, feedlot, natural gas compressor ...) or with larger scale air masses advected from the NE Colorado, where oil and gas drilling operations are widespread. The multiple species analysis (hydrocarbons, CFCs, HFCs) of the air samples collected along the way bring insightful information about the methane sources at play. We will present results of the analysis and interpretation of the Hybrid Lab Front Range Study and conclude with perspectives

The enhancement of clear sky greenhouse effect in HIRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gastineau, Guillaume; Soden, Brian; Jackson, Darren; O'Dell, Chris; Stephens, Graeme

2010-05-01

The High-resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) observations are used to understand the atmospheric response at the top of the atmosphere, induced by the anthropogenic emission of greenhouse gases. The HIRS brightness temperature channels are used to regress the Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR), and the greenhouse effect, in clear sky conditions, over the period 1981-2004. Here, we find that since 1981, the OLR remains relatively stable, compared to the greenhouse effect that has significant increased, because of the surface temperature changes. With a multi-model ensemble of coupled model simulations, we show that the greenhouse gases emissions, and the water vapor feedback, account for this observed enhancement of the greenhouse effect. This study further reinforce our confidence that anthropogenic greenhouse gases emission are causing a large part of the recent climate changes.

Nonlinear climatic sensitivity to greenhouse gases over past 4 glacial/interglacial cycles.

PubMed

Lo, Li; Chang, Sheng-Pu; Wei, Kuo-Yen; Lee, Shih-Yu; Ou, Tsong-Hua; Chen, Yi-Chi; Chuang, Chih-Kai; Mii, Horng-Sheng; Burr, George S; Chen, Min-Te; Tung, Ying-Hung; Tsai, Meng-Chieh; Hodell, David A; Shen, Chuan-Chou

2017-07-04

The paleoclimatic sensitivity to atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) has recently been suggested to be nonlinear, however a GHG threshold value associated with deglaciation remains uncertain. Here, we combine a new sea surface temperature record spanning the last 360,000 years from the southern Western Pacific Warm Pool with records from five previous studies in the equatorial Pacific to document the nonlinear relationship between climatic sensitivity and GHG levels over the past four glacial/interglacial cycles. The sensitivity of the responses to GHG concentrations rises dramatically by a factor of 2-4 at atmospheric CO 2 levels of >220 ppm. Our results suggest that the equatorial Pacific acts as a nonlinear amplifier that allows global climate to transition from deglacial to full interglacial conditions once atmospheric CO 2 levels reach threshold levels.

Modern inhalation anesthetics: Potent greenhouse gases in the global atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollmer, Martin K.; Rhee, Tae Siek; Rigby, Matt; Hofstetter, Doris; Hill, Matthias; Schoenenberger, Fabian; Reimann, Stefan

2015-03-01

Modern halogenated inhalation anesthetics undergo little metabolization during clinical application and evaporate almost completely to the atmosphere. Based on their first measurements in a range of environments, from urban areas to the pristine Antarctic environment, we detect a rapid accumulation and ubiquitous presence of isoflurane, desflurane, and sevoflurane in the global atmosphere. Over the past decade, their abundances in the atmosphere have increased to global mean mole fractions in 2014 of 0.097ppt, 0.30ppt, and 0.13ppt (parts per trillion, 10-12, in dry air), respectively. Emissions of these long-lived greenhouse gases inferred from the observations suggest a global combined release to the atmosphere of 3.1 ± 0.6 million t CO2 equivalent in 2014 of which ≈80% stems from desflurane. We also report on halothane, a previously widely used anesthetic. Its global mean mole fraction has declined to 9.2ppq (parts per quadrillion, 10-15) by 2014. However, the inferred present usage is still 280 ±120t yr-1.

The response of tropical cyclone activity to tropospheric aerosols, greenhouse gases and volcanic eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camargo, S. J.; Sobel, A. H.; Polvani, L. M.; Emanuel, K.; Previdi, M. J.

2017-12-01

Previous work has shown that aerosol cooling reduces tropical cyclone (TC) potential intensity (PI) more strongly than greenhouse gas warming increases it. This has the consequence that PI shows only small increases in simulations of the historical period despite considerable global warming over that period. We use CMIP5 models, as well as offline radiative kernels, to better understand this result. The outsize effect of aerosol forcing is a consequence of the fact that tropospheric aerosols act in the shortwave while greenhouse gases act in the longwave. Shortwave forcing has a greater impact on PI than does longwave, because of the differences in the response of the surface energy budget to the direct, temperature-independent component of the forcing. Shortwave forcing mainly drives the climate system in the surface, while greenhouse gases do so at the top of the atmosphere, so that net longwave flux associated with a temperature change can be small, especially at high temperature. Our kernel results also indicate that the temperature-dependent longwave feedback component is also greater by approximately a factor of two for the shortwave than the longwave forcing. Recent papers using observations and proxy reconstructions suggested a reduction of frequency, duration and intensity of Atlantic TCs in the years following volcanic eruptions. Observations show no significant reduction of TC activity in the first season after three large volcanic eruptions in the 20th Century, with the exception of the North Atlantic. The response to these volcanic eruptions cannot be separated from the coinciding El Niño events either in observations or in reanalysis. Both the NCAR Large Ensemble and CMIP5 models show a strong reduction in the PI following large volcanic eruptions. But, given that the models response to volcanic aerosols is known to be too strong, when a bias correction is considered, the PI signal after the volcanic eruptions becomes much smaller. Furthermore, there

Adaptation to Impacts of Greenhouse Gases on the Ocean (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldeira, K.

2010-12-01

Greenhouse gases are producing changes in ocean temperature and circulation, and these changes are already adversely affecting marine biota. Furthermore, carbon dioxide is absorbed by the oceans from the atmosphere, and this too is already adversely affecting some marine ecosystems. And, of course, sea-level rise affects both what is above and below the waterline. Clearly, the most effective approach to limit the negative impacts of climate change and acidification on the marine environment is to greatly diminish the rate of greenhouse gas emissions. However, there are other measures that can be taken to limit some of the negative effects of these stresses in the marine environment. Marine ecosystems are subject to multiple stresses, including overfishing, pollution, and loss of coastal wetlands that often serve as nurseries for the open ocean. The adaptive capacity of marine environments can be improved by limiting these other stresses. If current carbon dioxide emission trends continue, for some cases (e.g., coral reefs), it is possible that no amount of reduction in other stresses can offset the increase in stresses posed by warming and acidification. For other cases (e.g., blue-water top-predator fisheries), better fisheries management might yield improved population health despite continued warming and acidification. In addition to reducing stresses so as to improve the adaptive capacity of marine ecosystems, there is also the issue of adaptation in human communities that depend on this changing marine environment. For example, communities that depend on services provided by coral reefs may need to locate alternative foundations for their economies. The fishery industry will need to adapt to changes in fish abundance, timing and location. Most of the things we would like to do to increase the adaptive capacity of marine ecosystems (e.g., reduce fishing pressure, reduce coastal pollution, preserve coastal wetlands) are things that would make sense to do even in

Opportunities for Coordinated Observations of CO2 with the Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) and Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crisp, David

2008-01-01

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) and the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) are the first two satellites designed to make global measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) with the precision and sampling needed identify and monitor surface sources and sinks of this important greenhouse gas. Because the operational phases of the OCO and GOSAT missions overlap in time, there are numerous opportunities for comparing and combining the data from these two satellites to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that control the atmospheric CO2 and it variability over time. Opportunities for cross-calibration, cross-validation, and coordinated observations that are currently under consideration are summarized here.

Cenozoic mean greenhouse gases and temperature changes with reference to the Anthropocene.

PubMed

Glikson, Andrew

2016-12-01

Cenozoic greenhouse gases (GHG) variations and warming periods underscore the extreme rates of current climate change, with major implications for the adaptability and survivability of terrestrial and marine habitats. Current rise rate of greenhouse gases, reaching 3.3 ppm CO 2 per year during March 2015-2016, is the fastest recorded since the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Event (PETM) when carbon release to the atmosphere was about an order of magnitude less than at present. The ice core evidence of concentration of (GHG) and temperatures in the atmosphere/ocean/cryosphere system over the last 740 kyr suggests that the rate of rise in GHG over the last ~260 years, CO 2 rates rising from 0.94 ppm yr -1 in 1959 (315.97 ppm) to 1.62 ppm yr -1 in 2000 (369.52 ppm) to 3.05 ppm yr -1 in 2015 (400.83 ppm), constitutes a unique spike in the history of the atmosphere. The reliance of pre-740 kyr paleoclimate estimates on multiple proxies, including benthic and plankton fossils, fossil plants, residual organic matter, major and trace elements in fossils, sediments and soils, place limits on the resolution of pre-upper Pleistocene paleoclimate estimates, rendering it likely recorded mean Cenozoic paleoclimate trends may conceal abrupt short-term climate fluctuations. However, as exemplified by the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) and earlier GHG and temperature spikes associated with major volcanic and asteroid impact events, the long-term residence time of CO 2 in the atmosphere extends the signatures of abrupt warming events to within detection limits of multiple paleoproxies. The mean post-1750 temperature rise rate (approximately ~0.0034 °C per yr, or ~0.008 °C per yr where temperature is not masked by sulfur aerosols) exceeds those of the PETM (approximately ~0.0008-0.0015 °C per yr) by an order of magnitude and mean glacial termination warming rates (last glacial termination [LGT] ~ 0.00039; Eemian ~0.0004 °C per yr) by near to an order of magnitude

Stratospheric measurements of ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases using AirCores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laube, Johannes; Leedham Elvidge, Emma; Kaiser, Jan; Sturges, Bill; Heikkinen, Pauli; Laurila, Tuomas; Hatakka, Juha; Kivi, Rigel; Chen, Huilin; Fraser, Paul; van der Veen, Carina; Röckmann, Thomas

2017-04-01

Retrieving air samples from the stratosphere has previously required aircraft or large balloons, both of which are expensive to operate. The novel "AirCore" technique (Karion et al., 2010) enables stratospheric sampling using weather balloons, which is much more cost effective. AirCores are long (up to 200 m) stainless steel tubes which are placed as a payload on a small balloon, can ascend to over 30 km and fill upon descent, collecting a vertical profile of the atmosphere. Retrieved volumes are much smaller though, which presents a challenge for trace gas analysis. To date, only the more abundant trace gases such as carnon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) have been quantified in AirCores. Halogenated trace gases are also important greenhouse gases and many also deplete stratospheric ozone. Their concentrations are however much lower i.e. typically in the part per trillion (ppt) molar range. We here present the first stratospheric measurements of halocarbons in AirCores obtained using UEA's highly sensitive (detection limits of 0.01-0.1 ppt in 10 ml of air) gas chromatography mass spectrometry system. The analysed air originates from a Stratospheric Air Sub-sampler (Mrozek et al., 2016) which collects AirCore segments after the non-destructive CO2 and CH4 analysis. Successfully measured species include CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, CFC-115, H-1211, H-1301, HCFC-22, HCFC-141b, HCFC-142b, HCFC-133a, and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6). We compare the observed mixing ratios and precisions with data obtained from samples collected during various high-altitude aircraft campaigns between 2009 and 2016 as well as with southern hemisphere tropospheric long-term trends. As part of the ERC-funded EXC3ITE (EXploring stratospheric Composition, Chemistry and Circulation with Innovative Techniques) project more than 40 AirCore flights are planned in the next 3 years with an expanded range of up to 30 gases in order to explore seasonal and interannual variability in the stratosphere

Are Greenhouse Gases Changing ENSO Precursors in the Western North Pacific?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, S-Y; Heureux, Michelle L.; Yoon, Jin-Ho

Using multiple observational and modeling datasets, we document a strengthening relationship between boreal winter sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the western North Pacific (WNP) and the development of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) one year later. The increased WNP-ENSO association emerged in the mid 20th century and has grown through the present, reaching correlation coefficients as high as ~0.70 in recent decades. Fully coupled climate experiments with the Community Earth System Model (CESM) replicate the WNP-ENSO association and indicate that greenhouse gases (GHG) are largely responsible for the observed increase. We speculate that shifts in the location and amplitudesmore » of positive SST trends in the subtropical-tropical western Pacific impacts the low-level circulation so that WNP variability is increasingly influencing the development of ENSO one year later. A strengthened GHG-driven relationship between the WNP and ENSO provides an example of how anthropogenic climate change can potentially improve the skill of intraseasonal-to-interannual climate prediction.« less

Inventory and projection of greenhouse gases emissions for Sumatera Utara Province

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambarita, H.; Soeharwinto; Ginting, N.; Basyuni, M.; Zen, Z.

2018-03-01

Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) emissions which result in global warming is a serious problem for the human being. Total globally anthropogenic GHG emissions were the highest in the history of the year 2000 to 2010 and reached 49 (4.5) Giga ton CO2eq per year in 2010. Many governments addressed their commitment to reducing GHG emission. The Government of Indonesia (GoI) has released a target in reducing its GHG emissions by 26% from level business as usual by 2020, and this target can be increased up to 41% by international aid. In this study, the GHG emissions for Sumatera Utara province are assessed and divided into six sectors. They are Agricultural, Land Use and Forestry, Energy, Transportation, Industrial, and Waste sectors. The results show that total GHG emissions for Sumatera Utara province in the baseline year 2010 is 191.4 million tons CO2eq. The business-as-usual projection of the GHG emission in 2020 is 354.5 million tons CO2eq. Mitigation actions will reduce GHG emissions up to 30.5% from business as usual emission in 2020.

40 CFR 600.108-08 - Analytical gases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy and Carbon-Related Exhaust Emission Test Procedures § 600.108-08 Analytical gases. The analytical gases for all fuel economy testing...

40 CFR 600.108-08 - Analytical gases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy and Carbon-Related Exhaust Emission Test Procedures § 600.108-08 Analytical gases. The analytical gases for all fuel economy testing...

Microtrap assembly for greenhouse gas and air pollution monitoring

DOEpatents

Mitra, Somenath; Saridara, Chutarat

2015-08-25

A microtrap assembly includes a carbon nanotube sorbent. The microtrap assembly may be employed as a preconcentrator operable to deliver a sample to an analytical device to measure the concentrations of greenhouse gases. A system includes a microtrap having a carbon nanotube sorbent for measuring the concentrations of greenhouse gases in a sample.

FETC Programs for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruether, J.A.

1998-02-01

Mark Twain once quipped that everyone talks about the weather but no one does anything about it. With interest in global climate change on the rise, researchers in the fossil-energy sector are feeling the heat to provide new technology to permit continued use of fossil fuels but with reduced emissions of so-called `greenhouse gases.` Three important greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, are released to the atmosphere in the course of recovering and combusting fossil fuels. Their importance for trapping radiation, called forcing, is in the order given. In this report, we briefly review how greenhouse gases causemore » forcing and why this has a warming effect on the Earth`s atmosphere. Then we discuss programs underway at FETC that are aimed at reducing emissions of methane and carbon dioxide.« less

Comment on "Radiative forcings for 28 potential Archean greenhouse gases" by Byrne and Goldblatt (2014)

DOE PAGES

Kochanov, R. V.; Gordon, I. E.; Rothman, L. S.; ...

2015-08-25

In the recent article by Byrne and Goldblatt, "Radiative forcing for 28 potential Archean greenhouse gases", Clim. Past. 10, 1779–1801 (2014), the authors employ the HITRAN2012 spectroscopic database to evaluate the radiative forcing of 28 Archean gases. As part of the evaluation of the status of the spectroscopy of these gases in the selected spectral region (50–1800 cm -1), the cross sections generated from the HITRAN line-by-line parameters were compared with those of the PNNL database of experimental cross sections recorded at moderate resolution. The authors claimed that for NO 2, HNO 3, H 2CO, H 2O 2, HCOOH, Cmore » 2H 4, CH 3OH and CH 3Br there exist large or sometimes severe disagreements between the databases. In this work we show that for only three of these eight gases a modest discrepancy does exist between the two databases and we explain the origin of the differences. For the other five gases, the disagreements are not nearly at the scale suggested by the authors, while we explain some of the differences that do exist. In summary, the agreement between the HITRAN and PNNL databases is very good, although not perfect. Typically differences do not exceed 10 %, provided that HITRAN data exist for the bands/wavelengths of interest. It appears that a molecule-dependent combination of errors has affected the conclusions of the authors. In at least one case it appears that they did not take the correct file from PNNL (N 2O 4 (dimer)+ NO 2 was used in place of the monomer). Finally, cross sections of HO 2 from HITRAN (which do not have a PNNL counterpart) were not calculated correctly in BG, while in the case of HF misleading discussion was presented there based on the confusion by foreign or noise features in the experimental PNNL spectra.« less

Wood decomposition in Amazonian hydropower reservoirs: An additional source of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abril, Gwenaël; Parize, Marcelo; Pérez, Marcela A. P.; Filizola, Naziano

2013-07-01

Amazonian hydroelectric reservoirs produce abundant carbon dioxide and methane from large quantities of flooded biomass that decompose anaerobically underwater. Emissions are extreme the first years after impounding and progressively decrease with time. To date, only water-to-air fluxes have been considered in these estimates. Here, we investigate in two Amazonian reservoirs (Balbina and Petit Saut) the fate of above water standing dead trees, by combining a qualitative analysis of wood state and density through time and a quantitative analysis of the biomass initially flooded. Dead wood was much more decomposed in the Balbina reservoir 23 years after flooding than in the Petit Saut reservoir 10 years after flooding. Termites apparently played a major role in wood decomposition, occurring mainly above water, and resulting in a complete conversion of this carbon biomass into CO2 and CH4 at a timescale much shorter than reservoir operation. The analysis of pre-impounding wood biomass reveals that above-water decomposition in Amazonian reservoirs is a large, previously unrecognized source of carbon emissions to the atmosphere, representing 26-45% of the total reservoir flux integrated over 100 years. Accounting for both below- and above-water fluxes, we could estimate that each km2 of Amazonian forest converted to reservoir would emit over 140 Gg CO2-eq in 100 years. Hydropower plants in the Amazon should thus generate 0.25-0.4 MW h per km2 flooded area to produce lower greenhouse gas emissions than gas power plants. They also have the disadvantage to emit most of their greenhouse gases the earliest years of operation.

High-accuracy continuous airborne measurements of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) during BARCA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Winderlich, J.; Gerbig, C.; Hoefer, A.; Rella, C. W.; Crosson, E. R.; van Pelt, A. D.; Steinbach, J.; Kolle, O.; Beck, V.; Daube, B. C.; Gottlieb, E. W.; Chow, V. Y.; Santoni, G. W.; Wofsy, S. C.

2009-12-01

High-accuracy continuous measurements of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) during the BARCA (Balanço Atmosférico Regional de Carbono na Amazônia) phase B campaign in Brazil in May 2009 were accomplished using a newly available analyzer based on the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique. This analyzer was flown without a drying system or any in-flight calibration gases. Water vapor corrections associated with dilution and pressure-broadening effects for CO2 and CH4 were derived from laboratory experiments employing measurements of water vapor by the CRDS analyzer. Before the campaign, the stability of the analyzer was assessed by laboratory tests under simulated flight conditions. During the campaign, a comparison of CO2 measurements between the CRDS analyzer and a nondispersive infrared (NDIR) analyzer on board the same aircraft showed a mean difference of 0.22±0.09 ppm for all flights over the Amazon rain forest. At the end of the campaign, CO2 concentrations of the synthetic calibration gases used by the NDIR analyzer were determined by the CRDS analyzer. After correcting for the isotope and the pressure-broadening effects that resulted from changes of the composition of synthetic vs. ambient air, and applying those concentrations as calibrated values of the calibration gases to reprocess the CO2 measurements made by the NDIR, the mean difference between the CRDS and the NDIR during BARCA was reduced to 0.05±0.09 ppm, with the mean standard deviation of 0.23±0.05 ppm. The results clearly show that the CRDS is sufficiently stable to be used in flight without drying the air or calibrating in flight and the water corrections are fully adequate for high-accuracy continuous airborne measurements of CO2 and CH4.

The Peculiar Negative Greenhouse Effect Over Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sejas, S.; Taylor, P. C.; Cai, M.

2017-12-01

Greenhouse gases warm the climate system by reducing the energy loss to space through the greenhouse effect. Thus, a common way to measure the strength of the greenhouse effect is by taking the difference between the surface longwave (LW) emission and the outgoing LW radiation. Based on this definition, a paradoxical negative greenhouse effect is found over the Antarctic Plateau, which suprisingly indicates that greenhouse gases enhance energy loss to space. Using 13 years of NASA satellite observations, we verify the existence of the negative greenhouse effect and find that the magnitude and sign of the greenhouse effect varies seasonally and spectrally. A previous explanation attributes the negative greenhouse effect solely to stratospheric CO2 and warmer than surface stratospheric temperatures. However, we surprisingly find that the negative greenhouse effect is predominantly caused by tropospheric water vapor. A novel principle-based explanation provides the first complete account of the Antarctic Plateau's negative greenhouse effect indicating that it is controlled by the vertical variation of temperature and greenhouse gas absorption strength. Our findings indicate that the strong surface-based temperature inversion and scarcity of free tropospheric water vapor over the Antarctic Plateau cause the negative greenhouse effect. These are climatological features uniquely found in the Antarctic Plateau region, explaining why the greenhouse effect is positive everywhere else.

The ice-core record - Climate sensitivity and future greenhouse warming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lorius, C.; Raynaud, D.; Jouzel, J.; Hansen, J.; Le Treut, H.

1990-01-01

The prediction of future greenhouse-gas-warming depends critically on the sensitivity of earth's climate to increasing atmospheric concentrations of these gases. Data from cores drilled in polar ice sheets show a remarkable correlation between past glacial-interglacial temperature changes and the inferred atmospheric concentration of gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These and other palaeoclimate data are used to assess the role of greenhouse gases in explaining past global climate change, and the validity of models predicting the effect of increasing concentrations of such gases in the atmosphere.

Greenhouse gases emissions in rivers of the Tibetan Plateau.

PubMed

Qu, Bin; Aho, Kelly Sue; Li, Chaoliu; Kang, Shichang; Sillanpää, Mika; Yan, Fangping; Raymond, Peter A

2017-11-29

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions from streams are important to regional biogeochemical budgets. This study is one of the first to incorporate stream GHGs (CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O) concentrations and emissions in rivers of the Tibetan Plateau. With one-time sampling from 32 sites in rivers of the plateau, we found that most of the rivers were supersaturated with CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O during the study period. Medians of partial pressures of CO 2 (pCO 2 ), pCH 4 and pN 2 O were presented 864 μatm, 6.3 μatm, and 0.25 μatm respectively. Based on a scaling model of the flux of gas, the calculated fluxes of CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O (3,452 mg-C m 2 d -1 , 26.7 mg-C m 2 d -1 and 0.18 mg-N m 2 d -1 , respectively) in rivers of the Tibetan Plateau were found comparable with most other rivers in the world; and it was revealed that the evasion rates of CO 2 and CH 4 in tributaries of the rivers of the plateau were higher than those in the mainstream despite its high altitude. Furthermore, concentrations of GHGs in the studied rivers were related to dissolved carbon and nitrogen, indicating that riverine dissolved components could be used to scale GHGs envision in rivers of the Tibetan Plateau.

The comparison of fossil carbon fraction and greenhouse gas emissions through an analysis of exhaust gases from urban solid waste incineration facilities.

PubMed

Kim, Seungjin; Kang, Seongmin; Lee, Jeongwoo; Lee, Seehyung; Kim, Ki-Hyun; Jeon, Eui-Chan

2016-10-01

In this study, in order to understand accurate calculation of greenhouse gas emissions of urban solid waste incineration facilities, which are major waste incineration facilities, and problems likely to occur at this time, emissions were calculated by classifying calculation methods into 3 types. For the comparison of calculation methods, the waste characteristics ratio, dry substance content by waste characteristics, carbon content in dry substance, and (12)C content were analyzed; and in particular, CO2 concentration in incineration gases and (12)C content were analyzed together. In this study, 3 types of calculation methods were made through the assay value, and by using each calculation method, emissions of urban solid waste incineration facilities were calculated then compared. As a result of comparison, with Calculation Method A, which used the default value as presented in the IPCC guidelines, greenhouse gas emissions were calculated for the urban solid waste incineration facilities A and B at 244.43 ton CO2/day and 322.09 ton CO2/day, respectively. Hence, it showed a lot of difference from Calculation Methods B and C, which used the assay value of this study. It is determined that this was because the default value as presented in IPCC, as the world average value, could not reflect the characteristics of urban solid waste incineration facilities. Calculation Method B indicated 163.31 ton CO2/day and 230.34 ton CO2/day respectively for the urban solid waste incineration facilities A and B; also, Calculation Method C indicated 151.79 ton CO2/day and 218.99 ton CO2/day, respectively. This study intends to compare greenhouse gas emissions calculated using (12)C content default value provided by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) with greenhouse gas emissions calculated using (12)C content and waste assay value that can reflect the characteristics of the target urban solid waste incineration facilities. Also, the concentration and (12)C content

The response of the East Asia summer precipitation to greenhouse gases and anthropogenic aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Fangxing; Dong, Buwen; Robson, Jon; Sutton, Rowan

2017-04-01

The changes of precipitation over China since the mid-20th century display a dipole trend pattern over eastern China, which is known as Southern-Flood-Northern-Drought (SFND) pattern. The trends have been attributed to different factors, such as the changes of aerosol and greenhouse gas emissions. However much less is known about the different effects of these factors on generating the SFND pattern. This work investigated the drivers and dynamical mechanisms by using a atmosphere-ocean-mixed-layer model forced by anthropogenic greenhouse gase (GHG), anthropogenic aerosol (AA) and the combined effects. The model experiments with different forcings indicates that the GHG forcing dominates the precipitation increase, which is stronger over south China than over north China. On the other hand, the drought over north China is dominated by the AA forcing. Analysis of physical processes indicates that the GHG forcing increases the moisture and leads to strong convergence over east China, and then more precipitation. The AA forcing leads to north wind anomalies and generates divergent anomalies over north China, which reduces the precipitation. Further analysis indicates that the changes of the circulation which related to the SFND pattern are forced by the enhancement of the Western North Pacific Subtropical High (WNPSH). Both GHG and AA forcing can enhance the WNPSH by changing the local Hadley cell.

Development and Deployment of Mobile Emissions Laboratory for Continuous Long-Term Unattended Measurements of Greenhouse Gases, Fluxes, Isotopes and Pollutants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, A.; Baer, D. S.; Owano, T. G.; Provencal, R. A.; Gupta, M.; Parsotam, V.; Graves, P.; Goldstein, A.; Guha, A.

2010-12-01

Development and Deployment of Mobile Emissions Laboratory for Continuous Long-Term Unattended Measurements of Greenhouse Gases, Fluxes, Isotopes and Pollutants A. Gardner(1), D. Baer (1), T. Owano (1), R. Provencal (1), V. Parsotam (1), P. Graves (1), M. Gupta (1), Allen Goldstein (2), Abhinav Guha (2) (1) Los Gatos Research, 67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3, Mountain View, CA 94041-1529 (2) Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California at Berkeley Quantifying the Urban Fossil Fuel Plume: Convergence of top-down and bottom-up approaches (Session A54). We report on the design, development and deployment of a novel Mobile Emissions Laboratory, consisting of innovative laser-based gas analyzers, for rapid measurements of multiple greenhouse gases and pollutants. Designed for real-time mobile and stationery emissions monitoring, the Mobile Emissions Laboratory was deployed at several locations during 2010, including CalNEX 2010, Caldecott Tunnel (Oakland, CA), and Altamont Landfill (Livermore, CA), to record real-time continuous measurements of isotopic CO2 (δ13C, CO2), methane (CH4), acetylene (C2H2), nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon monoxide (CO), and isotopic water vapor (H2O; δ18O, δ2H). The commercial gas analyzers are based on novel cavity-enhanced laser absorption spectroscopy. The portable analyzers provide measurements in real time, require about 150 watts (each) of power and do not need liquid nitrogen to operate. These instruments have been applied in the field for applications that require high data rates (for eddy correlation flux), wide dynamic range (e.g., for chamber flux and other applications with concentrations that can be 10-1000 times higher than typical ambient levels) and highest accuracy (atmospheric monitoring stations). The Mobile Emissions Laboratory, which contains onboard batteries for long-term unattended measurements without access to mains power, can provide regulatory agencies, monitoring stations

The Greenhouse Effect and Built Environment Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenall Gough, Annette; Gough, Noel

The greenhouse effect has always existed. Without the greenhouse effect, Earth could well have the oven-like environment of Venus or the deep-freeze environment of Mars. There is some debate about how much the Earth's surface temperature will rise given a certain amount of increase in the amount of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous…

Error analysis of the greenhouse-gases monitor instrument short wave infrared XCO2 retrieval algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hao; Wang, Xianhua; Ye, Hanhan; Jiang, Yun; Duan, Fenghua

2018-01-01

We developed an algorithm (named GMI_XCO2) to retrieve the global column-averaged dry air mole fraction of atmospheric carbon dioxide (XCO2) for greenhouse-gases monitor instrument (GMI) and directional polarized camera (DPC) on the GF-5 satellite. This algorithm is designed to work in cloudless atmospheric conditions with aerosol optical thickness (AOT)<0.3. To quantify the uncertainty level of the retrieved XCO2 when the aerosols and cirrus clouds occurred in retrieving XCO2 with the GMI short wave infrared (SWIR) data, we analyzed the errors rate caused by the six types of aerosols and cirrus clouds. The results indicated that in AOT range of 0.05 to 0.3 (550 nm), the uncertainties of aerosols could lead to errors of -0.27% to 0.59%, -0.32% to 1.43%, -0.10% to 0.49%, -0.12% to 1.17%, -0.35% to 0.49%, and -0.02% to -0.24% for rural, dust, clean continental, maritime, urban, and soot aerosols, respectively. The retrieval results presented a large error due to cirrus clouds. In the cirrus optical thickness range of 0.05 to 0.8 (500 nm), the most underestimation is up to 26.25% when the surface albedo is 0.05. The most overestimation is 8.1% when the surface albedo is 0.65. The retrieval results of GMI simulation data demonstrated that the accuracy of our algorithm is within 4 ppm (˜1%) using the simultaneous measurement of aerosols and clouds from DPC. Moreover, the speed of our algorithm is faster than full-physics (FP) methods. We verified our algorithm with Greenhouse-gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) data in Beijing area during 2016. The retrieval errors of most observations are within 4 ppm except for summer. Compared with the results of GOSAT, the correlation coefficient is 0.55 for the whole year data, increasing to 0.62 after excluding the summer data.

75 FR 79091 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-17

...EPA is amending specific provisions in the greenhouse gas reporting rule to clarify certain provisions, to correct technical and editorial errors, and to address certain questions and issues that have arisen since promulgation. These final changes include generally providing additional information and clarity on existing requirements, allowing greater flexibility or simplified calculation methods for certain sources, amending data reporting requirements to provide additional clarity on when different types of greenhouse gas emissions need to be calculated and reported, clarifying terms and definitions in certain equations and other technical corrections and amendments.

Observational determination of the greenhouse effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raval, A.; Ramanathan, V.

1989-01-01

Satellite measurements are used to quantify the atmospheric greenhouse effect, defined here as the infrared radiation energy trapped by atmospheric gases and clouds. The greenhouse effect is found to increase significantly with sea surface temperature. The rate of increase gives compelling evidence for the positive feedback between surface temperature, water vapor and the greenhouse effect; the magnitude of the feedback is consistent with that predicted by climate models. This study demonstrates an effective method for directly monitoring, from space, future changes in the greenhouse effect.

Monitoring variation in greenhouse gases concentration in urban environment of Delhi.

PubMed

Sahay, Samraj; Ghosh, Chirashree

2013-01-01

Cities across the globe are considered as major anthropogenic sources of greenhouse gases (GHG), yet very few efforts has been made to monitor ambient concentration of GHG in cities, especially in a developing country like India. Here, variations in the ambient concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) and methane (CH(4)) in residential, commercial, and industrial areas of Delhi are determined from fortnightly daytime observations from July, 2008 to March, 2009. Results indicate that the average daytime ambient concentration of CO(2) varied from 495 to 554 ppm in authorized residential areas, 503 to 621 ppm in the slums or jhuggies in the unauthorized residential areas, 489 to 582 ppm in commercial areas, and 512 to 568 ppm in industrial areas with an average of 541 ± 27 ppm. CH(4) concentration varied from 652 to 5,356 ppbv in authorized residential areas, 500 to 15,220 ppbv in the unauthorized residential areas, 921 to 11,000 ppbv in the commercial areas, and 250 to 2,550 ppbv in the industrial areas with an average of 3,226 ± 1,090 ppbv. A low mid-afternoon CO(2) concentration was observed at most of the sites, primarily due to strong biospheric photosynthesis coupled with strong vertical mixing.

Biomass burning and the production of greenhouse gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Joel S.

1991-01-01

The present discussion of related aspects of biomass burning describes a technique for estimating the instantaneous emission of trace gases generated by such fires on the basis of satellite imagery, and notes that burning results in significantly enhanced biogenic emissions of N2O, NO, and CH4. Biomass burning therefore has both immediate and long-term impacts on the trace-gas content of the atmosphere. The effects of Kuwait's oil fires, which encompass both combustion gases and particulates, are compared with those of the more general problem.

Relationships between the potential production of the greenhouse gases CO2, CH4 and N2O and soil concentrations of C, N and P across 26 paddy fields in southeastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Weiqi; Sardans, Jordi; Wang, Chun; Zeng, Congsheng; Tong, Chuan; Asensio, Dolores; Peñuelas, Josep

2017-09-01

Paddy fields are a major global anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases. China has the second largest area under rice cultivation, so determining the relationships between the emission of greenhouse gases and soil carbon content, nutrient availabilities and concentrations and physical properties is crucial for minimizing the climatic impacts of rice agriculture. We examined soil nutrients and other properties, greenhouse-gas production and their relationships in 26 paddy fields throughout the province of Fujian in China, one of the most important provinces for rice production. High P and K concentrations, contents and availabilities were correlated with low rates of CO2 production, whereas high C and N contents were correlated with high rates of CH4 production. Mean annual precipitation (MAP) and rates of gas production were not clearly correlated, at least partly due to the management of flooding that can mask the effect of precipitation. Higher mean annual temperatures and soil Fe contents favored the production of N2O. C, N, P and K concentrations and their ratios, especially the C:K and N:K ratios, and P availability were correlated with CO2 and CH4 production across the province, with higher C:K and N:K ratios correlated positively with increased CO2 production and available P correlated negatively with CH4 production. A management strategy to avoid excessive C accumulation in the soil and to increase P availability and decrease available Fe contents would likely decrease the production of greenhouse gases.

Air Pollution, Greenhouse Gases and Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramanathan, V.

2007-12-01

The global build up of greenhouse gases (GHGs), is the most significant environmental issue facing the planet. GHGs warm the surface and the atmosphere with significant implications for, rainfall, retreat of glaciers and sea ice, sea level, among other factors. What is less recognized, however, is a comparably major global problem dealing with air pollution. Until about ten years ago, air pollution was thought to be just an urban or a local problem. But new data have revealed that, due to fast long range transport, air pollution is transported across continents and ocean basins, resulting in trans-oceanic and trans-continental plumes of atmospheric brown clouds (ABCs) containing sub micron size particles, i.e, aerosols. ABCs intercept sunlight by absorbing as well as reflecting it, both of which lead to a large surface dimming. The dimming effect is enhanced further because aerosols nucleate more cloud drops which makes the clouds reflect more solar radiation. While the solar heating at the surface is reduced by aerosols in ABCs, the atmospheric solar heating increases due to soot solar absorption. The net difference between the dimming and the atmospheric solar heating is estimated be negative which contributes to a global cooling effect. The global cooling from this negative ABC forcing may have masked as much as 50% of the warming due to GHGs. We will identify regional and mega-city hot spots of ABCs. Long range transport from these hot spots gives rise to wide spread plumes over the adjacent oceans. Such a pattern of regionally concentrated surface dimming and atmospheric solar heating, accompanied by wide spread dimming over the oceans, gives rise to large regional effects. Only during the last decade, we have begun to comprehend the surprisingly large regional impacts. The large north-south gradient in the ABC dimming has altered the north-south gradients in sea surface temperatures, which in turn has been shown by models to decrease rainfall over the

Greenhouse gases from wastewater treatment - A review of modelling tools.

PubMed

Mannina, Giorgio; Ekama, George; Caniani, Donatella; Cosenza, Alida; Esposito, Giovanni; Gori, Riccardo; Garrido-Baserba, Manel; Rosso, Diego; Olsson, Gustaf

2016-05-01

Nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted from wastewater treatment that contribute to its carbon footprint. As a result of the increasing awareness of GHG emissions from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), new modelling, design, and operational tools have been developed to address and reduce GHG emissions at the plant-wide scale and beyond. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art and the recently developed tools used to understand and manage GHG emissions from WWTPs, and discusses open problems and research gaps. The literature review reveals that knowledge on the processes related to N2O formation, especially due to autotrophic biomass, is still incomplete. The literature review shows also that a plant-wide modelling approach that includes GHG is the best option for the understanding how to reduce the carbon footprint of WWTPs. Indeed, several studies have confirmed that a wide vision of the WWPTs has to be considered in order to make them more sustainable as possible. Mechanistic dynamic models were demonstrated as the most comprehensive and reliable tools for GHG assessment. Very few plant-wide GHG modelling studies have been applied to real WWTPs due to the huge difficulties related to data availability and the model complexity. For further improvement in GHG plant-wide modelling and to favour its use at large real scale, knowledge of the mechanisms involved in GHG formation and release, and data acquisition must be enhanced. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of meteorology and interrelationship with greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) at a sub-urban site of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreenivas, G.; Mahesh, P.; Subin, J.; Kanchana, A. L.; Rao, P. V. N.; Dadhwal, V. K.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are important climate forcing agents due to their significant impact on the climate system. The present study brings out first continuous measurements of atmospheric GHG's using high precision Los Gatos Research's-greenhouse gas analyser (LGR-GGA) over Shadnagar, a suburban site of Central India during the period 2014. The annual mean of CO2 and CH4 over the study region is found to be 394 ± 2.92 and 1.92 ± 0.07 ppm (mean, μ ± 1 SD, σ) respectively. CO2 and CH4 showed a significant seasonal variation during the study period with maximum (minimum) CO2 observed during Pre-monsoon (Monsoon), while CH4 recorded maximum during post-monsoon and minimum in monsoon. A consistent diurnal mixing ratio of these gases is observed with high (low) during night (afternoon) hours throughout the study period. Influences of prevailing meteorology (air temperature, wind speed, wind direction and relative humidity) on GHG's have also been investigated. CO2 and CH4 showed a strong positive correlation during winter, pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon with R equal to 0.80, 0.80, 0.61 and 0.72 respectively. It implies the seasonal variations in source-sink mechanisms of CO2 and CH4. Present study also confirms implicitly the presence OH radicals as a major sink of CH4 over the study region.

Long Open Path Fourier Transform Spectroscopy Measurements of Greenhouse Gases in the Near Infrared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffith, D. W. T.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric composition measurements are an important tool to quantify local and regional emissions and sinks of greenhouse gases. Most in situ measurements are made at a point, but how representative are such measurements in an inhomogeneous environment? Open path Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (FTS) measurements potentially offer spatial averaging and continuous measurements of several trace gases (including CO2, CH4, CO and N2O) simultaneously in the same airmass. Spatial averaging over kilometre scales is a better fit to the finest scale atmospheric models becoming available, and helps bridge the gap between models and in situ measurements. In this paper we assess the precision, accuracy and reliability of long open path measurements by Fourier Transform Spectroscopy in the near infrared from a 5-month continuous record of measurements over a 1.5 km pathlength. Direct open-atmosphere measurements of trace gases CO2, CH4, CO and N2O as well as O2 were retrieved from several absorption bands between 4000 and 8000 cm-1 (2.5 - 1.25 micron). At one end of the path an in situ FTIR analyser simultaneously collected well calibrated measurements of the same species for comparison with the open path-integrated measurements. The measurements ran continuously from June - November 2014. We introduce the open path FTS measurement system and present an analysis of the results, including assessment of precision, accuracy relative to co-incident in situ measurements, reliability. Short term precision of the open path measurement of CO2 was better than 1 ppm for 5 minute averages and thus sufficient for studies in urban and other non-background environments. Measurement bias relative to calibrated in situ measurements was stable across the measurement period. The system operated reliably with data losses mainly due to weather events such as rain and fog preventing transmission of the IR beam. In principle the system can be improved to provide longer pathlengths and higher

EVALUATION OF SIGNIFICANT ANTHROPOGENIC SOURCES OF RADIATIVELY IMPORTANT TRACE GASES

EPA Science Inventory

The report is an initial evaluation of significant anthropogenic sources of radiatively important trace gases. missions of greenhouse gases from human activities--including fossil fuel combustion, industrial/agricultural activities, and transportation--contribute to the increasin...

Miniaturized Laser Heterodyne Radiometer (LHR) for Measurements of Greenhouse Gases in the Atmospheric Column

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steel, Emily; McLinden, Matthew

2012-01-01

This passive laser heterodyne radiometer (LHR) instrument simultaneously measures multiple trace gases in the atmospheric column including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), and resolves their concentrations at different altitudes. This instrument has been designed to operate in tandem with the passive aerosol sensor currently used in AERONET (an established network of more than 450 ground aerosol monitoring instruments worldwide). Because aerosols induce a radiative effect that influences terrestrial carbon exchange, simultaneous detection of aerosols with these key carbon cycle gases offers a uniquely comprehensive measurement approach. Laser heterodyne radiometry is a technique for detecting weak signals that was adapted from radio receiver technology. In a radio receiver, a weak input signal from a radio antenna is mixed with a stronger local oscillator signal. The mixed signal (beat note, or intermediate frequency) has a frequency equal to the difference between the input signal and the local oscillator. The intermediate frequency is amplified and sent to a detector that extracts the audio from the signal. In the LHR instrument described here, sunlight that has undergone absorption by the trace gas is mixed with laser light at a frequency matched to a trace gas absorption feature in the infrared (IR). Mixing results in a beat signal in the RF (radio frequency) region that can be related to the atmospheric concentration. For a one-second integration, the estimated column sensitivities are 0.1 ppmv for CO2, and <1 ppbv for CH4. In addition to producing a standalone ground measurement product, this instrument could be used to calibrate/validate four Earth observing missions: ASCENDS (Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions over Nights, Days, and Seasons), OCO-2 (Orbiting Carbon Observatory), OCO-3, and GOSAT (Greenhouse gases Observational SATellite). The only network that currently measures CO2 and CH4 in the atmospheric column is TCCON (Total Carbon Column

Influence of nuclear power unit on decreasing emissions of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanek, Wojciech; Szargut, Jan; Kolenda, Zygmunt; Czarnowska, Lucyna

2015-03-01

The paper presents a comparison of selected power technologies from the point of view of emissions of greenhouse gases. Such evaluation is most often based only on analysis of direct emissions from combustion. However, the direct analysis does not show full picture of the problem as significant emissions of GHG appear also in the process of mining and transportation of fuel. It is demonstrated in the paper that comparison of power technologies from the GHG point of view has to be done using the cumulative calculus covering the whole cycle of fuel mining, processing, transportation and end-use. From this point of view coal technologies are in comparable level as gas technologies while nuclear power units are characterised with lowest GHG emissions. Mentioned technologies are compared from the point of view of GHG emissions in full cycle. Specific GHG cumulative emission factors per unit of generated electricity are determined. These factors have been applied to simulation of the influence of introduction of nuclear power units on decrease of GHG emissions in domestic scale. Within the presented simulations the prognosis of domestic power sector development according to the Polish energy policy till 2030 has been taken into account. The profitability of introduction of nuclear power units from the point of view of decreasing GHG emissions has been proved.

Airborne observations of greenhouse gases in the North Slope of Alaska during summer 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biraud, S.; Torn, M. S.; Sweeney, C.; Springston, S. R.; Sedlacek, A. J., III

2015-12-01

Atmospheric temperatures are warming faster in the Arctic than predicted by climate models. The impact of this warming on permafrost degradation is not well understood, but it is projected to increase carbon decomposition and greenhouse gas production (CO2 and/or CH4) by arctic ecosystems. Airborne observations of atmospheric trace gases, aerosols and cloud properties in North Slopes of Alaska (NSA) are improving our understanding of global climate, with the goal of reducing the uncertainty in global and regional climate simulations and projections. From June 1 through September 15, 2015, the Atmospheric radiation measurement (ARM) airborne facility (AAF) deployed a G1 research aircraft (ARM-ACME-V mission) to fly over the North Slope of Alaska, with occasional vertical profiling to measure trace gas concentrations, between Prudhoe Bay, Oliktok point, Barrow, Atqasuk, Ivotuk, and Toolik Lake. The aircraft payload includes a Picarro and a LGR analyzers for continuous measurements of CO2, CH4, H2O, and CO and N2O mixing ratios, and a 12-flask sampler for analysis of carbon cycle gases (CO2, CO, CH4, N2O, 13CO2, 14CO2, carbonyl sulfide, and trace hydrocarbon species including ethane). The aircraft payload also include measurements of aerosol properties (number size distribution, total number concentration, absorption, and scattering), cloud properties (droplet and ice size information), atmospheric thermodynamic state, and solar/infrared radiation. Preliminary results using CO2, CH4, CO, ethane, and soot spectroscopy observations are used to tease apart biogenic and thermogenic (biomass burning, and oil and gas production) contributions

Non-thermal plasma for exhaust gases treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alva R., Elvia; Pacheco P., Marquidia; Gómez B., Fernando; Pacheco P., Joel; Colín C., Arturo; Sánchez-Mendieta, Víctor; Valdivia B., Ricardo; Santana D., Alfredo; Huertas C., José; Frías P., Hilda

2015-09-01

This article describes a study on a non-thermal plasma device to treat exhaust gases in an internal combustion engine. Several tests using a plasma device to treat exhaust gases are conducted on a Honda GX200-196 cm3 engine at different rotational speeds. A plasma reactor could be efficient in degrading nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Monoxide and carbon dioxide treatment is minimal. However, achieving 1%-3% degradation may be interesting to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.

A new method for estimating greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions from livestock buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrancos, José; Briz, Susana; Nolasco, Dácil; Melián, Gladys; Padilla, Germán; Padrón, Eleazar; Fernández, Isabel; Pérez, Nemesio; Hernández, Pedro A.

2013-08-01

It is widely known that carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are the main greenhouse gases contributing to global climate change. Emission factors for the aforementioned gases have been proposed in order to calculate the contribution of livestock farming to global climate change. However, these emission factors depend on many additional factors such as the housing system, environmental conditions, etc., which implies some uncertainties in their estimation. Therefore, works that aim at improving experimental calculation of these emissions are crucial to provide reliable estimates of the emissions produced by livestock. The purpose of this work was to apply a new methodology inspired by the accumulation chamber method to estimate emission rates from livestock buildings. The work was based on measuring the increase of gas emissions inside the livestock building by means of the remote sensing technique Open-Path FTIR (OP-FTIR). Previously to the measurements, livestock building cattle was confined outside of the building. Utilization of fan ventilation system favoured the homogenization of air inside the building. This experiment proved that evolution of CH4 and CO2 concentrations inside the livestock building behaved like an accumulation chamber unlike the N2O which did not show such behaviour. Results showed CH4, CO2 and NH3 emissions of 167 ± 54,700 ± 200 and 1.3 ± 0.2 kg head-1 year-1, respectively. One of the main parameters affecting the estimated emission factors is the type of animal feeding. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the influence of food composition on CH4 and CO2 emission in a relative larger number of operating cattle buildings since the methodology herein proposed is an easy and cheap tool to study livestock emission factors and their variability.

Greenhouse gases emissions from waste management practices using Life Cycle Inventory model.

PubMed

Chen, Tsao-Chou; Lin, Cheng-Fang

2008-06-30

When exploring the correlation between municipal solid waste management and green house gas emission, the volume and physical composition of the waste matter must be taken into account. Due to differences in local environments and lifestyles the quantity and composition of waste often vary. This leads to differences in waste treatment methods and causes different volumes of greenhouse gases (GHGs), highlighting the need for local research. In this study the Life Cycle Inventory method was used with global warming indicator GHGs as the variables. By quantifying the data and adopting a region-based approach, this created a model of household MSWM in Taipei City, a metropolitan region in Taiwan. To allow analysis and comparison a compensatory system was then added to expand the system boundary. The results of the analysis indicated that out of all the solid waste management sub-models for a function unit, recycling was the most effective method for reducing GHG emissions while using kitchen food waste as swine feeding resulted in the most GHG emissions. As for the impact of waste collection vehicles on emissions, if the efficiency of transportation could be improved and energy consumption reduced, this will help solid waste management to achieve its goal of reducing GHG emissions.

Effect of land use on greenhouse gas emission in tropical ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Six, Johan

2017-04-01

Tropical ecosystems play an important role for the regional and global climate system through the exchange of greenhouse gases and provide important ecosystems services such as carbon sequestration, produce, and biodiversity. Human activities have, however, resulted in intensive transformation of tropical ecosystems impacting the cycling of nutrients, water and carbon underlying the greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, best-bet agricultural practices can reduce greenhouse gas emission, those directly emitted from the agricultural fields, but also indirectly through less demand on new land and hence forest conservation. Here, I will provide some insights into the main factors affecting the exchange of greenhouse gases from the plot to continental scale through some specific case studies. Experimental data, stable isotopes and modeling results will be presented.

Global Warming: Understanding and Teaching the Forecast. Part A The Greenhouse Effect.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, Bill

1993-01-01

Provides information necessary for an interdisciplinary analysis of the greenhouse effect, enhanced greenhouse effect, global warming, global climate change, greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, and scientific study of global warming for students grades 4-12. Several activity ideas accompany the information. (LZ)

A new fully automated FTIR system for total column measurements of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geibel, M. C.; Gerbig, C.; Feist, D. G.

2010-10-01

This article introduces a new fully automated FTIR system that is part of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON). It will provide continuous ground-based measurements of column-averaged volume mixing ratio for CO2, CH4 and several other greenhouse gases in the tropics. Housed in a 20-foot shipping container it was developed as a transportable system that could be deployed almost anywhere in the world. We describe the automation concept which relies on three autonomous subsystems and their interaction. Crucial components like a sturdy and reliable solar tracker dome are described in detail. The automation software employs a new approach relying on multiple processes, database logging and web-based remote control. First results of total column measurements at Jena, Germany show that the instrument works well and can provide parts of the diurnal as well as seasonal cycle for CO2. Instrument line shape measurements with an HCl cell suggest that the instrument stays well-aligned over several months. After a short test campaign for side by side intercomaprison with an existing TCCON instrument in Australia, the system will be transported to its final destination Ascension Island.

Greenhouse gas emissions from soil under changing environmental conditions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This manuscript is the Guest Editors’ Introduction to a special issue on greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture. The papers were assembled following presentation at EuroSoil 2012. Exchange of greenhouse gases between soils and the atmosphere is a natural consequence of several ecosystem process...

A fully automated FTIR system for remote sensing of greenhouse gases in the tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geibel, M. C.; Gerbig, C.; Feist, D. G.

2010-07-01

This article introduces a new fully automated FTIR system that is part of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network. It will provide continuous ground-based measurements of column-averaged volume mixing ratio for CO2, CH4 and several other greenhouse gases in the tropics. Housed in a 20-foot shipping container it was developed as a transportable system that could be deployed almost anywhere in the world. We describe the automation concept which relies on three autonomous subsystems and their interaction. Crucial components like a sturdy and reliable solar tracker dome are described in detail. First results of total column measurements at Jena, Germany show that the instrument works well and can provide diurnal as well as seasonal cycle for CO2. Instrument line shape measurements with an HCl cell suggest that the instrument stays well-aligned over several months. After a short test campaign for side by side intercomaprison with an existing TCCON instrument in Australia, the system will be transported to its final destination Ascension Island.

Carbon and Conservation: Cropping systems and greenhouse gases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quantifying and predicting soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural systems have been research goals for numerous institutions, especially since the turn of the millennium. Cost, time, and politics are variables that have limited the rapid development of robust quant...

'Home made' model to study the greenhouse effect and global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onorato, P.; Mascheretti, P.; DeAmbrosis, A.

2011-03-01

In this paper a simplified two-parameter model of the greenhouse effect on the Earth is developed, starting from the well known two-layer model. It allows both the analysis of the temperatures of the inner planets, by focusing on the role of the greenhouse effect, and a comparison between the temperatures the planets should have in the absence of greenhouse effect and their actual ones. It may also be used to predict the average temperature of the Earth surface in the future, depending on the variations of the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activities. This model can promote an elementary understanding of global warming since it allows a simple formalization of the energy balance for the Earth in the stationary condition, in the presence of greenhouse gases. For these reasons it can be introduced in courses for undergraduate physics students and for teacher preparation.

MAGGnet: An international network to foster mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Research networks provide a framework for review, synthesis, and systematic testing of theories by multiple scientists across international borders critical for addressing global-scale issues. In 2012, a greenhouse gas (GHG) research network referred to as MAGGnet (Managing Agricultural Greenhouse ...

Improving Empirical Approaches to Estimating Local Greenhouse Gas Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blackhurst, M.; Azevedo, I. L.; Lattanzi, A.

2016-12-01

Evidence increasingly indicates our changing climate will have significant global impacts on public health, economies, and ecosystems. As a result, local governments have become increasingly interested in climate change mitigation. In the U.S., cities and counties representing nearly 15% of the domestic population plan to reduce 300 million metric tons of greenhouse gases over the next 40 years (or approximately 1 ton per capita). Local governments estimate greenhouse gas emissions to establish greenhouse gas mitigation goals and select supporting mitigation measures. However, current practices produce greenhouse gas estimates - also known as a "greenhouse gas inventory " - of empirical quality often insufficient for robust mitigation decision making. Namely, current mitigation planning uses sporadic, annual, and deterministic estimates disaggregated by broad end use sector, obscuring sources of emissions uncertainty, variability, and exogeneity that influence mitigation opportunities. As part of AGU's Thriving Earth Exchange, Ari Lattanzi of City of Pittsburgh, PA recently partnered with Dr. Inez Lima Azevedo (Carnegie Mellon University) and Dr. Michael Blackhurst (University of Pittsburgh) to improve the empirical approach to characterizing Pittsburgh's greenhouse gas emissions. The project will produce first-order estimates of the underlying sources of uncertainty, variability, and exogeneity influencing Pittsburgh's greenhouse gases and discuss implications of mitigation decision making. The results of the project will enable local governments to collect more robust greenhouse gas inventories to better support their mitigation goals and improve measurement and verification efforts.

Simultaneous retrieval of atmospheric CO2 and light path modification from space-based spectroscopic observations of greenhouse gases: methodology and application to GOSAT measurements over TCCON sites.

PubMed

Oshchepkov, Sergey; Bril, Andrey; Yokota, Tatsuya; Yoshida, Yukio; Blumenstock, Thomas; Deutscher, Nicholas M; Dohe, Susanne; Macatangay, Ronald; Morino, Isamu; Notholt, Justus; Rettinger, Markus; Petri, Christof; Schneider, Matthias; Sussman, Ralf; Uchino, Osamu; Velazco, Voltaire; Wunch, Debra; Belikov, Dmitry

2013-02-20

This paper presents an improved photon path length probability density function method that permits simultaneous retrievals of column-average greenhouse gas mole fractions and light path modifications through the atmosphere when processing high-resolution radiance spectra acquired from space. We primarily describe the methodology and retrieval setup and then apply them to the processing of spectra measured by the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). We have demonstrated substantial improvements of the data processing with simultaneous carbon dioxide and light path retrievals and reasonable agreement of the satellite-based retrievals against ground-based Fourier transform spectrometer measurements provided by the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON).

Using STELLA System Dynamic Model to Analyze Greenhouse Gases' Emission From Solid Waste Management in Taiwan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horng, Jao-Jia; Lee, R.F.; Liao, K.Y.

2004-03-31

Using a system dynamic model (SDM), such as STELLA, to analyze the waste management policy is a new trial for Taiwan's research communities. We have developed an easy and relatively accurate model for analyzing the greenhouse gases emission for the wastes from animal farming and municipalities. With the local research data of the past decade, we extract the most prominent factors and assemble the SDM. The results and scenarios were compared with the national inventory. By comparing to the past data, we found these models reasonably represent the situation in Taiwan. However, SDM can program many scenarios and produce amore » lot of prediction data. With the development of many program control tools on STELLA, we believe the models could be further used by researchers or policy-makers to find the needed research topics, to set the future scenarios and to determine the management tools.« less

75 FR 33949 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-15

.... The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is an ``anonymous access'' system, which means EPA will not.../emissions/ghgrulemaking.html . Alternatively, contact Carole Cook at 202-343-9263. Worldwide Web (WWW). In... greenhouse gas reporting rule Web site at http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ghgrulemaking.html...

Greenhouse gases emission from the sewage draining rivers.

PubMed

Hu, Beibei; Wang, Dongqi; Zhou, Jun; Meng, Weiqing; Li, Chongwei; Sun, Zongbin; Guo, Xin; Wang, Zhongliang

2018-01-15

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) concentration, saturation and fluxes in rivers (Beitang drainage river, Dagu drainage rive, Duliujianhe river, Yongdingxinhe river and Nanyunhe river) of Tianjin city (Haihe watershed) were investigated during July and October in 2014, and January and April in 2015 by static headspace gas chromatography method and the two-layer model of diffusive gas exchange. The influence of environmental variables on greenhouse gases (GHGs) concentration under the disturbance of anthropogenic activities was discussed by Spearman correlative analysis and multiple stepwise regression analysis. The results showed that the concentration and fluxes of CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O were seasonally variable with >winter>fall>summer, spring>summer>winter>fall and summer>spring>winter>fall for concentrations and spring>summer>fall>winter, spring>summer>winter>fall and summer>spring>fall>winter for fluxes respectively. The GHGs concentration and saturation were higher in comprehensively polluted river sites and lower in lightly polluted river sites. The three GHGs emission fluxes in two sewage draining rivers of Tianjin were clearly higher than those of other rivers (natural rivers) and the spatial variation of CH 4 was more obvious than the others. CO 2 and N 2 O air-water interface emission fluxes of the sewage draining rivers in four seasons were about 1.20-2.41 times and 1.13-3.12 times of those in the natural rivers. The CH 4 emission fluxes of the sewage draining rivers were 3.09 times in fall to 10.87 times in spring of those in the natural rivers in different season. The wind speed, water temperature and air temperature were related to GHGs concentrations. Nitrate and nitrite (NO 3 - +NO 2 - -N) and ammonia (NH 4 + -N) were positively correlated with CO 2 concentration and CH 4 concentration; and dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration was negatively correlated with CH 4 concentration and N 2 O concentration. The effect of

Influence of Meteorology and interrelationship with greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) at a suburban site of India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sreenivas, Gaddamidi; Mahesh, Pathakoti; Subin, Jose; Lakshmi Kanchana, Asuri; Venkata Narasimha Rao, Pamaraju; Dadhwal, Vinay Kumar

2016-03-01

Atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), are important climate forcing agents due to their significant impacts on the climate system. The present study brings out first continuous measurements of atmospheric GHGs using high-precision LGR-GGA over Shadnagar, a suburban site of Central India during the year 2014. The annual mean CO2 and CH4 over the study region are found to be 394 ± 2.92 and 1.92 ± 0.07 ppm (μ ± 1σ) respectively. CO2 and CH4 show a significant seasonal variation during the study period with maximum (minimum) CO2 observed during pre-monsoon (monsoon), while CH4 recorded the maximum during post-monsoon and minimum during monsoon. Irrespective of the seasons, consistent diurnal variations of these gases are observed. Influences of prevailing meteorology (air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, and relative humidity) on GHGs have also been investigated. CO2 and CH4 show a strong positive correlation during winter, pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon with correlation coefficients (Rs) equal to 0.80, 0.80, 0.61, and 0.72 respectively, indicating a common anthropogenic source for these gases. Analysis of this study reveals the major sources for CO2 are soil respiration and anthropogenic emissions while vegetation acts as a main sink, whereas the major source and sink for CH4 are vegetation and presence of hydroxyl (OH) radicals.

Greenhouse Effect Detection Experiment (GEDEX). Selected data sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olsen, Lola M.; Warnock, Archibald, III

1992-01-01

This CD-ROM contains selected data sets compiled by the participants of the Greenhouse Effect Detection Experiment (GEDEX) workshop on atmospheric temperature. The data sets include surface, upper air, and/or satellite-derived measurements of temperature, solar irradiance, clouds, greenhouse gases, fluxes, albedo, aerosols, ozone, and water vapor, along with Southern Oscillation Indices and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation statistics.

Cattle feedlot soil moisture and manure content: I. Impacts on greenhouse gases, odor compounds, nitrogen losses, and dust.

PubMed

Miller, Daniel N; Berry, Elaine D

2005-01-01

Beef cattle feedlots face serious environmental challenges associated with manure management, including greenhouse gas, odor, NH3, and dust emissions. Conditions affecting emissions are poorly characterized, but likely relate to the variability of feedlot surface moisture and manure contents, which affect microbial processes. Odor compounds, greenhouse gases, nitrogen losses, and dust potential were monitored at six moisture contents (0.11, 0.25, 0.43, 0.67, 1.00, and 1.50 g H2O g(-1) dry matter [DM]) in three artificial feedlot soil mixtures containing 50, 250, and 750 g manure kg(-1) total (manure + soil) DM over a two-week period. Moisture addition produced three microbial metabolisms: inactive, aerobic, and fermentative at low, moderate, and high moisture, respectively. Manure content acted to modulate the effect of moisture and enhanced some microbial processes. Greenhouse gas (CO2, N2O, and CH4) emissions were dynamic at moderate to high moisture. Malodorous volatile fatty acid (VFA) compounds did not accumulate in any treatments, but their persistence and volatility varied depending on pH and aerobic metabolism. Starch was the dominant substrate fueling both aerobic and fermentative metabolism. Nitrogen losses were observed in all metabolically active treatments; however, there was evidence for limited microbial nitrogen uptake. Finally, potential dust production was observed below defined moisture thresholds, which were related to manure content of the soil. Managing feedlot surface moisture within a narrow moisture range (0.2-0.4 g H2O g(-1) DM) and minimizing the accumulation of manure produced the optimum conditions that minimized the environmental impact from cattle feedlot production.

Diagnostic methods for atmospheric inversions of long-lived greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michalak, Anna M.; Randazzo, Nina A.; Chevallier, Frédéric

2017-06-01

The ability to predict the trajectory of climate change requires a clear understanding of the emissions and uptake (i.e., surface fluxes) of long-lived greenhouse gases (GHGs). Furthermore, the development of climate policies is driving a need to constrain the budgets of anthropogenic GHG emissions. Inverse problems that couple atmospheric observations of GHG concentrations with an atmospheric chemistry and transport model have increasingly been used to gain insights into surface fluxes. Given the inherent technical challenges associated with their solution, it is imperative that objective approaches exist for the evaluation of such inverse problems. Because direct observation of fluxes at compatible spatiotemporal scales is rarely possible, diagnostics tools must rely on indirect measures. Here we review diagnostics that have been implemented in recent studies and discuss their use in informing adjustments to model setup. We group the diagnostics along a continuum starting with those that are most closely related to the scientific question being targeted, and ending with those most closely tied to the statistical and computational setup of the inversion. We thus begin with diagnostics based on assessments against independent information (e.g., unused atmospheric observations, large-scale scientific constraints), followed by statistical diagnostics of inversion results, diagnostics based on sensitivity tests, and analyses of robustness (e.g., tests focusing on the chemistry and transport model, the atmospheric observations, or the statistical and computational framework), and close with the use of synthetic data experiments (i.e., observing system simulation experiments, OSSEs). We find that existing diagnostics provide a crucial toolbox for evaluating and improving flux estimates but, not surprisingly, cannot overcome the fundamental challenges associated with limited atmospheric observations or the lack of direct flux measurements at compatible scales. As

Frontiers of QC Laser spectroscopy for high precision isotope ratio analysis of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emmenegger, Lukas; Mohn, Joachim; Harris, Eliza; Eyer, Simon; Ibraim, Erkan; Tuzson, Béla

2016-04-01

An important milestone for laser spectroscopy was achieved when isotope ratios of greenhouse gases were reported at precision levels that allow addressing research questions in environmental sciences. Real-time data with high temporal resolution at moderate cost and instrument size make the optical approach highly attractive, complementary to the well-established isotope-ratio mass-spectrometry (IRMS) method. Especially appealing, in comparison to IRMS, is the inherent specificity to structural isomers having the same molecular mass. Direct absorption in the MIR in single or dual QCL configuration has proven highly reliable for the sta-ble isotopes of CO2, N2O and CH4. The longest time series of real-time measurements is currently available for δ13C and δ18O in CO2 at the high-alpine station Jung-fraujoch. At this well-equipped site, QCL based direct absorption spectroscopy (QCLAS) measurements are ongoing since 2008 1,2. Applications of QCLAS for N2O and CH4 stable isotopes are considerably more challenging because of the lower atmospheric mixing ratios, especially for the less abundant species, such as N218O and CH3D. For high precision (< 0.1 ‰) measurements in ambient air, QCLAS may be combined with a fully automated preconcentration unit yielding an up to 500 times concentration increase and the capability to separate the target gas from spectral interferants by se-quential desorption 3. Here, we review our recent developments on high precision isotope ratio analysis of greenhouse gases, with special focus on the isotopic species of N2O and CH4. Furthermore, we show environ-mental applications illustrating the highly valuable information that isotope ratios of atmospheric trace gases can carry. For example, the intramolecular distribution of 15N in N2O gives important information on the geochemical cycle of N2O4-6, while the analysis of δ13C and δ D in CH4 may be applied to disentangle microbial, fossil and landfill sources 7. 1 Sturm, P., Tuzson, B

Advances in data processing for open-path Fourier transform infrared spectrometry of greenhouse gases.

PubMed

Shao, Limin; Griffiths, Peter R; Leytem, April B

2010-10-01

The automated quantification of three greenhouse gases, ammonia, methane, and nitrous oxide, in the vicinity of a large dairy farm by open-path Fourier transform infrared (OP/FT-IR) spectrometry at intervals of 5 min is demonstrated. Spectral pretreatment, including the automated detection and correction of the effect of interrupting the infrared beam, is by a moving object, and the automated correction for the nonlinear detector response is applied to the measured interferograms. Two ways of obtaining quantitative data from OP/FT-IR data are described. The first, which is installed in a recently acquired commercial OP/FT-IR spectrometer, is based on classical least-squares (CLS) regression, and the second is based on partial least-squares (PLS) regression. It is shown that CLS regression only gives accurate results if the absorption features of the analytes are located in very short spectral intervals where lines due to atmospheric water vapor are absent or very weak; of the three analytes examined, only ammonia fell into this category. On the other hand, PLS regression works allowed what appeared to be accurate results to be obtained for all three analytes.

Effect of the greenhouse gases (CO2, H2O, SO2) on Martian paleoclimate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Postawko, S. E.; Kuhn, W. R.

1986-01-01

There is general agreement that certain surface features on Mars are indicative of the presence of liquid water at various times in the geologic past. In particular, the valley networks are difficult to explain by a mechanism other than the flow of liquid water. It has been suggested in several studies that a thick CO2 atmosphere on Mars early in its history could have provided a greenhouse warming that would have allowed the flow of water either on the surface or just below the surface. However, this effect was examined with a detailed radiation model, and it was found that if reduced solar luminosity early in the history of the solar system is taken into account, even three bars of CO2 will not provide sufficient greeenhouse warming. The addition of water vapor and sulflur dioxide (both plausible gases that may have been emitted by Martian volcanoes) to the atmosphere also fail to warm the surface above 273 K for reduced solar luminosity conditions. The increase in temperature may be large enough, however, for the formation of these features by brines.

75 FR 43889 - Proposed Confidentiality Determinations for Data Required Under the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-27

... Proposed Confidentiality Determinations for Data Required Under the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule... Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule and Proposed Amendment to Special Rules Governing Certain Information Obtained... the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule,'' also signed today. This action addresses only the...

Associations among hair loss, oral sulfur-containing gases, and gastrointestinal and metabolic linked diseases in Japanese elderly men: pilot study

PubMed Central

Ansai, Toshihiro; Awano, Shuji; Soh, Inho; Takata, Yutaka; Yoshida, Akihiro; Hamasaki, Tomoko; Takehara, Tadamichi

2009-01-01

Background Male pattern baldness (MPB), an observable trait, has been reported to be associated with various diseases, such as prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. Oral sulfur-containing gases have also been suggested to be useful as markers of systemic health condition. However, there are no known reports regarding the associations among MPB, and oral sulfur-containing gases, and systemic health conditions in males. Methods We studied 170 male subjects aged either 60 or 65 years old. The degree of MPB was assessed using the Norwood-Hamilton Baldness scale. Oral sulfur-containing gases were measured using a compact-designed device. All subjects completed physical and laboratory blood examinations, a face-to-face medical questionnaire, and an oral examination. Results There were significant differences between the levels of CH3SCH3 and baldness patterns, independent of age. When we analyzed whether the association was linked to systemic health condition, a strong significant association was observed between the level of CH3SCH3 and severe MPB in subjects with gastrointestinal diseases, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia. Conclusion These results suggest that MPB is associated with the level of CH3SCH3, a sulfur-containing gas that causes oral malodor, in elderly Japanese males. Further, the association was intensified by the existence of gastrointestinal tract and metabolic disorders. PMID:19284665

[Effects of sand burial on fluxes of greenhouse gases from the soil covered by biocrust in an arid desert region.

PubMed

Teng, Jia Ling; Jia, Rong Liang; Hu, Yi Gang; Xu, Bing Xin; Chen, Meng Chen; Zhao, Yun

2016-03-01

Based on the measurements of the fluxes of CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 O from the soil covered by two types of biocrusts dominated separately by moss and algae-lichen, followed by 0 (control), 1 (shallow) and 10 (deep) mm depths of sand burial treatments, we studied the effects of sand burial on greenhouse gases fluxes and their relationships with soil temperature and moisture at Shapotou, southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert. The results showed that sand burial had significantly positive effects on CO 2 emission fluxes and CH 4 uptake fluxes of the soil covered by the two types of biocrusts, but imposed differential effects on N 2 O fluxes depending on the type of biocrust and the depth of burial. Deep burial (10 mm) dramatically increased the N 2 O uptake fluxes of the soil co-vered by the two types of biocrusts, while shallow burial (1 mm) decreased the N 2 O uptake flux of the soil co-vered by moss crust only and had no significant effects on N 2 O uptake flux of the soil covered by algae-lichen crust. In addition, CO 2 fluxes of the two biocrusts were closely related to the soil temperature and soil moisture, thereby increasing with the raised soil surface temperature and soil moisture caused by sand burial. However, the relationships of burial-induced changes of soil temperature and moisture with the changes in the other two greenhouse gases fluxes were not evident, indicating that the variations of soil temperature and moisture caused by sand burial were not the key factors affecting the fluxes of CH 4 and N 2 O of the soil covered by the two types of biocrusts.

Greenhouse Gas Dynamics in a Salt-Wedge Estuary Revealed by High Resolution Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy Observations.

PubMed

Tait, Douglas R; Maher, Damien T; Wong, WeiWen; Santos, Isaac R; Sadat-Noori, Mahmood; Holloway, Ceylena; Cook, Perran L M

2017-12-05

Estuaries are an important source of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, but uncertainties remain in the flux rates and production pathways of greenhouse gases in these dynamic systems. This study performs simultaneous high resolution measurements of the three major greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) as well as carbon stable isotope ratios of carbon dioxide and methane, above and below the pycnocline along a salt wedge estuary (Yarra River estuary, Australia). We identified distinct zones of elevated greenhouse gas concentrations. At the tip of salt wedge, average CO 2 and N 2 O concentrations were approximately five and three times higher than in the saline mouth of the estuary. In anaerobic bottom waters, the natural tracer radon ( 222 Rn) revealed that porewater exchange was the likely source of the highest methane concentrations (up to 1302 nM). Isotopic analysis of CH 4 showed a dominance of acetoclastic production in fresh surface waters and hydrogenotrophic production occurring in the saline bottom waters. The atmospheric flux of methane (in CO 2 equivalent units) was a major (35-53%) contributor of atmospheric radiative forcing from the estuary, while N 2 O contributed <2%. We hypothesize that the release of bottom water gases when stratification episodically breaks down will release large pulses of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere.

ACCURATE: Influence of Cloud Layers and Aerosol on Infrared Laser Occultation Signals for Sensing of Greenhouse Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proschek, V.; Schweitzer, S.; Emde, C.; Ladstädter, F.; Fritzer, J.; Kirchengast, G.

2009-04-01

ACCURATE (Atmospheric Climate and Chemistry in the UTLS Region And climate Trends Explorer), a new climate satellite concept, enables simultaneous measurement of profiles of greenhouse gases, isotopes, wind and thermodynamic variables from Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. The measurement principle applied is a combination of the novel LEO-LEO infrared laser occultation (LIO) technique and the well-studied but not yet flown LEO-LEO microwave occultation (LMO) technique. As intrinsic to the space-borne occultation technique, the measurements are evenly distributed around the world, have high vertical resolution and high accuracy and are stable over long time periods. The LIO uses near-monochromatic signals in the short-wave infrared range (~2-2.5 m in the case of ACCURATE) which are absorbed by various trace species in the Earth's atmosphere. From signal transmission measurements, profiles of the concentration of the absorbing species can be derived given that temperature and pressure are accurately known from LMO. The current ACCURATE mission design is arranged for the measurement of six greenhouse gases (H2O, CO2, CH4, N2O, O3, CO) and four isotopes (13CO2, C18OO, HDO, H218O) with focus on the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere region (UTLS, 5-35 km). Wind speed in line-of-sight can be derived from a line-symmetric transmission difference which is caused by wind-induced Doppler shift. By-products are information on cloud layering, aerosol extinction and scintillation strength. This contribution presents an overview on the ACCURATE mission design and the expected accuracy of retrieved atmospheric variables and further focuses on the influence of clouds and aerosols on propagating LIO signals. Special emphasis will be given to sub-visible cirrus clouds which are semi-transparent to infrared signals. A simple frequency dependent cloud extinction parametrization was included into the occultation propagation software EGOPS and evaluated against results of the

Global warming: Experimental study about the effect of accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molto, Carlos; Mas, Miquel

2010-05-01

The project presented here was developed by fifteen year old students of the Institut Sabadell (Sabadell Secondary School. Spain). The objective of this project was to raise the students awareness' about the problem of climate change, mainly caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. It is also intended that students use the scientific method as an effective system of troubleshooting and that they use the ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) to elicit data and process information. To develop this project, four lessons of sixty minutes each were needed. The first lesson sets out the role of the atmosphere as an Earth's temperature regulator, highlighting the importance of keeping the levels of carbon dioxide, methane and water steam in balance. The second lesson is focused on the experimental activity that students will develop in the following lesson. In lesson two, students will present and justify their hypothesis about the experiment. Some theoretical concepts, necessary to carry out the experiment, will also be explained. The third lesson involves the core of the project, that is the experiment in the laboratory. The experiment consists on performing the atmosphere heating on a little scale. Four different atmospheres are created inside four plastic boxes heated by an infrared lamp. Students work in groups (one group for each atmosphere) and have to monitor the evolution of temperature by means of a temperature sensor (Multilog software). The first group has to observe the relationship between temperature and carbon dioxide levels increase, mainly caused by the widespread practice of burning fossil fuels by growing human populations. The task of this group is to measure simultaneously the temperature of an empty box (without CO2) and the temperature of a box with high carbon dioxide concentration. The carbon dioxide concentration is the result of the chemical reaction when sodium carbonate mixes with hydrochloric acid. The

Development and Evaluation of the Interferometric Monitor for Greenhouse Gases: a High-throughput Fourier-transform Infrared Radiometer for Nadir Earth Observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Hirokazu; Shimota, Akiro; Kondo, Kayoko; Okumura, Eisuke; Kameda, Yoshihiko; Shimoda, Haruhisa; Ogawa, Toshihiro

1999-11-01

The interferometric monitor for greenhouse gases (IMG) was the precursor of the high-resolution Fourier-transform infrared radiometer (FTIR) onboard a satellite for observation of the Earth. The IMG endured the stress of a rocket launch, demonstrating that the high-resolution, high-throughput spectrometer is indeed feasible for use onboard a satellite. The IMG adopted a newly developed lubricant-free magnetic suspension mechanism and a dynamic alignment system for the moving mirror with a maximum traveling distance of 10 cm. We present the instrumentation of the IMG, characteristics of the movable mirror drive system, and the evaluation results of sensor specifications during space operation.

Evaluation of different techniques to control hydrogen sulfide and greenhouse gases from animal production systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gautam, Dhan Prasad

The livestock manure management sector is one of the prime sources for the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other pollutant gases such as ammonia (NH3) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which may affect the human health, animal welfare, and the environment. So, worldwide investigations are going on to mitigate these gaseous emissions. The overall objective of this research was to investigate different approaches (dietary manipulation and nanotechnology) for mitigating the gaseous emissions from livestock manure system. A field study was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of dietary proteins (12 and 16%) and fat levels (3 to 5.5%) fed to beef cattle on gaseous emission (methane-CH4, nitrous oxide-N2O, carbon dioxide-CO 2 and hydrogen sulfide-H2S) from the pen surface. To evaluate the effects of different nanoparticles (zinc oxide-nZnO; and zirconium-nZrO 2) on these gaseous emissions from livestock manure stored under anaerobic conditions, laboratory studies were conducted with different treatments (control, bare NPs, NPs entrapped alginate beads applying freely and keeping in bags, and used NPs entrapped alginate beads). Field studies showed no significant differences in the GHG and H2S emissions from the manure pen surface. Between nZnO and nZrO2, nZnO outperformed the nZrO2 in terms of gases production and concentration reduction from both swine and dairy liquid manure. Application of nZnO at a rate of 3 g L-1 showed up to 82, 78, 40 and 99% reduction on total gas production, CH 4, CO2 and H2S concentrations, respectively. The effectiveness of nZnO entrapped alginate (alginate-nZnO) beads was statistically lower than the bare nZnO, but both of them were very effective in reducing gas production and concentrations. These gaseous reductions were likely due to combination of microbial inhibition of microorganisms and chemical conversion during the treatment, which was confirmed by microbial plate count, SEM-EDS, and XPS analysis. However

Greenhouse gas emissions associated with direct energy inputs for a warmwater low-salinity recirculating aquaculture systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere. These gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH3), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gases. Some of these gases occur naturally and some are created by human activities which can increase their concentrations. The most comm...

Effect of naphtha diluent on greenhouse gases and reduced sulfur compounds emissions from oil sands tailings.

PubMed

Gee, Kathleen F; Poon, Ho Yin; Hashisho, Zaher; Ulrich, Ania C

2017-11-15

The long-term storage of oil sands tailings has resulted in the evolution of greenhouse gases (CH 4 and CO 2 ) as a result of residual organics biodegradation. Recent studies have identified black, sulfidic zones below the tailings-water interface, which may be producing toxic sulfur-containing gases. An anaerobic mesocosm study was conducted over an 11-week period to characterize the evolution of CH 4 , CO 2 and reduced sulfur compounds (RSCs) (including H 2 S) in tailings as it relates to naphtha-containing diluent concentrations (0.2, 0.8, and 1.5% w/v) and microbial activity. Our results showed that RSCs were produced first at 0.12μmol°RSCs/mL MFT (1.5% w/v diluent treatment). RSCs contribution (from highest to lowest) was H 2 S and 2-methylthiophene>2.5-dimethylthiophene>3-methylthiophene>thiofuran>butyl mercaptan>carbonyl sulfide, where H 2 S and 2-methylthiophene contributed 81% of the gas produced. CH 4 and CO 2 production occurred after week 5 at 40.7μmolCH 4 /mL MFT and 5.9μmolCO 2 /mL MFT (1.5% w/v diluent treatment). The amount of H 2 S and CH 4 generated is correlated to the amount of diluent present and to microbial activity as shown by corresponding increases in sulfate-reducers' Dissimilatory sulfite reductase (DsrAB) gene and methanogens' methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) gene. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coastal vegetation invasion increases greenhouse gas emission from wetland soils but also increases soil carbon accumulation.

PubMed

Chen, Yaping; Chen, Guangcheng; Ye, Yong

2015-09-01

Soil properties and soil-atmosphere fluxes of CO2, CH4 and N2O from four coastal wetlands were studied throughout the year, namely, native Kandelia obovata mangrove forest vs. exotic Sonneratia apetala mangrove forest, and native Cyperus malaccensis salt marsh vs. exotic Spartina alterniflora salt marsh. Soils of the four wetlands were all net sources of greenhouse gases while Sonneratia forest contributed the most with a total soil-atmosphere CO2-equivalent flux of 137.27 mg CO2 m(-2) h(-1), which is 69.23%, 99.75% and 44.56% higher than that of Kandelia, Cyperus and Spartina, respectively. The high underground biomass and distinctive root structure of Sonneratia might be responsible for its high greenhouse gas emission from the soil. Soils in Spartina marsh emitted the second largest amount of total greenhouse gases but it ranked first in emitting trace greenhouse gases. Annual average CH4 and N2O fluxes from Spartina soil were 13.77 and 1.14 μmol m(-2) h(-1), respectively, which are 2.08 and 1.46 times that of Kandelia, 1.03 and 1.15 times of Sonneratia, and 1.74 and 1.02 times of Cyperus, respectively. Spartina has longer growing season and higher productivity than native marshes which might increase greenhouse gas emission in cold seasons. Exotic wetland soils had higher carbon stock as compared to their respective native counterparts but their carbon stocks were offset by a larger proportion because of their higher greenhouse gas emissions. Annual total soil-atmosphere fluxes of greenhouse gases reduced soil carbon burial benefits by 8.1%, 9.5%, 6.4% and 7.2% for Kandelia, Sonneratia, Cyperus and Spartina, respectively, which narrowed down the gaps in net soil carbon stock between native and exotic wetlands. The results indicated that the invasion of exotic wetland plants might convert local coastal soils into a considerable atmospheric source of greenhouse gases although they at the same time increase soil carbon accumulation. Copyright © 2015. Published

Reduction of greenhouse gases by fiber-loaded lightweight, high-opacity newsprint production

Treesearch

John H. Klungness; Matthew L. Stroika; Said M. Abubakr

1999-01-01

We estimated the effectiveness of fiber loading in reducing greenhouse gas emissions for producing lightweight high-opacity newsprint. Fiber loading enhances fiber bonding at increased precipitated calcium carbonate levels without significant loss in Canadian Standard Freeness or additional energy use. We investigated the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for a...

Reactions of Criegee Intermediates with Non-Water Greenhouse Gases: Implications for Metal Free Chemical Fixation of Carbon Dioxide.

PubMed

Kumar, Manoj; Francisco, Joseph S

2017-09-07

High-level theoretical calculations suggest that a Criegee intermediate preferably interacts with carbon dioxide compared to two other greenhouse gases, nitrous oxide and methane. The results also suggest that the interaction between Criegee intermediates and carbon dioxide involves a cycloaddition reaction, which results in the formation of a cyclic carbonate-type adduct with a barrier of 6.0-14.0 kcal/mol. These results are in contrast to a previous assumption that the reaction occurs barrierlessly. The subsequent decomposition of the cyclic adduct into formic acid and carbon dioxide follows both concerted and stepwise mechanisms. The latter mechanism has been overlooked previously. Under formic acid catalysis, the concerted decomposition of the cyclic carbonate may be favored under tropospheric conditions. Considering that there is a strong nexus between carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and global warming, the high reactivity of Criegee intermediates could be utilized for designing efficient carbon capture technologies.

High-accuracy continuous airborne measurements of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) using the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, H.; Winderlich, J.; Gerbig, C.; Hoefer, A.; Rella, C. W.; Crosson, E. R.; van Pelt, A. D.; Steinbach, J.; Kolle, O.; Beck, V.; Daube, B. C.; Gottlieb, E. W.; Chow, V. Y.; Santoni, G. W.; Wofsy, S. C.

2010-03-01

High-accuracy continuous measurements of greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) during the BARCA (Balanço Atmosférico Regional de Carbono na Amazônia) phase B campaign in Brazil in May 2009 were accomplished using a newly available analyzer based on the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique. This analyzer was flown without a drying system or any in-flight calibration gases. Water vapor corrections associated with dilution and pressure-broadening effects for CO2 and CH4 were derived from laboratory experiments employing measurements of water vapor by the CRDS analyzer. Before the campaign, the stability of the analyzer was assessed by laboratory tests under simulated flight conditions. During the campaign, a comparison of CO2 measurements between the CRDS analyzer and a nondispersive infrared (NDIR) analyzer on board the same aircraft showed a mean difference of 0.22±0.09 ppm for all flights over the Amazon rain forest. At the end of the campaign, CO2 concentrations of the synthetic calibration gases used by the NDIR analyzer were determined by the CRDS analyzer. After correcting for the isotope and the pressure-broadening effects that resulted from changes of the composition of synthetic vs. ambient air, and applying those concentrations as calibrated values of the calibration gases to reprocess the CO2 measurements made by the NDIR, the mean difference between the CRDS and the NDIR during BARCA was reduced to 0.05±0.09 ppm, with the mean standard deviation of 0.23±0.05 ppm. The results clearly show that the CRDS is sufficiently stable to be used in flight without drying the air or calibrating in flight and the water corrections are fully adequate for high-accuracy continuous airborne measurements of CO2 and CH4.

A mental picture of the greenhouse effect. A pedagogic explanation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benestad, Rasmus E.

2017-05-01

The popular picture of the greenhouse effect emphasises the radiation transfer but fails to explain the observed climate change. An old conceptual model for the greenhouse effect is revisited and presented as a useful resource in climate change communication. It is validated against state-of-the-art data, and nontraditional diagnostics show a physically consistent picture. The earth's climate is constrained by well-known and elementary physical principles, such as energy balance, flow, and conservation. Greenhouse gases affect the atmospheric optical depth for infrared radiation, and increased opacity implies higher altitude from which earth's equivalent bulk heat loss takes place. Such an increase is seen in the reanalyses, and the outgoing long-wave radiation has become more diffuse over time, consistent with an increased influence of greenhouse gases on the vertical energy flow from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. The reanalyses further imply increases in the overturning in the troposphere, consistent with a constant and continuous vertical energy flow. The increased overturning can explain a slowdown in the global warming, and the association between these aspects can be interpreted as an entanglement between the greenhouse effect and the hydrological cycle, where reduced energy transfer associated with increased opacity is compensated by tropospheric overturning activity.

40 CFR 600.108-08 - Analytical gases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Analytical gases. 600.108-08 Section 600.108-08 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY AND GREENHOUSE GAS EXHAUST EMISSIONS OF MOTOR VEHICLES Fuel Economy and Carbon-Related Exhaust...

Technology Opportunities to Reduce U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

National Lab Directors, . .

2001-04-05

The rise in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel combustion and industrial and agricultural activities has aroused international concern about the possible impacts of these emissions on climate. Greenhouse gases--mostly carbon dioxide, some methane, nitrous oxide and other trace gases--are emitted to the atmosphere, enhancing an effect in which heat reflected from the earth's surface is kept from escaping into space, as in a greenhouse. Thus, there is concern that the earth's surface temperature may rise enough to cause global climate change. Approximately 90% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions from anthropogenic sources come from energy production and use, most ofmore » which are a byproduct of the combustion of fossil fuels. On a per capita basis, the United States is one of the world's largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, comprising 4% of the world's population, yet emitting 23% of the world's greenhouse gases. Emissions in the United States are increasing at around 1.2% annually, and the Energy Information Administration forecasts that emissions levels will continue to increase at this rate in the years ahead if we proceed down the business-as-usual path. President Clinton has presented a two-part challenge for the United States: reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. Meeting the challenge will mean that in doing tomorrow's work, we must use energy more efficiently and emit less carbon for the energy expended than we do today. To accomplish these goals, President Clinton proposed on June 26, 1997, that the United States ''invest more in the technologies of the future''. In this report to Secretary of Energy Pena, 47 technology pathways are described that have significant potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The present study was completed before the December 1997 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and is intended to provide a basis to evaluate technology feasibility and options to reduce greenhouse gas

Anesthetic gases and global warming: Potentials, prevention and future of anesthesia.

PubMed

Gadani, Hina; Vyas, Arun

2011-01-01

Global warming refers to an average increase in the earth's temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate. A warmer earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans. Greenhouse gases make the earth warmer by trapping energy inside the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere and include: water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), halogenated fluorocarbons (HCFCs), ozone (O3), perfluorinated carbons (PFCs), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Hazardous chemicals enter the air we breathe as a result of dozens of activities carried out during a typical day at a healthcare facility like processing lab samples, burning fossil fuels etc. We sometimes forget that anesthetic agents are also greenhouse gases (GHGs). Anesthetic agents used today are volatile halogenated ethers and the common carrier gas nitrous oxide known to be aggressive GHGs. With less than 5% of the total delivered halogenated anesthetic being metabolized by the patient, the vast majority of the anesthetic is routinely vented to the atmosphere through the operating room scavenging system. The global warming potential (GWP) of a halogenated anesthetic is up to 2,000 times greater than CO2. Global warming potentials are used to compare the strength of different GHGs to trap heat in the atmosphere relative to that of CO2. Here we discuss about the GWP of anesthetic gases, preventive measures to decrease the global warming effects of anesthetic gases and Xenon, a newer anesthetic gas for the future of anesthesia.

Towards a Global Greenhouse Gas Information System (GHGIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duren, Riley; Butler, James; Rotman, Doug; Miller, Charles; Decola, Phil; Sheffner, Edwin; Tucker, Compton; Mitchiner, John; Jonietz, Karl; Dimotakis, Paul

2010-05-01

Over the next few years, an increasing number of entities ranging from international, national, and regional governments, to businesses and private land-owners, are likely to become more involved in efforts to limit atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. In such a world, geospatially resolved information about the location, amount, and rate of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be needed, as well as the stocks and flows of all forms of carbon through terrestrial ecosystems and in the oceans. The ability to implement policies that limit GHG concentrations would be enhanced by a global, open, and transparent greenhouse gas information system (GHGIS). An operational and scientifically robust GHGIS would combine ground-based and space-based observations, carbon-cycle modeling, GHG inventories, meta-analysis, and an extensive data integration and distribution system, to provide information about sources, sinks, and fluxes of greenhouse gases at policy-relevant temporal and spatial scales. The GHGIS effort was initiated in 2008 as a grassroots inter-agency collaboration intended to rigorously identify the needs for such a system, assess the capabilities of current assets, and suggest priorities for future research and development. We will present a status of the GHGIS effort including our latest analysis and ideas for potential near-term pilot projects with potential relevance to European initiatives including the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and the Integrated Carbon Observing System (ICOS).

Human footprints on greenhouse gas fluxes in cryogenic ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karelin, D. V.; Goryachkin, S. V.; Zamolodchikov, D. G.; Dolgikh, A. V.; Zazovskaya, E. P.; Shishkov, V. A.; Kraev, G. N.

2017-12-01

Various human footprints on the flux of biogenic greenhouse gases from permafrost-affected soils in Arctic and boreal domains in Russia are considered. Tendencies of significant growth or suppression of soil CO2 fluxes change across types of human impact. Overall, the human impacts increase the mean value and variance of local soil CO2 flux. Human footprint on methane exchange between soil and atmosphere is mediated by drainage. However, all the types of human impact suppress the sources and increase sinks of methane to the land ecosystems. N2O flux grew under the considered types of human impact. Based on the results, we suggest that human footprint on soil greenhouse gases fluxes is comparable to the effect of climate change at an annual to decadal timescales.

Investigating high concentrations of three greenhouse gases in the Los Angeles Basin and San Bernardino Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirpes, R.; Blake, D. R.; Marrero, J.

2013-12-01

Following the Montreal Protocol of 1987 calling for the phase-out of CFCs and other ozone depleting substances, HCFCs and HFCs were introduced as alternatives despite still being greenhouse gases with high global warming potentials. In this study, whole air samples were collected during four research flights over Southern California aboard the NASA DC-8 Airborne Science Laboratory as part of the NASA Student Airborne Science Program. These samples were then analyzed by gas chromatography using a suite of detectors for many compounds, including HFC-134a, HCFC-22, and HFC-152a. HCFC-22 is primarily used as a refrigerant, while HFC-134a and HFC-152a are also used as aerosol propellants and foam blowing agents. High concentrations of these three compounds were observed for samples taken at low altitudes over urban areas around Los Angeles and San Bernardino. Exceptionally high concentrations were seen for all three compounds in samples taken near the Ontario and San Bernardino airports. Concentrations of HFC-134a, HCFC-22, and HFC-152a were enhanced above background levels near other airports sampled in the Los Angeles Basin and San Bernardino Valley. It is clear that concentrations of these three gases are higher in the San Bernardino Valley than in the Los Angeles Basin, and locations with exceptionally high concentrations were investigated to identify potential point sources. Concentrations of these three compounds were also compared to data from past SARP missions and data collected at Trinidad Head, California since 2005 as part of the AGAGE network. Comparison of the average values for each of these campaigns reveal that the background concentrations of HFC-134a, HCFC-22, and HFC-152a are all increasing with a strong linear trend in Southern California.

Creating a Methodology for Coordinating High-resolution Air Quality Improvement Map and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Strategies in Pittsburgh City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, J.; Donahue, N. M.; Klima, K.; Blackhurst, M.

2016-12-01

In order to tradeoff global impacts of greenhouse gases with highly local impacts of conventional air pollution, researchers require a method to compare global and regional impacts. Unfortunately, we are not aware of a method that allows these to be compared, "apples-to-apples". In this research we propose a three-step model to compare possible city-wide actions to reduce greenhouse gases and conventional air pollutants. We focus on Pittsburgh, PA, a city with consistently poor air quality that is interested in reducing both greenhouse gases and conventional air pollutants. First, we use the 2013 Pittsburgh Greenhouse Gas Inventory to update the Blackhurst et al. model and conduct a greenhouse gas abatement potentials and implementation costs of proposed greenhouse gas reduction efforts. Second, we use field tests for PM2.5, NOx, SOx, organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) data to inform a Land-use Regression Model for local air pollution at a 100m x 100m spatial level, which combined with a social cost of air pollution model (EASIUR) allows us to calculate economic social damages. Third, we combine these two models into a three-dimensional greenhouse gas cost abatement curve to understand the implementation costs and social benefits in terms of air quality improvement and greenhouse gas abatement for each potential intervention. We anticipated such results could provide policy-maker insights in green city development.

Ozone Sensitivity to Varying Greenhouse Gases and Ozone-Depleting Substances in CCMI-1 Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morgenstern, Olaf; Stone, Kane A.; Schofield, Robyn; Akiyoshi, Hideharu; Yamashita, Yousuke; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Garcia, Rolando R.; Sudo, Kengo; Plummer, David A.; Scinocca, John;

Ozone sensitivity to varying greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances in CCMI-1 simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgenstern, Olaf; Stone, Kane A.; Schofield, Robyn; Akiyoshi, Hideharu; Yamashita, Yousuke; Kinnison, Douglas E.; Garcia, Rolando R.; Sudo, Kengo; Plummer, David A.; Scinocca, John; Oman, Luke D.; Manyin, Michael E.; Zeng, Guang; Rozanov, Eugene; Stenke, Andrea; Revell, Laura E.; Pitari, Giovanni; Mancini, Eva; Di Genova, Glauco; Visioni, Daniele; Dhomse, Sandip S.; Chipperfield, Martyn P.

2018-01-01

Ozone fields simulated for the first phase of the Chemistry-Climate Model Initiative (CCMI-1) will be used as forcing data in the 6th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. Here we assess, using reference and sensitivity simulations produced for CCMI-1, the suitability of CCMI-1 model results for this process, investigating the degree of consistency amongst models regarding their responses to variations in individual forcings. We consider the influences of methane, nitrous oxide, a combination of chlorinated or brominated ozone-depleting substances, and a combination of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. We find varying degrees of consistency in the models' responses in ozone to these individual forcings, including some considerable disagreement. In particular, the response of total-column ozone to these forcings is less consistent across the multi-model ensemble than profile comparisons. We analyse how stratospheric age of air, a commonly used diagnostic of stratospheric transport, responds to the forcings. For this diagnostic we find some salient differences in model behaviour, which may explain some of the findings for ozone. The findings imply that the ozone fields derived from CCMI-1 are subject to considerable uncertainties regarding the impacts of these anthropogenic forcings. We offer some thoughts on how to best approach the problem of generating a consensus ozone database from a multi-model ensemble such as CCMI-1.

A spatio-temporal analysis for regional enhancements of greenhouse gas concentration with GOSAT and OCO-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasai, K.; Shiomi, K.; Konno, A.; Tadono, T.; Hori, M.

2017-12-01

Global observation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) with high spatio-temporal resolution and accurate estimation of sources and sinks are important to understand greenhouse gases dynamics. Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) has observed column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO2 (XCO2) and CH4 (XCH4) over 8 years since January 2009 with 3-day repeat cycle. Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) has observed XCO2 on orbit since July 2014 with 16-day repeat cycle. The objective of this study investigates regional enhancements of greenhouse gases concentrations using GOSAT and OCO-2 data. We use two retrieved datasets as GOSAT observation data. One is ACOS GOSAT/TANSO-FTS Level 2 Standard Product B7.3 by NASA/JPL, and the other is NIES TANSO-FTS SWIR L2 Product V02. As OCO-2 observation data, OCO-2 Operational L2 Data Version 7 is used. ODIAC dataset is also used for classification of regional enhancements into anthropogenic and biogenic sources. Before analyzing these datasets, outliers are screened by using "quality flag", "outcome flag" and "warn level" in land or water parts, and the "M-gain" data observed by GOSAT are removed. Then, the monthly mean XCO2 and XCH4 of all greenhouse gases datasets is calculated from the daily mean XCO2 and XCH4 to correct the weight by the difference in the number of observation points. Biases among datasets are assessed by comparing the monthly mean XCO2 and XCH4. Also, anomalies of XCO2 and XCH4 are computed by subtracting the monthly mean from individual observations. The positive and negative anomalies are candidates for regional enhancements and uptake, respectively. To detect the regional enhancements from the satellite observation datasets, the results of spatio-temporal analysis of the anomalies are also reported.

Agricultural management impact on greenhouse gas emissions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Management practices used on croplands to enhance crop yields and quality can contribute about 10 to 20% of global greenhouse gases (GHGs: carbon dioxide [CO2], nitrous oxide [N2O], and methane [CH4]). Some of these practices are tillage, cropping systems, N fertilization, organic fertilizer applica...

Long open-path measurements of greenhouse gases in air using near-infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffith, David W. T.; Pöhler, Denis; Schmitt, Stefan; Hammer, Samuel; Vardag, Sanam N.; Platt, Ulrich

2018-03-01

In complex and urban environments, atmospheric trace gas composition is highly variable in time and space. Point measurement techniques for trace gases with in situ instruments are well established and accurate, but do not provide spatial averaging to compare against developing high-resolution atmospheric models of composition and meteorology with resolutions of the order of a kilometre. Open-path measurement techniques provide path average concentrations and spatial averaging which, if sufficiently accurate, may be better suited to assessment and interpretation with such models. Open-path Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) in the mid-infrared region, and differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) in the UV and visible, have been used for many years for open-path spectroscopic measurements of selected species in both clean air and in polluted environments. Near infrared instrumentation allows measurements over longer paths than mid-infrared FTS for species such as greenhouse gases which are not easily accessible to DOAS.In this pilot study we present the first open-path near-infrared (4000-10 000 cm-1, 1.0-2.5 µm) FTS measurements of CO2, CH4, O2, H2O and HDO over a 1.5 km path in urban Heidelberg, Germany. We describe the construction of the open-path FTS system, the analysis of the collected spectra, several measures of precision and accuracy of the measurements, and the results a four-month trial measurement period in July-November 2014. The open-path measurements are compared to calibrated in situ measurements made at one end of the open path. We observe significant differences of the order of a few ppm for CO2 and a few tens of ppb for CH4 between the open-path and point measurements which are 2 to 4 times the measurement repeatability, but we cannot unequivocally assign the differences to specific local sources or sinks. We conclude that open-path FTS may provide a valuable new tool for investigations of atmospheric trace gas composition in

European emissions of the powerful greenhouse gases hydrofluorocarbons inferred from atmospheric measurements and their comparison with annual national reports to UNFCCC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graziosi, F.; Arduini, J.; Furlani, F.; Giostra, U.; Cristofanelli, P.; Fang, X.; Hermanssen, O.; Lunder, C.; Maenhout, G.; O'Doherty, S.; Reimann, S.; Schmidbauer, N.; Vollmer, M. K.; Young, D.; Maione, M.

2017-06-01

Hydrofluorocarbons are powerful greenhouse gases developed by industry after the phase-out of the ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons required by the Montreal Protocol. The climate benefit of reducing the emissions of hydrofluorocarbons has been widely recognised, leading to an amendment of the Montreal Protocol (Kigali Amendment) calling for developed countries to start to phase-down hydrofluorocarbons by 2019 and in developing countries to follow with a freeze between 2024 and 2028. In this way, nearly half a degree Celsius of warming would be avoided by the end of the century. Hydrofluorocarbons are also included in the basket of gases controlled under the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Annex I parties to the Convention submit annual national greenhouse gas inventories based on a bottom-up approach, which relies on declared anthropogenic activities. Top-down methodologies, based on atmospheric measurements and modelling, can be used in support to the inventory compilation. In this study we used atmospheric data from four European sites combined with the FLEXPART dispersion model and a Bayesian inversion method, in order to derive emissions of nine individual hydrofluorocarbons from the whole European Geographic Domain and from twelve regions within it, then comparing our results with the annual emissions that the European countries submit every year to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, as well as with the bottom-up Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research. We found several discrepancies when considering the specific compounds and on the country level. However, an overall agreement is found when comparing European aggregated data, which between 2008 and 2014 are on average 84.2 ± 28.0 Tg-CO2-eq·yr-1 against the 95.1 Tg-CO2-eq·yr-1 reported by UNFCCC in the same period. Therefore, in agreement with other studies, the gap on the global level between

Towards European organisation for integrated greenhouse gas observation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaukolehto, Marjut; Vesala, Timo; Sorvari, Sanna; Juurola, Eija; Paris, Jean-Daniel

2013-04-01

Climate change is one the most challenging problems that humanity will have to cope with in the coming decades. The perturbed global biogeochemical cycles of the greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) are a major driving force of current and future climate change. Deeper understanding of the driving forces of climate change requires full quantification of the greenhouse gas emissions and sinks and their evolution. Regional greenhouse gas budgets, tipping-points, vulnerabilities and the controlling mechanisms can be assessed by long term, high precision observations in the atmosphere and at the ocean and land surface. ICOS RI is a distributed infrastructure for on-line, in-situ monitoring of greenhouse gases (GHG) necessary to understand their present-state and future sinks and sources. ICOS RI provides the long-term observations required to understand the present state and predict future behaviour of the global carbon cycle and greenhouse gas emissions. Linking research, education and innovation promotes technological development and demonstrations related to greenhouse gases. The first objective of ICOS RI is to provide effective access to coherent and precise data and to provide assessments of GHG inventories with high temporal and spatial resolution. The second objective is to provide profound information for research and understanding of regional budgets of greenhouse gas sources and sinks, their human and natural drivers, and the controlling mechanisms. ICOS is one of several ESFRI initiatives in the environmental science domain. There is significant potential for structural and synergetic interaction with several other ESFRI initiatives. ICOS RI is relevant for Joint Programming by providing the data access for the researchers and acting as a contact point for developing joint strategic research agendas among European member states. The preparatory phase ends in March 2013 and there will be an interim period before the legal entity will

Earth Adventure: Virtual Globe-based Suborbital Atmospheric Greenhouse Gases Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Y.; Landolt, K.; Boyer, A.; Santhana Vannan, S. K.; Wei, Z.; Wang, E.

2016-12-01

The Earth Venture Suborbital (EVS) mission is an important component of NASA's Earth System Science Pathfinder program that aims at making substantial advances in Earth system science through measurements from suborbital platforms and modeling researches. For example, the Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) project of EVS-1 collected measurements of greenhouse gases (GHG) on local to regional scales in the Alaskan Arctic. The Atmospheric Carbon and Transport - America (ACT-America) project of EVS-2 will provide advanced, high-resolution measurements of atmospheric profiles and horizontal gradients of CO2 and CH4.As the long-term archival center for CARVE and the future ACT-America data, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center (ORNL DAAC) has been developing a versatile data management system for CARVE data to maximize their usability. One of these efforts is the virtual globe-based Suborbital Atmospheric GHG Exploration application. It leverages Google Earth to simulate the 185 flights flew by the C-23 Sherpa aircraft in 2012-2015 for the CARVE project. Based on Google Earth's 3D modeling capability and the precise coordinates, altitude, pitch, roll, and heading info of the aircraft recorded in every second during each flight, the application provides users accurate and vivid simulation of flight experiences, with an active 3D visualization of a C-23 Sherpa aircraft in view. This application provides dynamic visualization of GHG, including CO2, CO, H2O, and CH4 captured during the flights, at the same pace of the flight simulation in Google Earth. Photos taken during those flights are also properly displayed along the flight paths. In the future, this application will be extended to incorporate more complicated GHG measurements (e.g. vertical profiles) from the ACT-America project. This application leverages virtual globe technology to provide users an integrated framework to interactively explore information

Greenhouse Gas Reporting Requirements Related to Stationary Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Provides links to information about parts of the 2009 Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule that are relevant to owners and importers of stationary refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.

Measuring Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide from Space: The GOSAT and OCO-2 Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crisp, David

2011-01-01

The Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) is providing new insight into atmospheric carbon dioxide trends. The NASA Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2)Mission will build on this record with increased sensitivity resolution, and coverage.

Energy Market Impacts of Alternative Greenhouse Gas Intensity Reduction Goals

EIA Publications

2006-01-01

This report responds to a request from Senator Ken Salazar that the Energy Information Administration (EIA) analyze the impacts of implementing alternative variants of an emissions cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases (GHGs).

The detection of climate change due to the enhanced greenhouse effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiffer, Robert A.; Unninayar, Sushel

1991-01-01

The greenhouse effect is accepted as an undisputed fact from both theoretical and observational considerations. In Earth's atmosphere, the primary greenhouse gas is water vapor. The specific concern today is that increasing concentrations of anthropogenically introduced greenhouse gases will, sooner or later, irreversibly alter the climate of Earth. Detecting climate change has been complicated by uncertainties in historical observations and measurements. Thus, the primary concern for the GEDEX project is how can climate change and enhanced greenhouse effects be unambiguously detected and quantified. Specifically examined are the areas of: Earth surface temperature; the free atmosphere (850 millibars and above); space-based measurements; measurement uncertainties; and modeling the observed temperature record.

A revised, hazy methane greenhouse for the Archean Earth.

PubMed

Haqq-Misra, Jacob D; Domagal-Goldman, Shawn D; Kasting, Patrick J; Kasting, James F

2008-12-01

Geological and biological evidence suggests that Earth was warm during most of its early history, despite the fainter young Sun. Upper bounds on the atmospheric CO2 concentration in the Late Archean/Paleoproterozoic (2.8-2.2 Ga) from paleosol data suggest that additional greenhouse gases must have been present. Methanogenic bacteria, which were arguably extant at that time, may have contributed to a high concentration of atmospheric CH4, and previous calculations had indicated that a CH4-CO2-H2O greenhouse could have produced warm Late Archean surface temperatures while still satisfying the paleosol constraints on pCO2. Here, we revisit this conclusion. Correction of an error in the CH4 absorption coefficients, combined with the predicted early onset of climatically cooling organic haze, suggest that the amount of greenhouse warming by CH4 was more limited and that pCO2 must therefore have been 0.03 bar, at or above the upper bound of the value obtained from paleosols. Enough warming from CH4 remained in the Archean, however, to explain why Earth's climate cooled and became glacial when atmospheric O2 levels rose in the Paleoproterozoic. Our new model also shows that greenhouse warming by higher hydrocarbon gases, especially ethane (C2H6), may have helped to keep the Late Archean Earth warm.

Stable Isotopes in Evaluation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Isotopes offer a unique way to have natural tracers present in the ecosystem to track produced greenhouse gases (GHG) through multiple scales. Isotopes are simply atoms of the same element (same number of protons) with differing number of neutrons. This differing number of neutrons leads to differen...

Impact of biodiesel and renewable diesel on emissions of regulated pollutants and greenhouse gases on a 2000 heavy duty diesel truck

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Na, Kwangsam; Biswas, Subhasis; Robertson, William; Sahay, Keshav; Okamoto, Robert; Mitchell, Alexander; Lemieux, Sharon

2015-04-01

As part of a broad evaluation of the environmental impacts of biodiesel and renewable diesel as alternative motor fuels and fuel blends in California, the California Air Resources Board's (CARB) Heavy-duty Diesel Emission Testing Laboratory conducted chassis dynamometer exhaust emission measurements on in-use heavy-heavy-duty diesel trucks (HHDDT). The results presented here detail the impact of biodiesel and renewable diesel fuels and fuel blends as compared to CARB ULSD on particulate matter (PM), regulated gases, and two greenhouse gases emissions from a HHDDT with a 2000 C15 Caterpillar engine with no exhaust after treatment devices. This vehicle was tested over the Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule (UDDS) and the cruise portion of the California HHDDT driving schedule. Three neat blend stocks (soy-based and animal-based fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) biodiesels, and a renewable diesel) and CARB-certified ultra-low sulfur diesel (CARB ULSD) along with their 20% and 50% blends (blended with CARB ULSD) were tested. The effects of blend level on emission characteristics were discussed on g·km-1 basis. The results showed that PM, total hydrocarbon (THC), and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were dependent on driving cycles, showing higher emissions for the UDDS cycles with medium load than the highway cruise cycle with high load on per km basis. When comparing CARB ULSD to biodiesels and renewable diesel blends, it was observed that the PM, THC, and CO emissions decreased with increasing blend levels regardless of the driving cycles. Note that biodiesel blends showed higher degree of emission reductions for PM, THC, and CO than renewable diesel blends. Both biodiesels and renewable diesel blends effectively reduced PM emissions, mainly due to reduction in elemental carbon emissions (EC), however no readily apparent reductions in organic carbon (OC) emissions were observed. When compared to CARB ULSD, soy- and animal-based biodiesel blends showed statistically

Low Simulated Radiation Limit for Runaway Greenhouse Climates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldblatt, Colin; Robinson, Tyler D.; Zahnle, Kevin J.; Crisp, David

2013-01-01

Terrestrial planet atmospheres must be in long-term radiation balance, with solar radiation absorbed matched by thermal radiation emitted. For hot moist atmospheres, however, there is an upper limit on the thermal emission which is decoupled from the surface temperature. If net absorbed solar radiation exceeds this limit the planet will heat uncontrollably, the so-called \\runaway greenhouse". Here we show that a runaway greenhouse induced steam atmosphere may be a stable state for a planet with the same amount of incident solar radiation as Earth has today, contrary to previous results. We have calculated the clear-sky radiation limits at line-by-line spectral resolution for the first time. The thermal radiation limit is lower than previously reported (282 W/sq m rather than 310W/sq m) and much more solar radiation would be absorbed (294W/sq m rather than 222W/sq m). Avoiding a runaway greenhouse under the present solar constant requires that the atmosphere is subsaturated with water, and that cloud albedo forcing exceeds cloud greenhouse forcing. Greenhouse warming could in theory trigger a runaway greenhouse but palaeoclimate comparisons suggest that foreseeable increases in greenhouse gases will be insufficient to do this.

Comparison of gas-solid chromatography and MM2 force field molecular binding energies for greenhouse gases on a carbonaceous surface.

PubMed

Rybolt, Thomas R; Bivona, Kevin T; Thomas, Howard E; O'Dell, Casey M

2009-10-01

Gas-solid chromatography was used to determine B(2s) (gas-solid virial coefficient) values for eight molecular adsorbates interacting with a carbon powder (Carbopack B, Supelco). B(2s) values were determined by multiple size variant injections within the temperature range of 313-553 K. The molecular adsorbates included: carbon dioxide (CO(2)); tetrafluoromethane (CF(4)); hexafluoroethane (C(2)F(6)); 1,1-difluoroethane (C(2)H(4)F(2)); 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane (C(2)H(3)ClF(2)); dichlorodifluoromethane (CCl(2)F(2)); trichlorofluoromethane (CCl(3)F); and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (C(2)H(3)Cl(3)). Two of these molecules are of special interest because they are "super greenhouse gases". The global warming potential, GWP, for CF(4) is 6500 and for C(2)F(6) is 9200 relative to the reference value of 1 for CO(2). The GWP index considers both radiative blocking and molecular lifetime. For these and other industrial greenhouse gases, adsorptive trapping on a carbonaceous solid, which depends on molecule-surface binding energy, could avoid atmospheric release. The temperature variations of the gas-solid virial coefficients in conjunction with van't Hoff plots were used to find the experimental adsorption energy or binding energy values (E(*)) for each adsorbate. A molecular mechanics based, rough-surface model was used to calculate the molecule-surface binding energy (Ecal(*)) using augmented MM2 parameters. The surface model consisted of parallel graphene layers with two separated nanostructures each containing 17 benzene rings arranged in linear strips. The separation of the parallel nanostructures had been optimized in a prior study to appropriately represent molecule-surface interactions for Carbopack B. Linear regressions of E(*) versus Ecal(*) for the current data set of eight molecules and the same surface model gave E(*)=0.926 Ecal(*) and r(2)=0.956. A combined set of the current and prior Carbopack B adsorbates studied (linear alkanes, branched alkanes, cyclic alkanes

SF6-alternative gases for application in gas-insulated switchgear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xingwen; Zhao, Hu; Murphy, Anthony B.

2018-04-01

The environmental problems caused by greenhouse gases have received unprecedented attention. Sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), which is the preferred gas for use in gas-insulated switchgear (circuit breakers, disconnect switches, etc. for high-voltage electrical circuits), has a very high global warming potential, and there is a large international effort to find alternative gases. Recently, this effort has made important progress, with promising alternative gases being identified and tested. An overview, in particular the current state of the art, of the study of SF6-alternative gases is presented in the paper. The review focuses on the application of the SF6-alternative gases in gas-insulated switchgear, with detailed analysis of calculations and measurements of their basic physical properties, dielectric strengths, and arc-quenching capabilities. Finally, a discussion of and perspectives on current research and future research directions are presented.

Robust impact of coupled stratospheric ozone chemistry on the response of the Austral circulation to increased greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiodo, G.; Polvani, L. M.

2016-12-01

Due to computational constraints, interactive stratospheric chemistry is commonly neglected in most GCMs participating in inter-comparison projects. The impact of this simplification on the modeled response to external forcings remains largely unexplored. In this work, we examine the impact of the stratospheric chemistry coupling on the SH circulation response to an abrupt quadrupling of CO2. We accomplish this with a version of the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate (WACCM) model, which allows coupling and de-coupling stratospheric chemistry, without altering any other physical parameterization. We find that the chemistry coupling in WACCM significantly reduces (by about 20%) the response of both eddy-driven mid-latitude jet and the Hadley Cell strength, without altering the surface temperature response. This behavior is linked to the representation of stratospheric ozone, and its effects on the meridional temperature gradient at the extratropical tropopause. Our results imply that neglecting stratospheric ozone chemistry results in a potential overestimation of the circulation response to GHGs. Hence, stratospheric ozone chemistry produces a substantial negative feedback on the response of the atmospheric circulation to increased greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse Gases and Energy Intensity of Granite Rock Mining Operations in Thailand: A Case of Industrial Rock-Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kittipongvises, Suthirat; Chavalparit, Orathai; Sutthirat, Chakkaphan

2016-12-01

This paper is aimed to systematically assess greenhouse gases (GHGs) and energy intensity of the granite rock mining operations in Thailand and also identify a range of feasible options to minimize their GHG emissions. Mining factories A, B and C, located in the Eastern region of Thailand, were selected as research case studies. The results indicated that the 3-year average of GHGs emissions from factories A to C was 3387 718 kgCO2e per year with approximately 2.92 kgCO2e per ton of granite rock produced over 2012 to 2014. Of this, the carbon intensity of grid-electricity consumption for the crushed rock production was 1.84 kgCO2/kWh. Diesel fuel combustion for transport activities in the mining factories was the greatest contributor to GHGs emissions (68 %) compared to the purchased electricity and explosion process, with 31 % and 1 %, respectively. In-Pit Crushing and Conveying (IPCC) installation, haul truck payload optimization and management, and reduction in tire rolling resistance have shown potential to reduce carbon emissions accounted for 20 % to 70 %.

Methodological approach for the collection and simultaneous estimation of greenhouse gases emission from aquaculture ponds.

PubMed

Vasanth, Muthuraman; Muralidhar, Moturi; Saraswathy, Ramamoorthy; Nagavel, Arunachalam; Dayal, Jagabattula Syama; Jayanthi, Marappan; Lalitha, Natarajan; Kumararaja, Periyamuthu; Vijayan, Koyadan Kizhakkedath

2016-12-01

Global warming/climate change is the greatest environmental threat of our time. Rapidly developing aquaculture sector is an anthropogenic activity, the contribution of which to global warming is little understood, and estimation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission from the aquaculture ponds is a key practice in predicting the impact of aquaculture on global warming. A comprehensive methodology was developed for sampling and simultaneous analysis of GHGs, carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) from the aquaculture ponds. The GHG fluxes were collected using cylindrical acrylic chamber, air pump, and tedlar bags. A cylindrical acrylic floating chamber was fabricated to collect the GHGs emanating from the surface of aquaculture ponds. The sampling methodology was standardized and in-house method validation was established by achieving linearity, accuracy, precision, and specificity. GHGs flux was found to be stable at 10 ± 2 °C of storage for 3 days. The developed methodology was used to quantify GHGs in the Pacific white shrimp Penaeus vannamei and black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon culture ponds for a period of 4 months. The rate of emission of carbon dioxide was found to be much greater when compared to other two GHGs. Average GHGs emission in gha -1  day -1 during the culture was comparatively high in P.vannamei culture ponds.

An advanced retrieval algorithm for greenhouse gases using polarization information measured by GOSAT TANSO-FTS SWIR I: Simulation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, N.; Yoshida, Y.; Uchino, O.; Morino, I.; Yokota, T.

2016-11-01

We present an algorithm for retrieving column-averaged dry air mole fraction of carbon dioxide (XCO2) and methane (XCH4) from reflected spectra in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) measured by the TANSO-FTS (Thermal And Near infrared Sensor for carbon Observation Fourier Transform Spectrometer) sensor on board the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT). The algorithm uses the two linear polarizations observed by TANSO-FTS to improve corrections to the interference effects of atmospheric aerosols, which degrade the accuracy in the retrieved greenhouse gas concentrations. To account for polarization by the land surface reflection in the forward model, we introduced a bidirectional reflection matrix model that has two parameters to be retrieved simultaneously with other state parameters. The accuracy in XCO2 and XCH4 values retrieved with the algorithm was evaluated by using simulated retrievals over both land and ocean, focusing on the capability of the algorithm to correct imperfect prior knowledge of aerosols. To do this, we first generated simulated TANSO-FTS spectra using a global distribution of aerosols computed by the aerosol transport model SPRINTARS. Then the simulated spectra were submitted to the algorithms as measurements both with and without polarization information, adopting a priori profiles of aerosols that differ from the true profiles. We found that the accuracy of XCO2 and XCH4, as well as profiles of aerosols, retrieved with polarization information was considerably improved over values retrieved without polarization information, for simulated observations over land with aerosol optical thickness greater than 0.1 at 1.6 μm.

The effects of greenhouse gases on the Antarctic ozone hole in the past, present, and future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newman, P. A.; Li, F.; Lait, L. R.; Oman, L.

2017-12-01

The Antarctic ozone hole is primarily caused by human-produced ozone depleting substances such as chlorine-containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and bromine-containing halons. The large ozone spring-time depletion relies on the very-cold conditions of the Antarctic lower stratosphere, and the general containment of air by the polar night jet over Antarctica. Here we show the Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry Climate Model (GEOSCCM) coupled ocean-atmosphere-chemistry model for exploring the impact of increasing greenhouse gases (GHGs). Model simulations covering the 1960-2010 period are shown for: 1) a control ensemble with observed levels of ODSs and GHGs, 2) an ensemble with fixed 1960 GHG concentrations, and 3) an ensemble with fixed 1960 ODS levels. We look at a similar set of simulations (control, 2005 fixed GHG levels, and 2005 fixed ODS levels) with a new version of GEOSCCM over the period 2005-2100. These future simulations show that the decrease of ODSs leads to similar ozone recovery for both the control run and the fixed GHG scenarios, in spite of GHG forced changes to stratospheric ozone levels. These simulations demonstrate that GHG levels will have major impacts on the stratosphere by 2100, but have only small impacts on the Antarctic ozone hole.

Carbon emission limits required to satisfy future representative concentration pathways of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arora, V. K.; Scinocca, J. F.; Boer, G. J.; Christian, J. R.; Denman, K. L.; Flato, G. M.; Kharin, V. V.; Lee, W. G.; Merryfield, W. J.

2011-03-01

The response of the second-generation Canadian earth system model (CanESM2) to historical (1850-2005) and future (2006-2100) natural and anthropogenic forcing is assessed using the newly-developed representative concentration pathways (RCPs) of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and aerosols. Allowable emissions required to achieve the future atmospheric CO2 concentration pathways, are reported for the RCP 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. For the historical 1850-2005 period, cumulative land plus ocean carbon uptake and, consequently, cumulative diagnosed emissions compare well with observation-based estimates. The simulated historical carbon uptake is somewhat weaker for the ocean and stronger for the land relative to their observation-based estimates. The simulated historical warming of 0.9°C compares well with the observation-based estimate of 0.76 ± 0.19°C. The RCP 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios respectively yield warmings of 1.4, 2.3, and 4.9°C and cumulative diagnosed fossil fuel emissions of 182, 643 and 1617 Pg C over the 2006-2100 period. The simulated warming of 2.3°C over the 1850-2100 period in the RCP 2.6 scenario, with the lowest concentration of GHGs, is slightly larger than the 2°C warming target set to avoid dangerous climate change by the 2009 UN Copenhagen Accord. The results of this study suggest that limiting warming to roughly 2°C by the end of this century is unlikely since it requires an immediate ramp down of emissions followed by ongoing carbon sequestration in the second half of this century.

The Role of Long-Lived Greenhouse Gases as Principal LW Control Knob that Governs the Global Surface Temperature for Past and Future Climate Change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lacis, Andrew A.; Hansen, James E.; Russell, Gary L.; Oinas, Valdar; Jonas, Jeffrey

2013-01-01

The climate system of the Earth is endowed with a moderately strong greenhouse effect that is characterized by non-condensing greenhouse gases (GHGs) that provide the core radiative forcing. Of these, the most important is atmospheric CO2. There is a strong feedback contribution to the greenhouse effect by water vapor and clouds that is unique in the solar system, exceeding the core radiative forcing due to the non-condensing GHGs by a factor of three. The significance of the non-condensing GHGs is that once they have been injected into the atmosphere, they remain there virtually indefinitely because they do not condense and precipitate from the atmosphere, their chemical removal time ranging from decades to millennia. Water vapor and clouds have only a short lifespan, with their distribution determined by the locally prevailing meteorological conditions, subject to Clausius-Clapeyron constraint. Although solar irradiance is the ultimate energy source that powers the terrestrial greenhouse effect, there has been no discernible long-term trend in solar irradiance since precise monitoring began in the late 1970s. This leaves atmospheric CO2 as the effective control knob driving the current global warming trend. Over geological time scales, volcanoes are the principal source of atmospheric CO2, and the weathering of rocks is the principal sink, with the biosphere participating as both a source and a sink. The problem at hand is that human industrial activity is causing atmospheric CO2, to increase by 2 ppm per year, whereas the interglacial rate has been 0.005 ppm per year. This is a geologically unprecedented rate to turn the CO2 climate control knob. This is causing the global warming that threatens the global environment.

Effect of noble gases on an atmospheric greenhouse /Titan/.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cess, R.; Owen, T.

1973-01-01

Several models for the atmosphere of Titan have been investigated, taking into account various combinations of neon and argon. The investigation shows that the addition of large amounts of Ne and/or Ar will substantially reduce the hydrogen abundance required for a given greenhouse effect. The fact that a large amount of neon should be present if the atmosphere is a relic of the solar nebula is an especially attractive feature of the models, because it is hard to justify appropriate abundances of other enhancing agents.

Optimization Model for Reducing Emissions of Greenhouse Gases from Automobiles (OMEGA)

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Vehicle Greenhouse Gas (VGHG) model is used to apply various technologies to a defined set of vehicles in order to meet a specified GHG emission target, and to then calculate the costs and benefits of doing so.

Greenhouse gas and carbon profile of the U.S. forest products industry value chain

Treesearch

Linda S. Heath; Van Maltby; Reid Miner; Kenneth E. Skog; James E. Smith; Jay Unwin; Brad Upton

2010-01-01

A greenhouse gas and carbon accounting profile was developed for the U.S. forest products industry value chain for 1990 and 2004-2005 by examining net atmospheric fluxes of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) using a variety of methods and data sources. Major GHG emission sources include direct and indirect (from purchased electricity...

Vision for an Open, Global Greenhouse Gas Information System (GHGIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duren, R. M.; Butler, J. H.; Rotman, D.; Ciais, P.; Greenhouse Gas Information System Team

2010-12-01

Over the next few years, an increasing number of entities ranging from international, national, and regional governments, to businesses and private land-owners, are likely to become more involved in efforts to limit atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. In such a world, geospatially resolved information about the location, amount, and rate of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will be needed, as well as the stocks and flows of all forms of carbon through the earth system. The ability to implement policies that limit GHG concentrations would be enhanced by a global, open, and transparent greenhouse gas information system (GHGIS). An operational and scientifically robust GHGIS would combine ground-based and space-based observations, carbon-cycle modeling, GHG inventories, synthesis analysis, and an extensive data integration and distribution system, to provide information about anthropogenic and natural sources, sinks, and fluxes of greenhouse gases at temporal and spatial scales relevant to decision making. The GHGIS effort was initiated in 2008 as a grassroots inter-agency collaboration intended to identify the needs for such a system, assess the capabilities of current assets, and suggest priorities for future research and development. We will present a vision for an open, global GHGIS including latest analysis of system requirements, critical gaps, and relationship to related efforts at various agencies, the Group on Earth Observations, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Net global warming potential and greenhouse gas intensity influenced by irrigation, tillage, crop rotation, and nitrogen fertilization

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Little information exists about sources and sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs) affected by management practices to account for net emissions from agroecosystems. We evaluated the effects of irrigation, tillage, crop rotation, and N fertilization on net global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas...

[Effects of understory removal on soil greenhouse gas emissions in Carya cathayensis stands].

PubMed

Liu, Juan; Chen, Xue-shuang; Wu, Jia-sen; Jiang, Pei-kun; Zhou, Guo-mo; Li, Yong-fu

2015-03-01

CO2, N2O and CH4 are important greenhouse gases, and soils in forest ecosystems are their important sources. Carya cathayensis is a unique tree species with seeds used for high-grade dry fruit and oil production. Understory vegetation management plays an important role in soil greenhouse gases emission of Carya cathayensis stands. A one-year in situ experiment was conducted to study the effects of understory removal on soil CO2, N2O and CH4 emissions in C. cathayensis plantation by closed static chamber technique and gas chromatography method. Soil CO2 flux had a similar seasonal trend in the understory removal and preservation treatments, which was high in summer and autumn, and low in winter and spring. N2O emission occurred mainly in summer, while CH4 emission showed no seasonal trend. Understory removal significantly decreased soil CO, emission, increased N2O emission and CH4 uptake, but had no significant effect on soil water soluble organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon. The global warming potential of soil greenhouse gases emitted in the understory removal. treatment was 15.12 t CO2-e . hm-2 a-1, which was significantly lower than that in understory preservation treatment (17.04 t CO2-e . hm-2 . a-1).

Greenhouse effect in planetary atmospheres caused by molecular symmetry breaking in intermolecular interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigasin, A. A.; Mokhov, I. I.

2017-03-01

It is believed that the greenhouse effect is related to the parameters of absorption spectra of polyatomic molecules, usually trace gases, in planetary atmospheres. The main components of all known atmospheres of celestial bodies are symmetrical molecules that do not possess the dipole-allowed purely rotational (and in the case of diatomic molecules, vibrational-rotational) absorption spectrum. Upon increased pressure, a weak absorption appears, induced by intermolecular interaction, which can lead to a greenhouse effect. The contribution of the induced absorption in radiative forcing of a dense atmosphere may amount to a few or even tens of W/m2. In conditions typical for the atmospheres of terrestrial planets (including paleoatmospheres), the collision-induced absorption and associated greenhouse effect may lead to an increase in surface temperature above the freezing point of water. There is a correlation between the temperature of an atmosphere and the intermolecular bonding energy of gases that dominate in planetary atmospheres of the Solar System.

Estimating greenhouse gas emissions from a waste lagoon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A cost-effective approach was used to investigate the relationship between emission of the greenhouse gases (GHG) CO2, CH4, and N2O and energy fluxes from a swine waste lagoon. Energy fluxes were calculated using the Penman method. The energy fluxes showed a diurnal pattern as expected of such flux...

Inventory of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and sinks: 1990-2008

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-04-01

An emissions inventory that identifies and quantifies a country's primary anthropogenic sources and sinks of greenhouse gases is essential for addressing climate change. This inventory adheres to both 1) a comprehensive and detailed set of methodolog...

Greenhouse Gas Analysis by GC/MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bock, E. M.; Easton, Z. M.; Macek, P.

2015-12-01

Current methods to analyze greenhouse gases rely on designated complex, multiple-column, multiple-detector gas chromatographs. A novel method was developed in partnership with Shimadzu for simultaneous quantification of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) in environmental gas samples. Gas bulbs were used to make custom standard mixtures by injecting small volumes of pure analyte into the nitrogen-filled bulb. Resulting calibration curves were validated using a certified gas standard. The use of GC/MS systems to perform this analysis has the potential to move the analysis of greenhouse gasses from expensive, custom GC systems to standard single-quadrupole GC/MS systems that are available in most laboratories, which wide variety of applications beyond greenhouse gas analysis. Additionally, use of mass spectrometry can provide confirmation of identity of target analytes, and will assist in the identification of unknown peaks should they be present in the chromatogram.

Simulating evolution of technology: An aid to energy policy analysis. A case study of strategies to control greenhouse gases in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyboer, John

Issues related to the reduction of greenhouse gases are encumbered with uncertainties for decision makers. Unfortunately, conventional analytical tools generate widely divergent forecasts of the effects of actions designed to mitigate these emissions. "Bottom-up" models show the costs of reducing emissions attained through the penetration of efficient technologies to be low or negative. In contrast, more aggregate "top-down" models show costs of reduction to be high. The methodological approaches of the different models used to simulate energy consumption generate, in part, the divergence found in model outputs. To address this uncertainty and bring convergence, I use a technology-explicit model that simulates turnover of equipment stock as a function of detailed data on equipment costs and stock characteristics and of verified behavioural data related to equipment acquisition and retrofitting. Such detail can inform the decision maker of the effects of actions to reduce greenhouse gases due to changes in (1) technology stocks, (2) products or services, or (3) the mix of fuels used. This thesis involves two main components: (1) the development of a quantitative model to analyse energy demand and (2) the application of this tool to a policy issue, abatement of COsb2 emissions. The analysis covers all of Canada by sector (8 industrial subsectors, residential commercial) and region. An electricity supply model to provide local electricity prices supplemented the quantitative model. Forecasts of growth and structural change were provided by national macroeconomic models. Seven different simulations were applied to each sector in each region including a base case run and three runs simulating emissions charges of 75/tonne, 150/tonne and 225/tonne CO sb2. The analysis reveals that there is significant variation in the costs and quantity of emissions reduction by sector and region. Aggregated results show that Canada can meet both stabilisation targets (1990 levels of

A New Connection Between Greenhouse Warming and Stratospheric Ozone Depletion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salawitch, R.

1998-01-01

The direct radiative effects of the build-up of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have led to a gradual cooling of the stratosphere with largest changes in temperature occurring in the upper stratosphere, well above the region of peak ozone concentration.

GREENHOUSE GAS MITIGATION POTENTIAL IN U.S. FORESTRY AND AGRICULTURE

EPA Science Inventory

This report describes the FASOM-GHG model (Forestry and Agriculture Sector Optimization Model with Greenhouse Gases), the GHG mitigation scenarios for U.S. forestry and agriculture run through the FASOM-GHG model, and the results and insights that are generated. GHG mitigation po...

Agricultural greenhouse gas flux determination via remote sensing and modeling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Serious concerns have been raised about increasing levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) and associated climate change. For every degree in global temperature increase, grain production yields are expected to decrease 10%, while the global human population continues to increase by roughly 8...

Greenhouse gases: low methane leakage from gas pipelines.

PubMed

Lelieveld, J; Lechtenböhmer, S; Assonov, S S; Brenninkmeijer, C A M; Dienst, C; Fischedick, M; Hanke, T

2005-04-14

Using natural gas for fuel releases less carbon dioxide per unit of energy produced than burning oil or coal, but its production and transport are accompanied by emissions of methane, which is a much more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide in the short term. This calls into question whether climate forcing could be reduced by switching from coal and oil to natural gas. We have made measurements in Russia along the world's largest gas-transport system and find that methane leakage is in the region of 1.4%, which is considerably less than expected and comparable to that from systems in the United States. Our calculations indicate that using natural gas in preference to other fossil fuels could be useful in the short term for mitigating climate change.

[Effects of antiseptic on the analysis of greenhouse gases concentrations in lake water].

PubMed

Xiao, Qi-Tao; Hu, Zheng-Hu; James, Deng; Xiao, Wei; Liu, Shou-Dong; Li, Xu-Hui

2014-01-01

To gain insight into antiseptic effects on the concentrations of CO2, CH4, and N2O in lake water, antisepetic (CuSO4 and HgCl2) were added into water sample, and concentrations of greenhouse gases were measured by the gas chromatography based on water equilibrium method. Experiments were conducted as following: the control group without antisepetic (CK), the treatment group with 1 mL CuSO4 solution (T1), the treatment group with 5 mL CuSO4 solution (T2), and the treatment group with 0.5 mL HgCl2 solution (T3). All groups were divided into two batches: immediately analysis (I), and after 2 days analysis (II). Results showed that CuSO4 and HgCl2 significantly increased CO2 concentration, the mean CO2 concentration (Mco2) of CK (I) and CK (II) were (11.5 +/- 1.47) micromol x L(-1) and (14.38 +/- 1.59) micromol x L(-1), respectively; the Mco2 of T1 (I) and T1 (II) were (376 +/- 70) micromol x L(-1) and (448 +/- 246.83) micromol x L(-1), respectively; the Mco2 of T2 (I) and T2 (II) were (885 +/- 51.53) micromol x L(-1) and (988.83 +/- 101.96) micromol x L(-1), respectively; the Mco2 of T3 (I) and T3 (II) were (287.19 +/- 30.01) micromol x L(-1) and (331.33 +/- 22.06) micromol x L(-1), respectively. The results also showed that there was no difference in CH4 and N2O concentrations among treatments. Water samples should be analyzed as soon as possible after pretreatment. Our findings suggest that adding antiseptic may lead an increase in CO2 concentration.

Dynamic Measurements of Greenhouse Gas Respirations Caused by Changing Oxygen Levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleck, D.; Saad, N.

2015-12-01

The necessity for constant monitoring of greenhouse gases (GHGs) is clearly evident now more than ever. Moreover, interpreting and understanding the processes that dictate the production and consumption of these gases will allow for proper management of GHGs in order to mitigate its detrimental climate effects. Presence of oxygen, or lack of it, is the driving force for determining pathways within biochemical redox reactions. Experiments to find correlations between oxygen and greenhouse gases have helped us understand photosynthesis, denitrification and beyond. Within the past few years measurements of O2 and nitrous oxide have been used over a wide ranging array of disciplines; from studying avenues for redox chemistry to characterizing gas profiles in sputum of cystic fibrosis patients. We present a full analysis solution, based on cavity ring-down spectroscopy, for simultaneous measurements of N2O, CO2, CH4, H2O, NH3, and O2 concentrations in soil flux, in order to better understand dynamics of ecological and biogeochemical processes. The stability and high temporal resolution of the five-species CRDS analyzer, coupled with a continuous high-precision O2 measurement (1-σ <200ppm) produces a complete picture of biogeochemical processes, for which a multitude of additional research experiments can be conceived. Adding another dimension to explore to help determine the rate at which these greenhouse gases are produced or consumed, allows scientists to further address fundamental scientific questions. Data is presented showing precision, drift and limitations of the O2 sensor measurement as well as the validity of spectroscopic corrections with the CRDS analyzer caused by changing O2. Experimental data is also presented to explore correlations of soil respiration rates of N2O, CO2 and CH4 due to differing soil O2 contents at varying timescales from minutes to days.

High-sensitivity remote detection of atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gases at low ppm levels using near-infrared tunable diode lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Anirban; Upadhyay, Abhishek; Chakraborty, Arup Lal

2016-05-01

The concentration of atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gases needs to be precisely monitored for sustainable industrial development and to predict the climate shifts caused by global warming. Such measurements are made on a continuous basis in ecologically sensitive and urban areas in the advanced countries. Tunable diode laser spectroscopy (TDLS) is the most versatile non-destructive technology currently available for remote measurements of multiple gases with very high selectivity (low cross-sensitivity), very high sensitivity (on the order of ppm and ppb) and under hazardous conditions. We demonstrate absolute measurements of acetylene, methane and carbon dioxide using a fielddeployable fully automated TDLS system that uses calibration-free 2f wavelength modulation spectroscopy (2f WMS) techniques with sensitivities of low ppm levels. A 40 mW, 1531.52 nm distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser, a 10 mW, 1650 nm DFB laser and a 1 mW, 2004 nm vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) are used in the experiments to probe the P9 transition of acetylene, R4 transition of methane and R16 transition of carbon dioxide respectively. Data acquisition and on-board analysis comprises a Raspberry Pi-based embedded system that is controllable over a wireless connection. Gas concentration and pressure are simultaneously extracted by fitting the experimental signals to 2f WMS signals simulated using spectroscopic parameters obtained from the HITRAN database. The lowest detected concentration is 11 ppm for acetylene, 275 ppm for methane and 285 ppm for carbon dioxide using a 28 cm long single-pass gas cell.

76 FR 36339 - Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Additional Sources of Fluorinated GHGs: Extension of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-22

... Monitoring Provisions for Electronics Manufacturing AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION... monitoring methods in Subpart I: Electronics Manufacturing of the Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule...: Electronics Manufacturing of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule on December 1, 2010 (75 FR 74774). This subpart...

"Atmospheric Measurements by Ultra-Light SpEctrometer" (AMULSE) dedicated to vertical profile measurements of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4) under stratospheric balloons: instrumental development and field application.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maamary, Rabih; Joly, Lilian; Decarpenterie, Thomas; Cousin, Julien; Dumelié, Nicolas; Grouiez, Bruno; Albora, Grégory; Chauvin, Nicolas; Miftah-El-Khair, Zineb; Legain, Dominique; Tzanos, Diane; Barrié, Joel; Moulin, Eric; Ramonet, Michel; Bréon, François-Marie; Durry, Georges

2016-04-01

Human activities disrupt natural biogeochemical cycles such as the carbon and contribute to an increase in the concentrations of the greenhouse gases (carbone dioxide and methane) in the atmosphere. The current atmospheric transport modeling (the vertical trade) still represents an important source of uncertainty in the determination of regional flows of greenhouse gases, which means that a good knowledge of the vertical distribution of CO2 is necessary to (1) make the link between the ground measurements and spatial measurements that consider an integrated concentration over the entire column of the atmosphere, (2) validate and if possible improve CO2 transport model to make the link between surface emissions and observed concentration. The aim of this work is to develop a lightweight instrument (based on mid-infrared laser spectrometry principles) for in-situ measuring at high temporal/spatial resolution (5 Hz) the vertical profiles of the CO2 and the CH4 using balloons (meteorological and BSO at high precision levels (< 1 ppm in 1 second integration time for the CO2 sensor, and smaller than several tenths of ppb in 1 second integration time for the CH4 sensor). The instrument should be lighter than 2.5 kg in order to facilitate authorizations, costs and logistics flights. These laser spectrometers are built on recent instrumental developments. Several flights were successfully done in the region Champagne-Ardenne and in Canada recently. Aknowledgments: The authors acknowledge financial supports from CNES, CNRS défi instrumental and the region Champagne-Ardenne.

[Diurnal changes in greenhouse gases at water-air interface of Xiangxi River in autumn and their influencing factors].

PubMed

Huang, Wen-Min; Zhu, Kong-Xian; Zhao, Wei; Yu, Bo-Shi; Yuan, Xi-Gong; Feng, Rui-Jie; Bi, Yong-Hong; Hu, Zheng-Yu

2013-04-01

With the closed chamber and gas chromatography method, a 24-hour continuous monitoring was carried out to understand the greenhouse gases fluxes across the water-air interface of the Xiangxi River Bay, the Three-Gorges Reservoir in Autumn. Results indicated that the fluxes of CO2, CH4 and N2O across the water-air interface showed an obvious diurnal variation. The absorption and emission process of CH4 showed strong diurnal variation during the experimental period, reaching the highest emission at 1 am, whereas CO2 and N2O were emitted all day. The fluxes of CO2 ranged from 20.1-97.5 mg x (m2 x h)(-1) at day and 32.7-42.5 mg x (m2 x h)(-1) at night, the fluxes of N2O ranged from 18.4-133.7 microg x (m2 x h)(-1) at day and 42.1-102.6 microg x (m2 x h)(-1) at night. The fluxes of CO2 had positive correlation with wind speed and negative correlation with pH. The fluxes of N2O had positive correlation with pH.

Greenhouse gases emissions accounting for typical sewage sludge digestion with energy utilization and residue land application in China.

PubMed

Niu, Dong-jie; Huang, Hui; Dai, Xiao-hu; Zhao, You-cai

2013-01-01

About 20 million tonnes of sludge (with 80% moisture content) is discharged by the sewage treatment plants per year in China, which, if not treated properly, can be a significant source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. Anaerobic digestion is a conventional sewage sludge treatment method and will continue to be one of the main technologies in the following years. This research has taken into consideration GHGs emissions from typical processes of sludge thickening+anaerobic digestion+dewatering+residue land application in China. Fossil CO(2), biogenic CO(2), CH(4,) and avoided CO(2) as the main objects is discussed respectively. The results show that the total CO(2)-eq is about 1133 kg/t DM (including the biogenic CO(2)), while the net CO(2)-eq is about 372 kg/t DM (excluding the biogenic CO(2)). An anaerobic digestion unit as the main GHGs emission source occupies more than 91% CO(2)-eq of the whole process. The use of biogas is important for achieving carbon dioxide emission reductions, which could reach about 24% of the total CO(2)-eq reduction. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Separate effects of flooding and anaerobiosis on soil greenhouse gas emissions and redox sensitive biogeochemistry

Treesearch

Gavin McNicol; Whendee L. Silver

2014-01-01

Soils are large sources of atmospheric greenhouse gases, and both the magnitude and composition of soil gas emissions are strongly controlled by redox conditions. Though the effect of redox dynamics on greenhouse gas emissions has been well studied in flooded soils, less research has focused on redox dynamics without total soil inundation. For the latter, all that is...

Evaluating options for U.S. greenhouse-gas mitigation using multiple criteria

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-01-01

Choosing a set of policy responses to mitigate greenhouse gases (GHGs) responsible for climate change is one of the great challenges that the United States faces in the coming years. This paper develops a framework for evaluating GHG-mitigation polic...

Peru's national greenhouse gas inventory, 1990 : Peru climate change country study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-07-01

The aim of this study has been to determine the Inventory and to propose Greenhouse gases mitigation alternatives in order to face the future development of the country in a clean environmental setting, improving in this way the Peruvian standard of ...

Greenhouse gas emissions from alternative futures of deforestation and agricultural management in the southern Amazon.

PubMed

Galford, Gillian L; Melillo, Jerry M; Kicklighter, David W; Cronin, Timothy W; Cerri, Carlos E P; Mustard, John F; Cerri, Carlos C

2010-11-16

The Brazilian Amazon is one of the most rapidly developing agricultural areas in the world and represents a potentially large future source of greenhouse gases from land clearing and subsequent agricultural management. In an integrated approach, we estimate the greenhouse gas dynamics of natural ecosystems and agricultural ecosystems after clearing in the context of a future climate. We examine scenarios of deforestation and postclearing land use to estimate the future (2006-2050) impacts on carbon dioxide (CO(2)), methane (CH(4)), and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) emissions from the agricultural frontier state of Mato Grosso, using a process-based biogeochemistry model, the Terrestrial Ecosystems Model (TEM). We estimate a net emission of greenhouse gases from Mato Grosso, ranging from 2.8 to 15.9 Pg CO(2)-equivalents (CO(2)-e) from 2006 to 2050. Deforestation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions over this period, but land uses following clearing account for a substantial portion (24-49%) of the net greenhouse gas budget. Due to land-cover and land-use change, there is a small foregone carbon sequestration of 0.2-0.4 Pg CO(2)-e by natural forests and cerrado between 2006 and 2050. Both deforestation and future land-use management play important roles in the net greenhouse gas emissions of this frontier, suggesting that both should be considered in emissions policies. We find that avoided deforestation remains the best strategy for minimizing future greenhouse gas emissions from Mato Grosso.

Multi-layer Retrievals of Greenhouse Gases from a Combined Use of GOSAT TANSO-FTS SWIR and TIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikuchi, N.; Kuze, A.; Kataoka, F.; Shiomi, K.; Hashimoto, M.; Suto, H.; Knuteson, R. O.; Iraci, L. T.; Yates, E. L.; Gore, W.; Tanaka, T.; Yokota, T.

2016-12-01

The TANSO-FTS sensor onboard GOSAT has three frequency bands in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) and the fourth band in the thermal infrared (TIR). Observations of high-resolution spectra of reflected sunlight in the SWIR are extensively utilized to retrieve column-averaged concentrations of the major greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (XCO2) and methane (XCH4). Although global XCO2 and XCH4 distribution retrieved from SWIR data can reduce the uncertainty in the current knowledge about sources and sinks of these gases, information on the vertical profiles would be more useful to constrain the surface flux and also to identify the local emission sources. Based on the degrees of freedom for signal, Kulawik et al. (2016, IWGGMS-12 presentation) shows that 2-layer information on the concentration of CO2 can be extracted from TANSO-FTS SWIR measurements, and the retrieval error is predicted to be about 5 ppm in the lower troposphere. In this study, we present multi-layer retrievals of CO2 and CH4 from a combined use of measurements of TANSO-FTS SWIR and TIR. We selected GOSAT observations at Railroad Valley Playa in Nevada, USA, which is a vicarious calibration site for TANSO-FTS, as we have various ancillary data including atmospheric temperature and humidity taken by a radiosonde, surface temperature, and surface emissivity with a ground based FTS. All of these data are useful especially for retrievals using TIR spectra. Currently, we use the 700-800 cm-1 and 1200-1300 cm-1 TIR windows for CO2 and CH4 retrievals, respectively, in addition to the SWIR bands. We found that by adding TIR windows, 3-layer information can be extracted, and the predicted retrieval error in the CO2 concentration was reduced about 1 ppm in the lower troposphere. We expect that the retrieval error could be further reduced by optimizing TIR windows and by reducing systematic forward model errors.

78 FR 19605 - Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule: Revision to Best Available Monitoring Method Request Submission...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-02

..., Administrative practice and procedures, Air pollution control, Greenhouse gases, Monitoring, Reporting and..., 2013. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carole Cook, Climate Change Division, Office of Atmospheric...

GREENHOUSE GASES (ATMOSPHERIC PROTECTION BRANCH, AIR POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL DIVISION, NRMRL)

EPA Science Inventory

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are projected for various scenarios and the most appropriate approaches and technologies for mitigation are identified by NRMRL's Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division's Atmospheric Protection Branch (APB). These methods contribute to reduct...

Proceedings of the International Workshop on Sustainable ForestManagement: Monitoring and Verification of Greenhouse Gases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sathaye; Makundi; Goldberg

1997-07-01

The International Workshop on Sustainable Forest Management: Monitoring and Verification of Greenhouse Gases was held in San Jose, Costa Rica, July 29-31, 1996. The main objectives of the workshop were to: (1) assemble key practitioners of forestry greenhouse gas (GHG) or carbon offset projects, remote sensing of land cover change, guidelines development, and the forest products certification movement, to offer presentations and small group discussions on findings relevant to the crucial need for the development of guidelines for monitoring and verifying offset projects, and (2) disseminate the findings to interested carbon offset project developers and forestry and climate change policymore » makers, who need guidance and consistency of methods to reduce project transaction costs and increase probable reliability of carbon benefits, at appropriate venues. The workshop brought together about 45 participants from developed, developing, and transition countries. The participants included researchers, government officials, project developers, and staff from regional and international agencies. Each shared his or her perspectives based on experience in the development and use of methods for monitoring and verifying carbon flows from forest areas and projects. A shared sense among the participants was that methods for monitoring forestry projects are well established, and the techniques are known and used extensively, particularly in production forestry. Introducing climate change with its long-term perspective is often in conflict with the shorter-term perspective of most forestry projects and standard accounting principles. The resolution of these conflicts may require national and international agreements among the affected parties. The establishment of guidelines and protocols for better methods that are sensitive to regional issues will be an important first step to increase the credibility of forestry projects as viable mitigation options. The workshop

Greenhouse effect simulator - An educational application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machado, Alan Freitas; Viveiros, Bruno Martins; da Silva, Claudio Elias

2016-12-01

Using the program "Modellus", we intend to create a simple simulation to show the impacts that the Greenhouse Effect might have, in a didactic and friendly way, in order to expose this notions to high and middle school students. In order to do so, we created a program that will simulate a sweep, through the Troposphere, and create two lines in a graphic, one showing the temperatures behavior, in normal conditions, and the other showing how the temperature behaves in the presence of excess of Greenhouse gases. The main purpose of the project is to use the model in schools and try to make kids more conscious of their roles in our so society, showing them the consequences of the tendency of our acts, stimulating them to be more proactives to change the future.

Special Issue From the 4th USDA Greenhouse Gas Symposium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Greenhouse gases emitted from agricultural and forest systems continue to be a topic of interest because of their potential role in the global climate and the potential monetary return in the form of carbon credits from the adoption of mitigation strategies. There are several challenges in the scien...

GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM RESERVOIRS: A MATTER OF METHANE

EPA Science Inventory

More than a decade ago, St. Louis et al. demonstrated that, collectively, manmade reservoirs play an important role in the global balance of greenhouse gases (GHGs). To update and build upon this important seminal work, we compiled reservoir CO2, CH4, and N2O flux estimates from...

Soil Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Subtropical Mangrove in Hong Kong

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, D. Y. F.; Xu, J.

2014-12-01

The concept of "blue carbon" has received increasing attention recently, which points to the potential role of vegetated coastal wetlands in carbon sequestration. Yet, the magnitude and controls of greenhouse gas emissions from coastal wetland ecosystems, especially mangroves in the subtropical regions, are still largely unknown. In this study, we conducted chamber measurements in the Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve of Hong Kong at monthly intervals to characterize the spatial and temporal variability of the emission of greenhouse gases, including CO2, CH4 and N2O from mangrove soils, and examine the influence of environmental and biotic variables on greenhouse gas fluxes. We found the highest mean CH4 and N2O emissions in autumn and the highest CO2 flux in summer. Along the tidal gradient, we observed significantly higher CH4 and N2O emissions from the middle zones and landward zones, respectively, while no clear spatial variation of CO2 emissions was observed. There were significantly higher soil greenhouse gas emissions from sites dominated by Avicennia marina than those dominated by Kandelia obovata, which might be due to the presence of pneumatophores which facilitated gas transport. We found a significant, negative correlation between CH4 flux and soil NO3-N concentration, while CO2 flux was positively correlation with total Kjeldahl nitrogen content. Soil temperature was positively correlated with the emissions of all three greenhouse gases, while water table depth was positively and negatively correlated with CH4 and N2O emissions, respectively. Our findings demonstrate the high spatial and temporal variability of greenhouse gas emissions from mangrove soils which could be attributed in part to the differences in environmental conditions and dominant plant species.

Atmospheric Pollution and Greenhouse Emissions over 14 Largest Megacities of the World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, X.; Singh, R. P.

2017-12-01

Megacities have more than 10 million people, some of them are located in developing/developed countries. We have considered the top 14 megacities of the world. Due to growing industries, urbanization, vehicular density, and energy demand, greenhouse gas emissions have increased, which has degraded air quality. In some countries, clean air act has improved the air quality. We have considered multiple satellites and have retrieved atmospheric pollution parameters (aerosol optical depth-AOD and angstrom exponent) and greenhouse gases to study their variability from the period 2002-2016. High AOD represents high pollution level, which are prominent during winter and spring for Manila, Tokyo, Beijing, Moscow, Mexico City, Mumbai, Seoul, Dhaka, Cairo, and Bangkok. During summer and fall, Delhi, Karachi, and Sao Paulo have high values. During spring season, some of the megacities show significant higher pollution levels (high AOD) associated with the dust storms; however, Moscow and Karachi show contrasting behaviors. The angstrom exponent parameter has high values in the spring and summer for Manila, Shanghai, Beijing, Moscow, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Seoul, and Cairo. Moscow shows a significant low value in April 2012. Delhi, Karachi, Mumbai, Dhaka, and Bangkok have high values in fall and winter. Dhaka shows significant low values in August 2003, June 2005, June 2008, July 2011, and June 2016. The total ozone column concentrations have high values during summer and spring, and low values during fall and winter. The methane concentrations are higher during fall and winter, and lower during spring and summer. An increasing trend of methane level is observed over all the megacities from 2002 until now. The increasing greenhouse gases in megacities have direct impact on human health and weather conditions. Some of the megacities suffer from dense haze, fog and smog, which impact the day-to-day lives of residents due to increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Reservoir Water Surfaces: A New Global Synthesis - journal

EPA Science Inventory

Collectively, reservoirs are an important anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. Attempts to model reservoir GHG fluxes, however, have been limited by inconsistencies in methodological approaches and data availability. An increase in the number of pu...

Switching to a U.S. hydrogen fuel cell vehicle fleet: The resultant change in emissions, energy use, and greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colella, W. G.; Jacobson, M. Z.; Golden, D. M.

This study examines the potential change in primary emissions and energy use from replacing the current U.S. fleet of fossil-fuel on-road vehicles (FFOV) with hybrid electric fossil fuel vehicles or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV). Emissions and energy usage are analyzed for three different HFCV scenarios, with hydrogen produced from: (1) steam reforming of natural gas, (2) electrolysis powered by wind energy, and (3) coal gasification. With the U.S. EPA's National Emission Inventory as the baseline, other emission inventories are created using a life cycle assessment (LCA) of alternative fuel supply chains. For a range of reasonable HFCV efficiencies and methods of producing hydrogen, we find that the replacement of FFOV with HFCV significantly reduces emission associated with air pollution, compared even with a switch to hybrids. All HFCV scenarios decrease net air pollution emission, including nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, ammonia, and carbon monoxide. These reductions are achieved with hydrogen production from either a fossil fuel source such as natural gas or a renewable source such as wind. Furthermore, replacing FFOV with hybrids or HFCV with hydrogen derived from natural gas, wind or coal may reduce the global warming impact of greenhouse gases and particles (measured in carbon dioxide equivalent emission) by 6, 14, 23, and 1%, respectively. Finally, even if HFCV are fueled by a fossil fuel such as natural gas, if no carbon is sequestered during hydrogen production, and 1% of methane in the feedstock gas is leaked to the environment, natural gas HFCV still may achieve a significant reduction in greenhouse gas and air pollution emission over FFOV.

Quantifying the Sources and Sinks of Greenhouse Gases: What Does It Take to Satisfy Scientific and Decision-Making Needs?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, K. J.; Keller, K.; Ogle, S. M.; Smith, S.

2014-12-01

Changes in the sources and sinks of greenhouse gases (GHGs) are key drivers of anthropogenic climate change. It is hence not surprising that current and emerging U.S. governmental science priorities and programs focused on climate change (e.g. a U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Plan; the U.S. Carbon Cycle Science Program, the U.S. Global Change Research Program, Executive Order 13653 'Preparing the U.S. for the Impacts of Climate Change') all call for an improved understanding of these sources and sinks.. Measurements of the total atmospheric burden of these gases are well established, but measurements of their sources and sinks are difficult to make over spatial and temporal scales that are relevant for scientific and decisionmaking needs. Quantifying the uncertainty in these measurements is particularly challenging. This talk reviews the intersection of the state of knowledge of GHG sources and sinks, focusing in particular on CO2 and CH4, and science and decision-making needs for this information. Different science and decision-making needs require differing levels of uncertainty. A number of high-priority needs (early detection of changes in the Earth system, projections of future climate, support of markets or regulations) often require a high degree of accuracy and/or precision. We will critically evaluate current U.S. planning to documents to infer current perceived needs for GHG source/sink quantification, attempting to translate these needs into quantitative uncertainty metrics. We will compare these perceived needs with the current state of the art of GHG source/sink quantification, including the apparent pattern of systematic differences between so-called "top down" and "bottom-up" flux estimates. This comparison will enable us to identify where needs can be readily satisfied, and where gaps in technology exist. Finally, we will examine what steps could be taken to close existing gaps.

Emissions of ammonia and greenhouse gases during combined pre-composting and vermicomposting of duck manure.

PubMed

Wang, Jinzhi; Hu, Zhengyi; Xu, Xingkai; Jiang, Xia; Zheng, Binghui; Liu, Xiaoning; Pan, Xubin; Kardol, Paul

2014-08-01

Combined pre-composting and vermicomposting has shown potential for reclamation of solid wastes, which is a significant source of ammonia (NH3), and greenhouse gases (GHG), including nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2). Earthworms and amendments may both affect physico-chemical characteristics that control gas-producing processes, and thus affect NH3 and GHG emissions. Here, we used two-way ANOVA to test the effects of addition of reed straw and combined addition of reed straw and zeolite on NH3 and GHG emissions during pre-composting of duck manure, either with or without a follow-up phase of vermicomposting. Results showed that cumulative N2O, CH4, and CO2 emissions during pre-composting and vermicomposting ranged from 92.8, 5.8, and 260.6 mg kg(-)(1) DM to 274.2, 30.4, and 314.0 mg kg(-1) DM, respectively. Earthworms and amendments significantly decreased N2O and CH4 emissions. Emission of CO2 was not affected by earthworms, but increased in responses to addition of reed straw. Cumulative NH3 emission ranged from 3.0 to 8.1 g kg(-1) DM, and was significantly decreased by reed straw and zeolite addition. In conclusion, combined pre-composting and vermicomposting with reed straw and zeolite addition would be strongly recommended in mitigating emissions of N2O, CH4, and NH3 from duck manure. Moreover, this method also provides nutrient-rich products that can be used as a fertilizer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of pathways of the production of greenhouse gases in the tropical swamp forest in Thailand by stable isotope investigation.

PubMed

Boontanon, Narin; Ueda, Shingo; Wada, Eitaro

2008-09-01

Dynamics of greenhouse gases (N(2)O and CH(4)) with the dry-wet cycle along with the variation of oxidation-reduction boundaries were investigated in the tropical wetland in monsoon Asia. It was clarified that the production of N(2)O and CH(4) was closely related to the development of a redox boundary in the Bang Nara River systems. An intermittent increase in N(2)O was observed at the beginning of the rainy season, when a large amount of easily decomposable organic matter was introduced into the river. After 10 days, when dissolved oxygen was consumed completely at the middle reaches, the emission of CH(4) became maximal due to the possible occurrence of denitrification. The distribution of stable isotope ratios in N(2)O clearly demonstrated that nitrification is the major process for its production. Furthermore, the production of N(2)O in this study area was found to vary in time and space with changes in the redox boundary along the water flow.

Scientists' internal models of the greenhouse effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Libarkin, J. C.; Miller, H.; Thomas, S. R.

2013-12-01

A prior study utilized exploratory factor analysis to identify models underlying drawings of the greenhouse effect made by entering university freshmen. This analysis identified four archetype models of the greenhouse effect that appear within the college enrolling population. The current study collected drawings made by 144 geoscientists, from undergraduate geoscience majors through professionals. These participants scored highly on a standardized assessment of climate change understanding and expressed confidence in their understanding; many also indicated that they teach climate change in their courses. Although geoscientists held slightly more sophisticated greenhouse effect models than entering freshmen, very few held complete, explanatory models. As with freshmen, many scientists (44%) depict greenhouse gases in a layer in the atmosphere; 52% of participants depicted this or another layer as a physical barrier to escaping energy. In addition, 32% of participants indicated that incoming light from the Sun remains unchanged at Earth's surface, in alignment with a common model held by students. Finally, 3-20% of scientists depicted physical greenhouses, ozone, or holes in the atmosphere, all of which correspond to non-explanatory models commonly seen within students and represented in popular literature. For many scientists, incomplete models of the greenhouse effect are clearly enough to allow for reasoning about climate change. These data suggest that: 1) better representations about interdisciplinary concepts, such as the greenhouse effect, are needed for both scientist and public understanding; and 2) the scientific community needs to carefully consider how much understanding of a model is needed before necessary reasoning can occur.

Greenhouse gas emissions from alternative futures of deforestation and agricultural management in the southern Amazon

PubMed Central

Galford, Gillian L.; Melillo, Jerry M.; Kicklighter, David W.; Cronin, Timothy W.; Cerri, Carlos E. P.; Mustard, John F.; Cerri, Carlos C.

2010-01-01

The Brazilian Amazon is one of the most rapidly developing agricultural areas in the world and represents a potentially large future source of greenhouse gases from land clearing and subsequent agricultural management. In an integrated approach, we estimate the greenhouse gas dynamics of natural ecosystems and agricultural ecosystems after clearing in the context of a future climate. We examine scenarios of deforestation and postclearing land use to estimate the future (2006–2050) impacts on carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from the agricultural frontier state of Mato Grosso, using a process-based biogeochemistry model, the Terrestrial Ecosystems Model (TEM). We estimate a net emission of greenhouse gases from Mato Grosso, ranging from 2.8 to 15.9 Pg CO2-equivalents (CO2-e) from 2006 to 2050. Deforestation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions over this period, but land uses following clearing account for a substantial portion (24–49%) of the net greenhouse gas budget. Due to land-cover and land-use change, there is a small foregone carbon sequestration of 0.2–0.4 Pg CO2-e by natural forests and cerrado between 2006 and 2050. Both deforestation and future land-use management play important roles in the net greenhouse gas emissions of this frontier, suggesting that both should be considered in emissions policies. We find that avoided deforestation remains the best strategy for minimizing future greenhouse gas emissions from Mato Grosso. PMID:20651250

Emission of greenhouse gases from controlled incineration of cattle manure.

PubMed

Oshita, Kazuyuki; Sun, Xiucui; Taniguchi, Miki; Takaoka, Masaki; Matsukawa, Kazutsugu; Fujiwara, Taku

2012-01-01

Greenhouse gas emission is a potential limiting factor in livestock farming development. While incineration is one approach to minimize livestock manure, there are concerns about significant levels of nitrogen and organic compounds in manure as potential sources of greenhouse gas emissions (N2O and CH4). In this study, the effects of various incineration conditions, such as the furnace temperature and air ratio on N2O and CH4 formation behaviour, of cattle manure (as a representative livestock manure) were investigated in a pilot rotary kiln furnace. The results revealed that N2O emissions decreased with increasing temperature and decreasing air ratio. In addition, CH4 emissions tended to be high above 800 degrees C at a low air ratio. The emission factors for N2O and CH4 under the general conditions (combustion temperature of 800-850 degrees C and air ratio of 1.4) were determined to be 1.9-6.0% g-N2O-N/g-N and 0.0046-0.26% g-CH4/g-burning object, respectively. The emission factor for CH4 differed slightly from the published values between 0.16 and 0.38% g-CH4/g-burning object. However, the emission factor for N2O was much higher than the currently accepted value of 0.7% g-N2O-N/g-N and, therefore, it is necessary to revise the N2O emission factor for the incineration of livestock manure.

Impacts of sugarcane agriculture expansion over low-intensity cattle ranch pasture in Brazil on greenhouse gases.

PubMed

Bento, Camila Bolfarini; Filoso, Solange; Pitombo, Leonardo Machado; Cantarella, Heitor; Rossetto, Raffaella; Martinelli, Luiz Antonio; do Carmo, Janaina Braga

2018-01-15

Sugarcane is a widespread bioenergy crop in tropical regions, and the growing global demand for renewable energy in recent years has led to a dramatic expansion and intensification of sugarcane agriculture in Brazil. Currently, extensive areas of low-intensity pasture are being converted to sugarcane, while management in the remaining pasture is becoming more intensive, i.e., includes tilling and fertilizer use. In this study, we assessed how such changes in land use and management practices alter emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as CO 2 , N 2 O and CH 4 by measuring in situ fluxes for one year after conversion from low-intensity pasture to conventional sugarcane agriculture and management-intensive pasture. Results show that CO 2 and N 2 O fluxes increased significantly in pasture and sugarcane with tillage, fertilizer use, or both combined. Emissions were highly variable for all GHGs, yet, cumulatively, it was clear that annual emissions in CO 2 -equivalent (CO 2 -eq) were higher in management-intense pasture and sugarcane than in unmanaged pasture. Surprisingly, tilled pasture with fertilizer (management-intensive pasture) resulted in higher CO 2 -eq emissions than conventional sugarcane. We concluded that intensification of pasture management and the conversion of pasture to sugarcane can increase the emission factor (EF) estimated for sugarcane produced in Brazil. The role of management practices and environmental conditions and the potential for reducing emissions are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effects of superphosphate addition on NH3 and greenhouse gas emissions during vegetable waste composting].

PubMed

Yang, Yan; Sun, Qin-ping; Li, Ni; Liu, Chun-sheng; Li, Ji-jin; Liu, Ben-sheng; Zou, Guo-yuan

2015-01-01

To study the effects of superphosphate (SP) on the NH, and greenhouse gas emissions, vegetable waste composting was performed for 27 days using 6 different treatments. In addition to the controls, five vegetable waste mixtures (0.77 m3 each) were treated with different amounts of the SP additive, namely, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. The ammonia volatilization loss and greenhouse gas emissions were measured during composting. Results indicated that the SP additive significantly decreased the ammonia volatilization and greenhouse gas emissions during vegetable waste composting. The additive reduced the total NH3 emission by 4.0% to 16.7%. The total greenhouse gas emissions (CO2-eq) of all treatments with SP additives were decreased by 10.2% to 20.8%, as compared with the controls. The NH3 emission during vegetable waste composting had the highest contribution to the greenhouse effect caused by the four different gases. The amount of NH3 (CO2-eq) from each treatment ranged from 59.90 kg . t-1 to 81.58 kg . t-1; NH3(CO2-eq) accounted for 69% to 77% of the total emissions from the four gases. Therefore, SP is a cost-effective phosphorus-based fertilizer that can be used as an additive during vegetable waste composting to reduce the NH3 and greenhouse gas emissions as well as to improve the value of compost as a fertilizer.

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation in the second Hadley Centre coupled model and its response to greenhouse warming

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Collins, M.

This paper describes El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) interannual variability simulated in the second Handley Centre coupled model under control and greenhouse warming scenarios. The model produces a very reasonable simulation of ENSO in the control experiment--reproducing the amplitude, spectral characteristics, and phase locking to the annual cycle that are observed in nature. The mechanism for the model ENSO is shown to be a mixed SST-ocean dynamics mode that can be interpreted in terms of the ocean recharge paradigm of Jin. In experiments with increased levels of greenhouse gases, no statistically significant changes in ENSO are seen until these levels approachmore » four times preindustrial values. In these experiments, the model ENSO has an approximately 20% larger amplitude, a frequency that is approximately double that of the current ENSO (implying more frequent El Ninos and La Ninas), and phase locks to the annual cycle at a different time of year. It is shown that the increase in the vertical gradient of temperature in the thermocline region, associated with the model's response to increased greenhouse gases, is responsible for the increase in the amplitude of ENSO, while the increase in meridional temperature gradients on either side of the equator, again associated with the models response to increasing greenhouse gases, is responsible for the increased frequency of ENSO events.« less

Waste-to-energy incineration plants as greenhouse gas reducers: a case study of seven Japanese metropolises.

PubMed

Tabata, Tomohiro

2013-11-01

Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration is a greenhouse gas (GHG) emitter; however, if GHG reductions, achieved by accounting for waste-to-energy, exceed GHG emissions, incineration can be considered as a net GHG reducer. In Japan, only 24.5% of MSW incineration plants perform energy recovery despite 80% of MSW being incinerated; therefore, there is great potential to extract more energy from MSW. In this study, the factors that should be considered to achieve net GHG reductions from incineration were analysed from a life cycle perspective. These considerations were then applied to the energy supply requirements in seven Japanese metropolises. Firstly, the carbon footprints of approximately 1500 incineration plants in Japan were calculated. Then, the incineration plants with negative carbon footprint values were classified as net GHG reducers. Next, the processes that contribute to the carbon footprint were evaluated, and two processes-plastic burning and electricity savings-were found to have the greatest influence. Based on the results, the energy supply requirements were analysed and discussed for seven metropolises (Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, Takamatsu and Fukuoka) taking into account the energy demands of households. In Kobe, 16.2% of the electricity demand and 25.0% of the hot water demand could be satisfied by incineration to realise a net GHG reducer, although urban design for energy utilisation would be required.

Forced decadal changes in the East Asian summer monsoon: the roles of greenhouse gases and anthropogenic aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Fangxing; Dong, Buwen; Robson, Jon; Sutton, Rowan

2018-02-01

Since the mid-1990s precipitation trends over eastern China display a dipole pattern, characterized by positive anomalies in the south and negative anomalies in the north, named as the Southern-Flood-Northern-Drought (SFND) pattern. This work investigates the drivers of decadal changes of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM), and the dynamical mechanisms involved, by using a coupled climate model (specifically an atmospheric general circulation model coupled to an ocean mixed layer model) forced by changes in (1) anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHG), (2) anthropogenic aerosol (AA) and (3) the combined effects of both GHG and AA (All Forcing) between two periods across the mid-1990s. The model experiment forced by changes in All Forcing shows a dipole pattern of response in precipitation over China that is similar to the observed SFND pattern across the mid-1990s, which suggests that anthropogenic forcing changes played an important role in the observed decadal changes. Furthermore, the experiments with separate forcings indicate that GHG and AA forcing dominate different parts of the SFND pattern. In particular, changes in GHG increase precipitation over southern China, whilst changes in AA dominate in the drought conditions over northern China. Increases in GHG cause increased moisture transport convergence over eastern China, which leads to increased precipitation. The AA forcing changes weaken the EASM, which lead to divergent wind anomalies over northern China and reduced precipitation.

The challenges of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through energy sources: evidence from a panel of developed countries.

PubMed

Akhmat, Ghulam; Zaman, Khalid; Shukui, Tan; Sajjad, Faiza; Khan, Muhammad Azhar; Khan, Muhammad Zahir

2014-06-01

The objective of the study is to investigate the long-run relationship between climatic factors (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural methane emissions, and industrial nitrous oxide emission), air pollution (i.e., carbon dioxide emissions), and energy sources (i.e., nuclear energy; oil, gas, and coal energy; and fossil fuel energy) in the panel of 35 developed countries (including EU-15, new EU member states, G-7, and other countries) over a period of 1975-2012. In order to achieve this objective, the present study uses sophisticated panel econometric techniques including panel cointegration, panel fully modified OLS (FMOLS), and dynamic OLS (DOLS). The results show that there is a long-run relationship between the variables. Nuclear energy reduces greenhouse gases and carbon emissions; however, the other emissions, i.e., agricultural methane emissions and industrial nitrous oxide, are still to increase during the study period. Electricity production from oil, gas, and coal sources increases the greenhouse gases and carbon emissions; however, the intensity to increase emissions is far less than the intensity to increase emissions through fossil fuel. Policies that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases can simultaneously alter emissions of conventional pollutants that have deleterious effects on human health and the environment.

Micrometeorites in the Post-lunar Greenhouse Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurette, Michel

On the Earth, an astonishing balance between the absorption and scattering of solar radiation by the early Earth produced the remarkable benign greenhouse effect favourable to the origin and evolution of life. Indeed, the first constraint on any scenario is that the early oceans were not boiling or freezing! It is generally considered that the temperature has to be sufficiently high to prevent freezing at a time when the solar luminosity was smaller than today. But it has to be kept sufficiently low by some mysterious feedback effect, in order to protect the Earth from a runaway greenhouse effect, which led to a surface temperature of about 450 °C on Venus. In fact, the long-lasting micrometeorite thermospheric volcanism effective after the Moon-forming impact, should have ruled the post-lunar greenhouse effect that was critical for the birth of life. Indeed, this impact eradicated at once all atmospheric ingredients of the pre-lunar greenhouse effect at a time when the young Earth was already almost fully outgassed. Subsequently, micrometeorites released simultaneously greenhouse gases for heating and smoke particles for cooling. These micrometeorite ashes resided temporarily within a kind of giant thermospheric cocoon, which might have functioned as a self-regulating IR heater during the period of low solar luminosity. Indeed, it was simultaneously heated up from the inside through the aerodynamical braking of micrometeorites.

Sub-arctic Wetland Greenhouse Gases (CO2, CH4 & N2O) Emissions are Driven by Interactions of Environmental Controls and Herbivore Grazers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelsey, K.; Leffler, A. J.; Beard, K. H.; Choi, R. T.; Welker, J. M.

2015-12-01

Climate change is increasing temperatures, altering precipitation regimes and causing earlier growing seasons, particularly at northern latitudes. Such changes in local environmental conditions have the potential to affect biogeochemical cycling including the exchange of greenhouses gases between the atmosphere and the terrestrial biosphere. In addition to the effects of these environmental controls, animals such as migratory geese also influence biogeochemical cycles through grazing, trampling and delivering nutrient-rich fecal matter. In this work we aimed to quantify how local environmental conditions and the presence of grazing interact as drivers of emissions of three key greenhouse gases, CO2, CH4 and N2O, in coastal wetlands of the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta. We explored the magnitude of emissions across gradients of soil temperature and water table depth, and across vegetation types related to the presence of grazing, ranging from no vegetation through grazed and ungrazed vegetation. We also investigated emissions from grazed areas using experimental manipulations of the timing of grazing and advancement of the growing season. We found that local environmental conditions and use by grazers exert interacting controls on emissions of CO2, CH4 and N2O. Emissions of CO2 and CH4 were positively related to soil temperature and CH4 emissions were inversely related to water table depth, but the relationship varied by vegetation type. Net emissions of CO2 were greatest in ungrazed vegetation types (6.62 umols CO2 m-2 sec-1; p=0.0007) whereas CH4 emissions were greatest in the grazed vegetation (122.56 nmols CH4 m-2 sec-1; p=0.037). Flux of N2O was less than 1 nmol N2O m-2 sec-1 across all landscape positions under typical grazing and temperature conditions, but emissions were stimulated to over 10 nmols m-2 sec-1 when grazing occurred early relative to a typical season. Our results indicate that environmental conditions and the presence of migratory herbivores are both

Soil greenhouse gases fluxes in forest - fallow succession at the Central Forest Reserve in European Russia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komarova, Tatiana; Vasenev, Ivan

2017-04-01

was (16 - 17 g CO2 / m2 day). There were not strong differences in soil CO2 fluxes of these two investigated sites in the night time from 21:00 to 9:00. The essential daily dynamics must be taken into attention for assessment the seasonal fluxes of greenhouse gases and carbon balance. The maximum CH4 flux has been fixed in the fallow grassland and forest-fallow stage of 10 - 15 years - in contrast to stable soil sink CH4 in the spruce-forest after forest-fallow older than 120 years. In the fallow meadow grassland there are observed CH4 emission in July and sink in June and August, with a maximum flux in early July. The level of N2O fluxes usually does not exceed 0,2 mg N2O /m2*day with the maximum flux in mid-August and light sink in early June.

Occurrence of greenhouse gases in the aquifers of the Walloon Region (Belgium).

PubMed

Jurado, Anna; Borges, Alberto V; Pujades, Estanislao; Hakoun, Vivien; Otten, Joël; Knöller, Kay; Brouyère, Serge

2018-04-01

This work aims to (1) identify the most conductive conditions for the generation of greenhouses gases (GHGs) in groundwater (e.g., hydrogeological contexts and geochemical processes) and (2) evaluate the indirect emissions of GHGs from groundwater at a regional scale in Wallonia (Belgium). To this end, nitrous oxide (N 2 O), methane (CH 4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations and the stable isotopes of nitrate (NO 3 - ) and sulphate were monitored in 12 aquifers of the Walloon Region (Belgium). The concentrations of GHGs range from 0.05μg/L to 1631.2μg/L for N 2 O, 0μg/L to 17.1μg/L for CH 4 , and 1769 to 100,514ppm for the partial pressure of CO 2 (pCO 2 ). The highest average concentrations of N 2 O and pCO 2 are found in a chalky aquifer. The coupled use of statistical techniques and stable isotopes is a useful approach to identify the geochemical conditions that control the occurrence of GHGs in the aquifers of the Walloon Region. The accumulation of N 2 O is most likely due to nitrification (high concentrations of dissolved oxygen and NO 3 - and null concentrations of ammonium) and, to a lesser extent, initial denitrification in a few sampling locations (medium concentrations of dissolved oxygen and NO 3 - ). The oxic character found in groundwater is not prone to the accumulation of CH 4 in Walloon aquifers. Nevertheless, groundwater is oversaturated with GHGs with respect to atmospheric equilibrium (especially for N 2 O and pCO 2 ); the fluxes of N 2 O (0.32kgN 2 O-NHa -1 y -1 ) and CO 2 (27kgCO 2 Ha -1 y -1 ) from groundwater are much lower than the direct emissions of N 2 O from agricultural soils and fossil-fuel-related CO 2 emissions. Thus, indirect GHG emissions from the aquifers of the Walloon Region are likely to be a minor contributor to atmospheric GHG emissions, but their quantification would help to better constrain the nitrogen and carbon budgets. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Warming of subarctic tundra increases emissions of all three important greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide.

PubMed

Voigt, Carolina; Lamprecht, Richard E; Marushchak, Maija E; Lind, Saara E; Novakovskiy, Alexander; Aurela, Mika; Martikainen, Pertti J; Biasi, Christina

2017-08-01

Rapidly rising temperatures in the Arctic might cause a greater release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. To study the effect of warming on GHG dynamics, we deployed open-top chambers in a subarctic tundra site in Northeast European Russia. We determined carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) fluxes as well as the concentration of those gases, inorganic nitrogen (N) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) along the soil profile. Studied tundra surfaces ranged from mineral to organic soils and from vegetated to unvegetated areas. As a result of air warming, the seasonal GHG budget of the vegetated tundra surfaces shifted from a GHG sink of -300 to -198 g CO 2 -eq m -2 to a source of 105 to 144 g CO 2 -eq m -2 . At bare peat surfaces, we observed increased release of all three GHGs. While the positive warming response was dominated by CO 2 , we provide here the first in situ evidence of increasing N 2 O emissions from tundra soils with warming. Warming promoted N 2 O release not only from bare peat, previously identified as a strong N 2 O source, but also from the abundant, vegetated peat surfaces that do not emit N 2 O under present climate. At these surfaces, elevated temperatures had an adverse effect on plant growth, resulting in lower plant N uptake and, consequently, better N availability for soil microbes. Although the warming was limited to the soil surface and did not alter thaw depth, it increased concentrations of DOC, CO 2, and CH 4 in the soil down to the permafrost table. This can be attributed to downward DOC leaching, fueling microbial activity at depth. Taken together, our results emphasize the tight linkages between plant and soil processes, and different soil layers, which need to be taken into account when predicting the climate change feedback of the Arctic. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Global Warming and the Neglected Greenhouse Gas: A Cross-National Study of the Social Causes of Methane Emissions Intensity, 1995

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorgenson, Andrew

2006-01-01

The human dimensions of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming attract considerable attention in macrosociology. However, cross-national analyses generally neglect greenhouse gases other than carbon dioxide. The current study addresses this paucity through the testing of theoretically derived models for the social structural causes of the…

Climate-chemical interactions and greenhouse effects of trace gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shi, Guang-Yu; Fan, Xiao-Biao

1994-01-01

A completely coupled one-dimensional radiative-convective (RC) and photochemical-diffusion (PC) model has been developed recently and used to study the climate-chemical interactions. The importance of radiative-chemical interactions within the troposphere and stratosphere has been examined in some detail. We find that increases of radiatively and/or chemically active trace gases such as CO2, CH4 and N2O have both the direct effects and the indirect effects on climate change by changing the atmospheric O3 profile through their interaction with chemical processes in the atmosphere. It is also found that the climatic effect of ozone depends strongly on its vertical distribution throughout the troposphere and stratosphere, as well on its column amount in the atmosphere.

Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Laparoscopic Surgery.

PubMed

Thiel, Cassandra L; Woods, Noe C; Bilec, Melissa M

2018-04-01

To determine the carbon footprint of various sustainability interventions used for laparoscopic hysterectomy. We designed interventions for laparoscopic hysterectomy from approaches that sustainable health care organizations advocate. We used a hybrid environmental life cycle assessment framework to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from the proposed interventions. We conducted the study from September 2015 to December 2016 at the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). The largest carbon footprint savings came from selecting specific anesthetic gases and minimizing the materials used in surgery. Energy-related interventions resulted in a 10% reduction in carbon footprint per case but would result in larger savings for the whole facility. Commonly implemented approaches, such as recycling surgical waste, resulted in less than a 5% reduction in greenhouse gases. To reduce the environmental emissions of surgeries, health care providers need to implement a combination of approaches, including minimizing materials, moving away from certain heat-trapping anesthetic gases, maximizing instrument reuse or single-use device reprocessing, and reducing off-hour energy use in the operating room. These strategies can reduce the carbon footprint of an average laparoscopic hysterectomy by up to 80%. Recycling alone does very little to reduce environmental footprint. Public Health Implications. Health care services are a major source of environmental emissions and reducing their carbon footprint would improve environmental and human health. Facilities seeking to reduce environmental footprint should take a comprehensive systems approach to find safe and effective interventions and should identify and address policy barriers to implementing more sustainable practices.

Northern Hemisphere Winter Climate Response to Greenhouse Gas, Ozone, Solar and Volcanic Forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shindell, Drew T.; Schmidt, Gavin A.; Miller, Ron L.; Rind, David; Hansen, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) climate/middle atmosphere model has been used to study the impacts of increasing greenhouse gases, polar ozone depletion, volcanic eruptions, and solar cycle variability. We focus on the projection of the induced responses onto Northern Hemisphere winter surface climate. Changes in the model's surface climate take place largely through enhancement of existing variability patterns, with greenhouse gases, polar ozone depletion and volcanic eruptions primarily affecting the Arctic Oscillation (AO) pattern. Perturbations descend from the stratosphere to the surface in the model by altering the propagation of planetary waves coming up from the surface, in accord with observational evidence. Models lacking realistic stratospheric dynamics fail to capture these wave flux changes. The results support the conclusion that the stratosphere plays a crucial role in recent AO trends. We show that in our climate model, while ozone depletion has a significant effect, greenhouse gas forcing is the only one capable of causing the large, sustained increase in the AO observed over recent decades. This suggests that the AO trend, and a concurrent strengthening of the stratospheric vortex over the Arctic, are very likely anthropogenic in origin.

Comparison of additives amendment for mitigation of greenhouse gases and ammonia emission during sewage sludge co-composting based on correlation analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Meijing; Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Wang, Quan; Chen, Hongyu; Ren, Xiuna; Zhao, Junchao; Li, Ronghua; Zhang, Zengqiang

2017-11-01

In this study, the pilot scale co-composting of sewage sludge (SS)+wheat straw amended with 10% (dry weight ratio of basis) of three different additives (zeolite, Ca-bentonite and medical stone) was conducted for 56days to evaluate the greenhouse gases (GHGs) and nitrogen conservation efficacy and its correlation with analyzed physicochemical, gaseous and biological parameters. The results indicated that all of three additives could adequately buffer pH, considerably increase temperature, and enhance organic matter degradation as well as reduce ammonia and GHGs emission. Particularly, zeolite amended treatment showed the maximum reduction of CH 4 emission by 88.45% and less amount of nitrogen loss by 28.80%, meanwhile reduced the maturity period by 2weeks. In addition, the redundancy analysis was confirmed most significant relationship between biological, GHGs, bacterial community and nutrients concentration in 10% zeolite applied treatment than other treatments. The result suggested 10% zeolite could be a suitable additive to improve the quality of sewage sludge composting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimates of Embodied Global Energy and Air-Emission Intensities of Japanese Products for Building a Japanese Input–Output Life Cycle Assessment Database with a Global System Boundary

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

To build a life cycle assessment (LCA) database of Japanese products embracing their global supply chains in a manner requiring lower time and labor burdens, this study estimates the intensity of embodied global environmental burden for commodities produced in Japan. The intensity of embodied global environmental burden is a measure of the environmental burden generated globally by unit production of the commodity and can be used as life cycle inventory data in LCA. The calculation employs an input–output LCA method with a global link input–output model that defines a global system boundary grounded in a simplified multiregional input–output framework. As results, the intensities of embodied global environmental burden for 406 Japanese commodities are determined in terms of energy consumption, greenhouse-gas emissions (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, perfluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and their summation), and air-pollutant emissions (nitrogen oxide and sulfur oxide). The uncertainties in the intensities of embodied global environmental burden attributable to the simplified structure of the global link input–output model are quantified using Monte Carlo simulation. In addition, by analyzing the structure of the embodied global greenhouse-gas intensities we characterize Japanese commodities in the context of LCA embracing global supply chains. PMID:22881452

First tests of a multi-wavelength mini-DIAL system for the automatic detection of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parracino, S.; Gelfusa, M.; Lungaroni, M.; Murari, A.; Peluso, E.; Ciparisse, J. F.; Malizia, A.; Rossi, R.; Ventura, P.; Gaudio, P.

2017-10-01

Considering the increase of atmospheric pollution levels in our cities, due to emissions from vehicles and domestic heating, and the growing threat of terrorism, it is necessary to develop instrumentation and gather know-how for the automatic detection and measurement of dangerous substances as quickly and far away as possible. The Multi- Wavelength DIAL, an extension of the conventional DIAL technique, is one of the most powerful remote sensing methods for the identification of multiple substances and seems to be a promising solution compared to existing alternatives. In this paper, first in-field tests of a smart and fully automated Multi-Wavelength mini-DIAL will be presented and discussed in details. The recently developed system, based on a long-wavelength infrared (IR-C) CO2 laser source, has the potential of giving an early warning, whenever something strange is found in the atmosphere, followed by identification and simultaneous concentration measurements of many chemical species, ranging from the most important Greenhouse Gases (GHG) to other harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Preliminary studies, regarding the fingerprint of the investigated substances, have been carried out by cross-referencing database of infrared (IR) spectra, obtained using in-cell measurements, and typical Mixing Ratios in the examined region, extrapolated from the literature. First experiments in atmosphere have been performed into a suburban and moderately-busy area of Rome. Moreover, to optimize the automatic identification of the harmful species to be recognized on the basis of in cell measurements of the absorption coefficient spectra, an advanced multivariate statistical method for classification has been developed and tested.

Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center and World Data Center for Atmospheric Trace Gases, Fiscal Year 2002 Annual Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cushman, R.M.

2003-08-28

The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), which includes the World Data Center (WDC) for Atmospheric Trace Gases, is the primary global change data and information analysis center of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). More than just an archive of data sets and publications, CDIAC has, since its inception in 1982, enhanced the value of its holdings through intensive quality assurance, documentation, and integration. Whereas many traditional data centers are discipline-based (for example, meteorology or oceanography), CDIAC's scope includes potentially anything and everything that would be of value to users concerned with the greenhouse effect and global climate change,more » including atmospheric concentrations and atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) and other radiatively active gases; the role of the terrestrial biosphere and the oceans in the biogeochemical cycles of greenhouse gases; long-term climate trends; the effects of elevated CO{sub 2} on vegetation; and the vulnerability of coastal areas to rising sea levels.« less

Study on highway transportation greenhouse effect external cost estimation in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Chunchao; Pan, Fengming

2017-03-01

This paper focuses on estimating highway transportation greenhouse gas emission volume and greenhouse gas external cost in China. At first, composition and characteristics of greenhouse gases were analysed about highway transportation emissions. Secondly, an improved model of emission volume was presented on basis of highway transportation energy consumption, which may be calculated by virtue of main affecting factors such as the annual average operation miles of each type of the motor vehicles and the unit consumption level. the model of emission volume was constructed which considered not only the availability of energy consumption statistics of highway transportation but also the greenhouse gas emission factors of various fuel types issued by IPCC. Finally, the external cost estimation model was established about highway transportation greenhouse gas emission which combined emission volume with the unit external cost of CO2 emissions. An example was executed to confirm presented model which ranged from 2011 to 2015 Year in China. The calculated result shows that the highway transportation total emission volume and greenhouse gas external cost are growing up, but the unit turnover external cost is steadily declining. On the whole overall, the situation is still grim about highway transportation greenhouse gas emission, and the green transportation strategy should be put into effect as soon as possible.

Fertilizer and tillage management impacts on non-carbon-dioxide greenhouse gas emissions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Recent efforts have been placed on trying to establish emission estimates for greenhouse gases (GHG) from agricultural soils in the United States. This research was conducted to assess the influence of cropping systems management on nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissio...

The effect on climate change impacts for building products when including the timing of greenhouse gas emissions

Treesearch

Richard D Bergman

2012-01-01

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap infrared radiation emitting from the Earth’s surface to generate the “greenhouse effect” thus keeping the planet warm. Many natural activities including rotting vegetation emit GHGs such as carbon dioxide to produce this natural affect. However, in the last 200 years or so, human activity has increased the atmospheric concentrations of GHGs...

An Environmental and Economic Evaluation of Pyrolysis for Energy Generation in Taiwan with Endogenous Land Greenhouse Gases Emissions

PubMed Central

Kung, Chih-Chun; McCarl, Bruce A.; Chen, Chi-Chung

2014-01-01

Taiwan suffers from energy insecurity and the threat of potential damage from global climate changes. Finding ways to alleviate these forces is the key to Taiwan’s future social and economic development. This study examines the economic and environmental impacts when ethanol, conventional electricity and pyrolysis-based electricity are available alternatives. Biochar, as one of the most important by-product from pyrolysis, has the potential to provide significant environmental benefits. Therefore, alternative uses of biochar are also examined in this study. In addition, because planting energy crops would change the current land use pattern, resulting in significant land greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, this important factor is also incorporated. Results show that bioenergy production can satisfy part of Taiwan’s energy demand, but net GHG emissions offset declines if ethanol is chosen. Moreover, at high GHG price conventional electricity and ethanol will be driven out and pyrolysis will be a dominant technology. Fast pyrolysis dominates when ethanol and GHG prices are low, but slow pyrolysis is dominant at high GHG price, especially when land GHG emissions are endogenously incorporated. The results indicate that when land GHG emission is incorporated, up to 3.8 billion kWh electricity can be produced from fast pyrolysis, while up to 2.2 million tons of CO2 equivalent can be offset if slow pyrolysis is applied. PMID:24619159

An environmental and economic evaluation of pyrolysis for energy generation in Taiwan with endogenous land greenhouse gases emissions.

PubMed

Kung, Chih-Chun; McCarl, Bruce A; Chen, Chi-Chung

2014-03-11

Taiwan suffers from energy insecurity and the threat of potential damage from global climate changes. Finding ways to alleviate these forces is the key to Taiwan's future social and economic development. This study examines the economic and environmental impacts when ethanol, conventional electricity and pyrolysis-based electricity are available alternatives. Biochar, as one of the most important by-product from pyrolysis, has the potential to provide significant environmental benefits. Therefore, alternative uses of biochar are also examined in this study. In addition, because planting energy crops would change the current land use pattern, resulting in significant land greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, this important factor is also incorporated. Results show that bioenergy production can satisfy part of Taiwan's energy demand, but net GHG emissions offset declines if ethanol is chosen. Moreover, at high GHG price conventional electricity and ethanol will be driven out and pyrolysis will be a dominant technology. Fast pyrolysis dominates when ethanol and GHG prices are low, but slow pyrolysis is dominant at high GHG price, especially when land GHG emissions are endogenously incorporated. The results indicate that when land GHG emission is incorporated, up to 3.8 billion kWh electricity can be produced from fast pyrolysis, while up to 2.2 million tons of CO2 equivalent can be offset if slow pyrolysis is applied.

Greenhouse gas measurements from aircraft during CARVE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, R. Y.; Miller, C. E.; Dinardo, S. J.; Karion, A.; Sweeney, C.; Daube, B.; Pittman, J. V.; Miller, J. B.; Budney, J. W.; Gottlieb, E. W.; Santoni, G. W.; Kort, E. A.; Wofsy, S. C.

2012-12-01

Permafrost in the Arctic contain large carbon pools that are currently non-labile. As the polar regions warm, these carbon reserves can be released into the atmosphere and impact the greenhouse gas budget. In order to predict future climate scenarios, we need to understand the emissions of these greenhouse gases under varying environmental conditions. This study presents aircraft measurements made as a part of the Carbon in Arctic Reservoirs Vulnerability Experiment (CARVE) which flew over Alaska from May to September 2012 and captured seasonal and spatial variations. Results from in situ cavity ring down spectroscopy measurements of CO2, CH4 and CO will be discussed and compared with aircraft measurements made during the summer of 1988 as a part of the Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition as well as relevant measurements from the HIAPER Pole-to-Pole Observations experiments (2009-2011).

A robust optical parametric oscillator and receiver telescope for differential absorption lidar of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, Iain; Jack, James W.; Rae, Cameron F.; Moncrieff, John B.

2015-10-01

We report the development of a differential absorption lidar instrument (DIAL) designed and built specifically for the measurement of anthropogenic greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The DIAL is integrated into a commercial astronomical telescope to provide high-quality receiver optics and enable automated scanning for three-dimensional lidar acquisition. The instrument is portable and can be set up within a few hours in the field. The laser source is a pulsed optical parametric oscillator (OPO) which outputs light at a wavelength tunable near 1.6 μm. This wavelength region, which is also used in telecommunications devices, provides access to absorption lines in both carbon dioxide at 1573 nm and methane at 1646 nm. To achieve the critical temperature stability required for a laserbased field instrument the four-mirror OPO cavity is machined from a single aluminium block. A piezoactuator adjusts the cavity length to achieve resonance and this is maintained over temperature changes through the use of a feedback loop. The laser output is continuously monitored with pyroelectric detectors and a custom-built wavemeter. The OPO is injection seeded by a temperature-stabilized distributed feedback laser diode (DFB-LD) with a wavelength locked to the absorption line centre (on-line) using a gas cell containing pure carbon dioxide. A second DFB-LD is tuned to a nearby wavelength (off-line) to provide the reference required for differential absorption measurements. A similar system has been designed and built to provide the injection seeding wavelengths for methane. The system integrates the DFB-LDs, drivers, locking electronics, gas cell and balanced photodetectors. The results of test measurements of carbon dioxide are presented and the development of the system is discussed, including the adaptation required for the measurement of methane.

Ammonia, Total Reduced Sulfides, and Greenhouse Gases of Pine Chip and Corn Stover Bedding Packs.

PubMed

Spiehs, Mindy J; Brown-Brandl, Tami M; Parker, David B; Miller, Daniel N; Berry, Elaine D; Wells, James E

2016-03-01

Bedding materials may affect air quality in livestock facilities. Our objective in this study was to compare headspace concentrations of ammonia (NH), total reduced sulfides (TRS), carbon dioxide (CO), methane (CH), and nitrous oxide (NO) when pine wood chips ( spp.) and corn stover ( L.) were mixed in various ratios (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 60, 80, and 100% pine chips) and used as bedding with manure. Air samples were collected from the headspace of laboratory-scaled bedded manure packs weekly for 42 d. Ammonia concentrations were highest for bedded packs containing 0, 10, and 20% pine chips (equivalent to 501.7, 502.3, and 502.3 mg m, respectively) in the bedding mixture and were lowest when at least 80% pine chips were used as bedding (447.3 and 431.0 mg m, respectively for 80 and 100% pine chip bedding). The highest NH concentrations were observed at Day 28. The highest concentration of TRS was observed when 100% pine chips were used as bedding (11.4 µg m), with high concentrations occurring between Days 7 and 14, and again at Day 35. Greenhouse gases were largely unaffected by bedding material but CH and CO concentrations increased as the bedded packs aged and NO concentrations were highly variable throughout the incubation. We conclude that a mixture of bedding material that contains 30 to 40% pine chips may be the ideal combination to reduce both NH and TRS emissions. All gas concentrations increased as the bedded packs aged, suggesting that frequent cleaning of facilities would improve air quality in the barn, regardless of bedding materials used. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Strategies to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Laparoscopic Surgery

PubMed Central

Thiel, Cassandra L.; Woods, Noe C.

2018-01-01

Objectives. To determine the carbon footprint of various sustainability interventions used for laparoscopic hysterectomy. Methods. We designed interventions for laparoscopic hysterectomy from approaches that sustainable health care organizations advocate. We used a hybrid environmental life cycle assessment framework to estimate greenhouse gas emissions from the proposed interventions. We conducted the study from September 2015 to December 2016 at the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). Results. The largest carbon footprint savings came from selecting specific anesthetic gases and minimizing the materials used in surgery. Energy-related interventions resulted in a 10% reduction in carbon footprint per case but would result in larger savings for the whole facility. Commonly implemented approaches, such as recycling surgical waste, resulted in less than a 5% reduction in greenhouse gases. Conclusions. To reduce the environmental emissions of surgeries, health care providers need to implement a combination of approaches, including minimizing materials, moving away from certain heat-trapping anesthetic gases, maximizing instrument reuse or single-use device reprocessing, and reducing off-hour energy use in the operating room. These strategies can reduce the carbon footprint of an average laparoscopic hysterectomy by up to 80%. Recycling alone does very little to reduce environmental footprint. Public Health Implications. Health care services are a major source of environmental emissions and reducing their carbon footprint would improve environmental and human health. Facilities seeking to reduce environmental footprint should take a comprehensive systems approach to find safe and effective interventions and should identify and address policy barriers to implementing more sustainable practices. PMID:29698098

Mid-infrared and near-infrared spectroscopic study of selected magnesium carbonate minerals containing ferric iron-Implications for the geosequestration of greenhouse gases.

PubMed

Frost, Ray L; Reddy, B Jagannadha; Bahfenne, Silmarilly; Graham, Jessica

2009-04-01

The proposal to remove greenhouse gases by pumping liquefied CO(2) several kilometres below the ground implies that many carbonate containing minerals will be formed. Among these minerals brugnatellite and coalingite are probable. Two ferric ion bearing minerals brugnatellite and coalingite with a hydrotalcite-like structure have been characterised by a combination of infrared and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. The infrared spectra of the OH stretching region are characterised by OH and water stretching vibrations. Both the first and second fundamental overtones of these bands are observed in the NIR spectra in the 7030-7235 cm(-1) and 10,490-10,570 cm(-1) regions. Intense (CO(3))(2-) symmetric and antisymmetric stretching vibrations support the concept that the carbonate ion is distorted. The position of the water bending vibration indicates the water is strongly hydrogen bonded in the mineral structure. Split NIR bands at around 8675 and 11,100 cm(-1) indicate that some replacement of magnesium ions by ferrous ions in the mineral structure has occurred. Near-infrared spectroscopy is ideal for the assessment of the formation of carbonate minerals.

Green trees for greenhouse gases: a fair trade-off?

PubMed

Schmidt, C W

2001-03-01

While forests retain carbon in plants, detritus, and soils, utility companies spew it into the air as carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas behind global warming. Industrial carbon dioxide emissions aren't currently regulated by federal law, but a number of companies are trying to address the problem voluntarily by launching carbon sequestration programs in heavily forested countries, where carbon is contained in so-called sinks. But the November 2000 meeting of the Kyoto Protocol delegates in The Hague collapsed over the issue of the acceptability of carbon sinks as a source of carbon pollution credits, delivering what many see as a deathblow to the concept. At issue are a host of ecological and statistical questions, differing local land use practices, cultural factors, issues of verifiability, and even disagreement over definitions of basic terms such as "forest" Kyoto negotiators are gearing up for another round of discussions in Bonn in May 2001, and it is likely that the continuing debate over carbon sinks will dominate the agenda.

Ecosystem Metabolism and Air-Water Fluxes of Greenhouse Gases in High Arctic Wetland Ponds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehnherr, I.; Venkiteswaran, J.; St. Louis, V. L.; Emmerton, C.; Schiff, S. L.

2012-12-01

Freshwater lakes and wetlands can be very productive systems on the Arctic landscape compared to terrestrial tundra ecosystems and provide valuable resources to many organisms, including waterfowl, fish and humans. Rates of ecosystem productivity dictate how much energy flows through food webs, impacting the abundance of higher-level organisms (e.g., fish), as well as the net carbon balance, which determines whether a particular ecosystem is a source or sink of carbon. Climate change is predicted to result in warmer temperatures, increased precipitation and permafrost melting in the Arctic and is already altering northern ecosystems at unprecedented rates; however, it is not known how freshwater systems are responding to these changes. To predict how freshwater systems will respond to complex environmental changes, it is necessary to understand the key processes, such as primary production and ecosystem respiration, that are driving these systems. We sampled wetland ponds (n=8) and lakes (n=2) on northern Ellesmere Island (81° N, Nunavut, Canada) during the open water season for a suite of biogeochemical parameters, including concentrations of dissolved gases (O2, CO2, CH4, N2O) as well as stable-isotope ratios of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13C-DIC), dissolved oxygen (δ18O-DO), and water (δ18O-H2O). We will present rates of primary production and ecosystem respiration, modeled from the concentration and stable isotope ratios of DIC and DO, as well as air-water gas exchange of greenhouse gases in these high Arctic ponds and lakes. Preliminary results demonstrate that ecosystem metabolism in these ponds was high enough to result in significant deviations in the isotope ratios of DIC and DO from atmospheric equilibrium conditions. In other words ecosystem rates of primary production and respiration were faster than gas exchange even in these small, shallow, well-mixed ponds. Furthermore, primary production was elevated enough at all sites except Lake Hazen, a

Spatial Patterns of Greenhouse Gases Across an Urbanization Gradient in a Suburban River Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robison, A.; Balch, E.; Wollheim, W. M.

2017-12-01

River networks are important components of the global carbon cycle, processing significant quantities of terrestrial carbon and are most often sources of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. While recent investigations have begun to incorporate aquatic systems into continental carbon budgets, our understanding of what drives the variability in space and time of these dynamics is poorly constrained. Meanwhile, urban areas continue to expand rapidly across the globe, with wide ranging effects on aquatic systems. A better understanding of the effect of human activities on aquatic carbon and GHG dynamics at both local and global scales is needed. We address the question: How does urbanization affect GHG dynamics in river networks? To address this question, we conducted a synoptic survey of 45 sites in a suburban river network in New England (Ipswich River, MA), analyzing samples for physical and chemical characteristics, including dissolved GHGs, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Sampling sites were selected across an urbanization gradient (1.4-90% developed) and included headwater streams, major tributaries, the basin mouth, and additional sites along the main stem. Initial results indicate dissolved N2O concentration in headwater streams is related to catchment development, while CO2 and CH4 are not correlated to land use generally. CO2 and CH4 signals from urban areas are likely modified by fluvial wetlands that are abundant along larger tributaries and the mainstem. Developed watersheds are inherently altered and heterogeneous landscapes. To fully quantify the role of urbanized waters in the larger carbon cycle, GHG dynamics must be considered at the river network scale. The work presented here begins this process, allowing for an examination of the interaction between land use and GHG concentrations. Additional analyses will focus on further constraining GHG patterns across the river network, and modeling gas transport through and

The GHG-CCI Project to Deliver the Essential Climate Variable Greenhouse Gases: Current status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchwitz, M.; Boesch, H.; Reuter, M.

2012-04-01

The GHG-CCI project (http://www.esa-ghg-cci.org) is one of several projects of ESA's Climate Change Initiative (CCI), which will deliver various Essential Climate Variables (ECVs). The goal of GHG-CCI is to deliver global satellite-derived data sets of the two most important anthropogenic greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) suitable to obtain information on regional CO2 and CH4 surface sources and sinks as needed for better climate prediction. The GHG-CCI core ECV data products are column-averaged mole fractions of CO2 and CH4, XCO2 and XCH4, retrieved from SCIAMACHY on ENVISAT and TANSO on GOSAT. Other satellite instruments will be used to provide constraints in upper layers such as IASI, MIPAS, and ACE-FTS. Which of the advanced algorithms, which are under development, will be the best for a given data product still needs to be determined. For each of the 4 GHG-CCI core data products - XCO2 and XCH4 from SCIAMACHY and GOSAT - several algorithms are bing further developed and the corresponding data products are inter-compared to identify which data product is the most appropriate. This includes comparisons with corresponding data products generated elsewhere, most notably with the operational data products of GOSAT generated at NIES and the NASA/ACOS GOSAT XCO2 product. This activity, the so-called "Round Robin exercise", will be performed in the first two years of this project. At the end of the 2 year Round Robin phase (end of August 2012) a decision will be made which of the algorithms performs best. The selected algorithms will be used to generate the first version of the ECV GHG. In the last six months of this 3 year project the resulting data products will be validated and made available to all interested users. In the presentation and overview about this project will be given focussing on the latest results.

Aerobic Food Waste Composting: Measurement of Green House Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, J.

2016-12-01

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are a major cause of global warming. While food waste composting can reduce the amount of waste being sent to traditional landfills, it also produces GHGs during the process. The objective of this research is to evaluate the GHGs emitted from an aerobic food composting machine, which is used in ISF. The Independent Schools Foundation Academy is a private independent school in Hong Kong with approximately 1500 students. Each academic year, the school produces 27 metric tons of food waste. In November 2013, the school installed a food waste composting system. Over the past 3 years, various improvements, such as installing a bio-filter to reduce the smell of the compost, have been made to the composting process. Meanwhile the compost is used by the primary students, as part of their experiential learning curriculum and organic farming projects. The composting process employs two machines: the Dehydra and A900 Rocket. The Dehydra reduces the mass of the food waste by separating the ground food waste and excessive water. The A900 Rocket, a composter made by Tidy Planet, processes food waste into compost in 14 days. This machine runs in an aerobic process, in which oxygen is used as an input gas and gases, such as carbon dioxide, are released. Carbon Dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases (GHGs). This research focuses on GHGs that are emitted from the A900 Rocket. The data is collected by the Gasmet DX 4015, a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) multi gas analyser. This equipment measures the concentration (ppm) of different GHGs, including N2O, CO2, CH4, NH3 and CO.

Dissolved greenhouse gases (nitrous oxide and methane) associated with the natural iron-fertilized Kerguelen region (KEOPS 2 cruise) in the Southern Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farías, L.; Florez-Leiva, L.; Besoain, V.; Fernández, C.

2014-08-01

The concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) were measured in the Kerguelen Plateau Region (KPR), an area with annual microalgal bloom caused by natural Fe fertilization, which may stimulate microbes involved in GHG cycling. This study was carried out during the KEOPS 2 cruise during the austral spring of 2011. Two transects were sampled along and across the KRP, the north-south (N-S) transect (46-51° S, 72° E meridian) and the west-east (W-E) transect (66-75° E, 48.3° S latitude), both associated with the presence of a plateau, polar fronts and other mesoscale features. The W-E transect had N2O levels ranging from equilibrium (105%) to light supersaturation (120%) with respect to the atmosphere. CH4 levels fluctuated dramatically, with intense supersaturations (120-970%) in areas close to the coastal waters of Kerguelen Island and in the polar front (PF). There, Fe and nutrient fertilization seem to promote high total chlorophyll a (TChl a) levels. The distribution of both gases was more homogenous in the N-S transect, but CH4 peaked at southeastern stations of the KPR (A3 stations), where phytoplankton bloom was observed. Both gases responded significantly to the patchy distribution of particulate matter as Chl a, stimulated by Fe supply by complex mesoscale circulation. While CH4 appears to be produced mainly at the pycnoclines, N2O seems to be consumed superficially. Air-sea fluxes for N2O (from -10.5 to 8.65, mean 1.71 μmol m-2d-1), and for CH4 (from 0.32 to 38.1, mean 10.07 μmol m-2d-1) reflected sink and source behavior for N2O and source behavior for CH4, with considerable variability associated with a highly fluctuating wind regime and, in the case of CH4, due to its high superficial levels that had not been reported before in the Southern Ocean and may be caused by an intense microbial CH4 cycling.

Recent Greenhouse Gas Concentrations

DOE Data Explorer

Blasing, T. J.

2016-01-01

Gases typically measured in parts per million (ppm), parts per billion (ppb) or parts per trillion (ppt) are presented separately to facilitate comparison of numbers. Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) and atmospheric lifetimes are from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2013, Table 8.A.1), except for the atmospheric lifetime of carbon dioxide (CO2) which is explained in footnote 4. Additional material on greenhouse gases can be found in CDIAC's Reference Tools. To find out how CFCs, HFCs, HCFCs, and halons are named, see Name that compound: The numbers game for CFCs, HFCs, HCFCs, and Halons. Concentrations given apply to the lower 75-80 percent of the atmosphere, known as the troposphere. Sources of the current and preindustrial concentrations of the atmospheric gases listed in the table below are given in the footnotes. Investigators at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have provided the recent concentrations. Much of the data provided results from the work of various investigators at institutions other than CDIAC, and represent considerable effort on their part. We ask as a basic professional courtesy that you acknowledge the primary sources, indicated in the footnotes below, or in the links given in the footnotes. Concentrations of ozone and water vapor are spatially and temporally variable due to their short atmospheric lifetimes. A vertically and horizontally averaged water vapor concentration is about 5,000 ppm. Globally averaged water vapor concentration is difficult to measure precisely because it varies from one place to another and from one season to the next. This precludes a precise determination of changes in water vapor since pre-industrial time. However, a warmer atmosphere will likely contain more water vapor than at present. For a more detailed statement on water vapor from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, see the "water vapor" page at http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/gases.html

Adsorption of air pollutants on the grain surface of Japanese cedar pollen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuyama, Yuji; Matsumoto, Kiyoshi; Okochi, Hiroshi; Igawa, Manabu

The contaminants adsorbed on the surface of pollen may affect the development of hay fever, because the patients of the fever are larger in areas with much air pollution than in nonpolluted areas and the fine particles and gases are susceptible to deposit on the nasal cavities and eyes by their transfer on the pollen. Since Japanese cedar pollinosis is the most common hay fever in Japan, we analyzed the air pollutants adsorbed on the surface of dispersed Japanese cedar pollen in the urban and mountainous districts. Fine anthropogenic particles were significantly adsorbed and many elements were concentrated on the surface of the pollen in the urban site of Yokohama, while they were not concentrated on the surface of the pollen collected at a mountainous site. The acid gases are also adsorbed and acidify the surface, and their amounts increase with their concentrations in the ambient air. The high adsorption of nitric acid on the pollen determined by an exposure experiment of nitric acid gas suggests that nitric acid is dissolved in the inner part of the pollen. The adsorption amounts of the gases on the pollen were especially greater than those on other natural particles, humic acid and yellow sand.

Inter-seasonal and spatial distribution of ground-level greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) over Nagpur in India and their management roadmap.

PubMed

Majumdar, Deepanjan; Rao, Padma; Maske, Nilam

2017-03-01

Ground-level concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) were monitored over three seasons, i.e., post-monsoon (September-October), winter (January-February), and summer (May-June) for 1 year during 2013-2014 in Nagpur City in India. The selected gases had moderate to high variation both spatially (residential, commercial, traffic intersections, residential cum commercial sites) and temporally (at 7:00, 13:00, 18:00, and 23:00 hours in all three seasons). Concentrations of gases were randomly distributed diurnally over city in all seasons, and there was no specific increasing or decreasing trend with time in a day. Average CO 2 and N 2 O concentrations in winter were higher over post-monsoon and summer while CH 4 had highest average concentration in summer. Observed concentrations of CO 2 were predominantly above global average of 400 ppmv while N 2 O and CH 4 concentrations frequently dropped down below global average of 327 ppbv and 1.8 ppmv, respectively. Two-tailed Student's t test indicated that post-monsoon CO 2 concentrations were statistically different from summer but not so from winter, while difference between summer and winter concentrations was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CH 4 concentrations in all seasons were statistically at par to each other. In case of N 2 O, concentrations in post-monsoon were statistically different from summer but not so from winter, while difference between summer and winter concentrations was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Average ground-level concentrations of the gases calculated for three seasons together were higher in commercial areas. Environmental management priorities vis a vis greenhouse gas emissions in the city are also discussed.

Laboratory evaluation of surface amendments for controlling greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle feedlots.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pen surface amendments for mitigating emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2), from beef cattle feedlots, were evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions. Amendments were organic residues (i.e., sorghum straw, prairie grass, wo...

Energy Market and Economic Impacts Proposal to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Intensity with a Cap and Trade System

EIA Publications

2007-01-01

This report was prepared by the Energy Information Administration (EIA), in response to a September 27, 2006, request from Senators Bingaman, Landrieu, Murkowski, Specter, Salazar, and Lugar. The Senators requested that EIA assess the impacts of a proposal that would regulate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) through an allowance cap-and-trade system. The program would set the cap to achieve a reduction in emissions relative to economic output, or greenhouse gas intensity.

Greenhouse gases emissions accounting for typical sewage sludge digestion with energy utilization and residue land application in China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Niu Dongjie, E-mail: niudongjie@tongji.edu.cn; UNEP-Tongji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092; Huang Hui

2013-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer GHGs emissions from sludge digestion + residue land use in China were calculated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The AD unit contributes more than 97% of total biogenic GHGs emissions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer AD with methane recovery is attractive for sludge GHGs emissions reduction. - Abstract: About 20 million tonnes of sludge (with 80% moisture content) is discharged by the sewage treatment plants per year in China, which, if not treated properly, can be a significant source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. Anaerobic digestion is a conventional sewage sludge treatment method and will continue to be one of the main technologies in the followingmore » years. This research has taken into consideration GHGs emissions from typical processes of sludge thickening + anaerobic digestion + dewatering + residue land application in China. Fossil CO{sub 2}, biogenic CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4,} and avoided CO{sub 2} as the main objects is discussed respectively. The results show that the total CO{sub 2}-eq is about 1133 kg/t DM (including the biogenic CO{sub 2}), while the net CO{sub 2}-eq is about 372 kg/t DM (excluding the biogenic CO{sub 2}). An anaerobic digestion unit as the main GHGs emission source occupies more than 91% CO{sub 2}-eq of the whole process. The use of biogas is important for achieving carbon dioxide emission reductions, which could reach about 24% of the total CO{sub 2}-eq reduction.« less

Monitoring trace gases in downtown Toronto using open-path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrne, B.; Strong, K.; Colebatch, O.; Fogal, P.; Mittermeier, R. L.; Wunch, D.; Jones, D. B. A.

2017-12-01

Emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in urban environments can be highly heterogeneous. For example, vehicles produce point source emissions which can result in heterogeneous GHG concentrations on scales <10 m. The highly localized scale of these emissions can make it difficult to measure mean GHG concentrations on scales of 100-1000 m. Open-Path Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (OP-FTIR) measurements offer spatial averaging and continuous measurements of several trace gases simultaneously in the same airmass. We have set up an open-path system in downtown Toronto to monitor trace gases in the urban boundary layer. Concentrations of CO2, CO, CH4, and N2O are derived from atmospheric absorption spectra recorded over a two-way atmospheric open path of 320 m using non-linear least squares fitting. Using a simple box model and co-located boundary layer height measurements, we estimate surface fluxes of these gases in downtown Toronto from our OP-FTIR observations.

Renewable Energy Production and Urban Remediation: Modeling the biogeochemical cycle at contaminated urban brownfields and the potential for renewable energy production and mitigation of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopalakrishnan, G.

2014-12-01

greenhouse gas emissions are explored. Tradeoffs between renewable energy production,contaminant removal, and mitigation of greenhouse gases are also evaluated. Results indicate that a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions of 29-43% is possible, together with an estimated increase in renewable energy production of 7-22%.

Environmental assessment of bioenergy technologies application in Russia, including their impact on the balance of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreeva, Irina; Vasenev, Ivan

2017-04-01

into account conditions of the particular type of agricultural landscape, possible changes in the characteristics and structure of land use, direct and indirect effects on the ecosystem components and biodiversity. North-Western, Central and Southern regions of the European part of Russia have great potential to produce biofuels. While there is a clearly expressed zonal agroclimatic potential of growing bio-energy crops (1.5 times increase of PAR in the forest-steppe zone in comparison with the area of the southern taiga) and there is a steady trend of further growth with a parallel increase in the amount of rainfall and the amount of active temperatures for the XXI century forecast. Particular attention should be payed to areas with high population density and industrial production with the possibility of combining the cultivation of oilseed rape for the bio-energy purpose with phytoremediation and soil improving effect of the contaminated and unproductive soils. The increasing potential of atmospheric carbon's temporary binding in the biomass of the bio-energy crops and consequently in the biofuels produced from them can significantly reduce total emissions of greenhouse gases in the conditions of the European part of Russia, but there is the need for more detailed balance calculation for specific soil and climatic conditions and land-use systems.

A novel method to decompose two potent greenhouse gases: photoreduction of SF6 and SF5CF3 in the presence of propene.

PubMed

Huang, Li; Shen, Yan; Dong, Wenbo; Zhang, Renxi; Zhang, Jianliang; Hou, Huiqi

2008-03-01

SF5CF3 and SF6 are the most effective greenhouse gases on a per molecule basis in the atmosphere. Original laboratory trial for photoreduction of them by use of propene as a reactant was performed to develop a novel technique to destroy them. The highly reductive radicals produced during the photolysis of propene at 184.9 nm, such as .CH3, .C2H3, and .C3H5, could efficiently decompose SF6 and SF5CF3 to CH4, elemental sulfur and trace amounts of fluorinated organic compounds. It was further demonstrated that the destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of SF5X (X represented F or CF3) was highly dependent on the initial propene-to-SF5X ratio. The addition of certain amounts of oxygen and water vapor not only enhanced the DRE but avoided the generation of deposits. In both systems, employment nitrogen as dilution gas lessened the DRE slightly. Given the advantage of less toxic products, the technique might contribute to SF5X remediation.

SIMULATION OF NITROUS OXIDE EMISSIONS FROM DAIRY FARMS TO ASSESS GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION STRATEGIES

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Farming practices can have a large impact on the net emission of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide (N**2O). The primary sources of N**2O from dairy farms are nitrification and denitrification processes in soil, with smaller contributions from manure storage and ba...

SIMULATION OF CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS FROM DAIRY FARMS TO ASSESS GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION STRATEGIES

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Farming practices can have a large impact on the soil carbon cycle and the resulting net emission of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide (CO**2), methane and nitrous oxide. Primary sources of CO**2 emission on dairy farms are soil, plant, and animal respiration with smaller contributions from ...

Encapsulation and solid state sequestration of gases by calix[6]arene-based molecular containers.

PubMed

Lavendomme, Roy; Ajami, Daniela; Moerkerke, Steven; Wouters, Johan; Rissanen, Kari; Luhmer, Michel; Jabin, Ivan

2017-06-13

Two calix[6]arene-based molecular containers were synthesized in high yields. These containers can encapsulate small guests through a unique "rotating door" complexation process. The sequestration of greenhouse gases is clearly demonstrated. They can be stored in the solid state for long periods and released via dissolution of the inclusion complex.

Permanent Sequestration of Emitted Gases in the Form of Clathrate Hydrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duxbury, N.; Romanovsky, V.

2004-01-01

Underground sequestration has been proposed as a novel method of permanent disposal of harmful gases emitted into the atmosphere as a result of human activity. The method was conceived primarily for disposal of carbon dioxide (CO2, greenhouse gas causing global warming), but could also be applied to CO, H2S, NOx, and chorofluorocarbons (CFCs, which are super greenhouse gases). The method is based on the fact that clathrate hydrates (e.g., CO2 6H2O) form naturally from the substances in question (e.g., CO2) and liquid water in the pores of sub-permafrost rocks at stabilizing pressures and temperatures. The proposed method would be volumetrically efficient: In the case of CO2, each volume of hydrate can contain as much as 184 volumes of gas. Temperature and pressure conditions that favor the formation of stable clathrate hydrates exist in depleted oil reservoirs that lie under permafrost. For example, CO2-6H2O forms naturally at a temperature of 0 C and pressure of 1.22 MPa. Using this measurement, it has been calculated that the minimum thickness of continuous permafrost needed to stabilize CO2 clathrate hydrate is only about 100 m, and the base of the permafrost is known to be considerably deeper at certain locations (e.g., about 600 m at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska). In this disposal method, the permafrost layers over the reservoirs would act as impermeable lids that would prevent dissociation of the clathrates and diffusion of the evolved gases up through pores.

GES DISC Greenhouse Gas Data Sets and Associated Services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherman, Elliot; Wei, Jennifer; Vollmer, Bruce; Meyer, David

2017-01-01

NASA Goddard Earth Sciences (GES) Data and Information Services Center (DISC) archives and distributes rich collections of data on atmospheric greenhouse gases from multiple missions. Hosted data include those from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) mission (which has observed CO2, CH4, ozone, and water vapor since 2002); legacy water vapor and ozone retrievals from TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS); and Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) going back to the early 1980s. GES DISC also archives and supports data from seven projects of the Making Earth System Data Records for Use in Research Environments (MEaSUREs) program that have ozone and water vapor records. Greenhouse gases data from the A-Train satellite constellation is also available: (1) Aura-Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) ozone, nitrous oxide, and water vapor since 2004; (2) Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) CO2 observations since 2009 from the Atmospheric CO2 Observations from Space (ACOS) task; and (3) Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) CO2 data since 2014. The most recent related data set that the GES DISC archives is methane flux for North America, as part of NASAs Carbon Monitoring System (CMS) project. This dataset contains estimates of methane emission in North America based on an inversion of the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model constrained by GOSAT observations (Turner et al., 2015). Along with data stewardship, an important focus area of the GES DISC is to enhance the usability of its data and broaden its user base. Users have unrestricted access to a new user-friendly search interface, which includes many services such as variable subsetting, format conversion, quality screening, and quick browse. The majority of the GES DISC data sets are also accessible through Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol (OPeNDAP) and Web Coverage Service (WCS). The latter two services provide more options for specialized

Emission of greenhouse gases and soil carbon sequestration in a riparian marsh wetland in central Ohio.

PubMed

Nag, Subir K; Liu, Ruiqiang; Lal, Rattan

2017-10-23

Wetlands are a C sink, but they also account for a large natural source of greenhouse gases (GHG), particularly methane (CH 4 ). Soils of wetlands play an important role in alleviating the global climate change regardless of the emission of CH 4 . However, there are uncertainties about the amount of C stored and emitted from wetlands because of the site specific factors. Therefore, the present study was conducted in a temperate riverine flow-through wetland, part of which was covered with emerging macrophyte Typhus latifolia in central Ohio, USA, with the objective to assess emissions of GHGs (CH 4, CO 2 , N 2 O) and measure C and nitrogen (N) stocks in wetland soil in comparison to a reference upland site. The data revealed that CH 4 emission from the open and vegetated wetland ranged from 1.03-0.51 Mg C/ha/y and that of CO 2 varied from 1.26-1.51 Mg C/ha/y. In comparison, CH 4 emission from reference upland site was negligible (0.01 Mg C/ha/y), but CO 2 emission was much higher (3.24 Mg C/ha/y). The stock of C in wetland soil was 85 to 125 Mg C/ha up to 0.3 m depth. The average rate of emission was 2.15 Mg C/ha/y, but the rate of sequestration was calculated as 5.55 Mg C/ha/y. Thus, the wetland was actually a C sink. Emission of N 2 O was slightly higher in vegetated wetland (0.153 mg N 2 O-N/m 2 /h) than the open wetland and the reference site (0.129 mg N 2 O-N/m 2 /h). Effect of temperature on emission of GHGs from the systems was also studied.

The Greenhouse Effect - Re-examination of the Impact of an Increase in Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Underwood, T. G.

2017-12-01

Examination of the radiation budget at the surface of the Earth shows that there are three factors affecting the surface temperature; the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the atmosphere and by the surface respectively, and the amount of leakage of infrared radiation emitted from the surface directly into space. If there were no leakage, the upwelling infrared radiation from the Earth's surface would be equal to the incoming solar radiation absorbed by the atmosphere plus twice the solar radiation absorbed by the surface. This results from the summation of a sequence of equal upward and downward re-emissions of infrared radiation absorbed by the atmosphere following the initial absorption of solar radiation. At current levels of solar absorption, this would result in total upwelling radiation of approximately 398.6 W/m2, or a maximum surface temperature of 16.4°C. Allowing for leakage of infrared radiation through the atmospheric window, the resulting emission from the Earth's surface is reduced to around 396 W/m2, corresponding to the current average global surface temperature of around 15.9°C. Absorption of solar and infrared radiation by greenhouse gases is determined by the absorption bands for the respective gases and their concentrations. Absorption of incoming solar radiation is largely by water vapor and ozone, and an increase in absorption would reduce not increase the surface temperature. Moreover, it is probable that all emitted infrared radiation that can be absorbed by greenhouse gases, primarily water vapor, with a small contribution from carbon dioxide and ozone, is already fully absorbed, and the leakage of around 5.5 % corresponds to the part of the infrared red spectrum that is not absorbed by greenhouse gases. The carbon dioxide absorption bands, which represent a very small percentage of the infrared spectrum, are most likely fully saturated. In these circumstances, increased concentrations of greenhouse gases, and carbon dioxide in

Comparison of process-based models to quantify nutrient flows and greenhouse gas emissions of milk production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Assessing and improving the sustainability of dairy production systems is essential to secure future food production. This requires a holistic approach that reveals trade-offs between emissions of the different greenhouse gases (GHG) and nutrient-based pollutants and ensures that interactions betwee...

Life-cycle analysis of dryland greenhouse gases affected by cropping sequence and nitrogen fertilization

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Little information is available about management practices effect on net global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) under dryland cropping systems. We evaluated the effects of cropping sequences (conventional till malt barley-fallow [CTB-F], no-till malt barley-pea [NTB-P], a...

O(1D) kinetic study of key ozone depleting substances and greenhouse gases.

PubMed

Baasandorj, Munkhbayar; Fleming, Eric L; Jackman, Charles H; Burkholder, James B

2013-03-28

A key stratospheric loss process for ozone depleting substances (ODSs) and greenhouse gases (GHGs) is reaction with the O((1)D) atom. In this study, rate coefficients, k, for the O((1)D) atom reaction were measured for the following key halocarbons: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) CFCl3 (CFC-11), CF2Cl2 (CFC-12), CFCl2CF2Cl (CFC-113), CF2ClCF2Cl (CFC-114), CF3CF2Cl (CFC-115); hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) CHF2Cl (HCFC-22), CH3CClF2 (HCFC-142b); and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) CHF3 (HFC-23), CHF2CF3 (HFC-125), CH3CF3 (HFC-143a), and CF3CHFCF3 (HFC-227ea). Total rate coefficients, kT, corresponding to the loss of the O((1)D) atom, were measured over the temperature range 217-373 K using a competitive reactive technique. kT values for the CFC and HCFC reactions were >1 × 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), except for CFC-115, and the rate coefficients for the HFCs were in the range (0.095-0.72) × 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1). Rate coefficients for the CFC-12, CFC-114, CFC-115, HFC-23, HFC-125, HFC-143a, and HFC-227ea reactions were observed to have a weak negative temperature dependence, E/R ≈ -25 K. Reactive rate coefficients, kR, corresponding to the loss of the halocarbon, were measured for CFC-11, CFC-115, HCFC-22, HCFC-142b, HFC-23, HFC-125, HFC-143a, and HFC-227ea using a relative rate technique. The reactive branching ratio obtained was dependent on the composition of the halocarbon and the trend in O((1)D) reactivity with the extent of hydrogen and chlorine substitution is discussed. The present results are critically compared with previously reported kinetic data and the discrepancies are discussed. 2D atmospheric model calculations were used to evaluate the local and global annually averaged atmospheric lifetimes of the halocarbons and the contribution of O((1)D) chemistry to their atmospheric loss. The O((1)D) reaction was found to be a major global loss process for CFC-114 and CFC-115 and a secondary global loss process for the other molecules included

CLAIRE: a Canadian Small Satellite Mission for Measurement of Greenhouse Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sloan, James; Grant, Cordell; Germain, Stephane; Durak, Berke; McKeever, Jason; Latendresse, Vincent

2016-07-01

CLAIRE, a Canadian mission operated by GHGSat Inc. of Montreal, is the world's first satellite designed to measure greenhouse gas emissions from single targeted industrial facilities. Claire was launched earlier this year into a 500 km polar sun-synchronous orbit selected to provide an acceptable balance between return frequency and spatial resolution. Extensive simulations of oil & gas facilities, power plants, hydro reservoirs and even animal feedlots were used to predict the mission performance. The principal goal is to measure the emission rates of carbon dioxide and methane from selected targets with greater precision and lower cost than ground-based alternatives. CLAIRE will measure sources having surface areas less than 10 x 10 km2 with a spatial resolution better than 50 m, thereby providing industrial site operators and government regulators with the information they need to understand, manage and ultimately to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more economically. The sensor is based on a Fabry-Perot interferometer, coupled with a 2D InGaAs focal plane array operating in the short-wave infrared with a spectral resolution of about 0.1 nm. The patented, high étendue, instrument design provides signal to noise ratios that permit quantification of emission rates with accuracies adequate for most regulatory reporting thresholds. The very high spatial resolution of the density maps produced by the CLAIRE mission resolves plume shapes and emitter locations so that advanced dispersion models can derive accurate emission rates of multiple sources within the field of view. The satellite bus, provided by the University of Toronto's Space Flight Laboratory, is based on the well-characterized NEMO architecture, including hardware that has significant spaceflight heritage. The mission is currently undergoing initial test and validation measurements in preparation for commercial operation later this year.

Effects of 17β-estradiol on emissions of greenhouse gases in simulative natural water body.

PubMed

Ruan, Aidong; Zhao, Ying; Liu, Chenxiao; Zong, Fengjiao; Yu, Zhongbo

2015-05-01

Environmental estrogens are widely spread across the world and are increasingly thought of as serious contaminators. The present study looks at the influence of different concentrations of 17β-estradiol on greenhouse gas emissions (CO2 , CH4 , and N2 O) in simulated systems to explore the relationship between environmental estrogen-pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in natural water bodies. The present study finds that 17β-estradiol pollution in simulated systems has significant promoting effects on the emissions of CH4 and CO2 , although no significant effects on N2 O emissions. The present study indicates that 17β-estradiol has different effects on the different elements cycles; the mechanism of microbial ecology is under review. © 2015 SETAC.

The clear-sky greenhouse effect sensitivity to a sea surface temperature change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duvel, J. PH.; Breon, F. M.

1991-01-01

The clear-sky greenhouse effect response to a sea surface temperature (SST or Ts) change is studied using outgoing clear-sky longwave radiation measurements from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment. Considering geographical distributions for July 1987, the relation between the SST, the greenhouse effect (defined as the outgoing infrared flux trapped by atmospheric gases), and the precipitable water vapor content (W), estimated by the Special Sensor Microwave Imager, is analyzed first. A fairly linear relation between W and the normalized greenhouse effect g, is found. On the contrary, the SST dependence of both W and g exhibits nonlinearities with, especially, a large increase for SST above 25 C. This enhanced sensitivity of g and W can be interpreted in part by a corresponding large increase of atmospheric water vapor content related to the transition from subtropical dry regions to equatorial moist regions. Using two years of data (1985 and 1986), the normalized greenhouse effect sensitivity to the sea surface temperature is computed from the interannual variation of monthly mean values.

Greenhouse Gases

MedlinePlus

... global population has increased and our reliance on fossil fuels (such as coal, oil and natural gas) ... agricultural sources for the gas, some industrial processes (fossil fuel-fired power plants, nylon production, nitric acid ...

Greenhouse Gases

MedlinePlus

... Gas and Biogas Biomass & the Environment See also: Biofuels Biofuels: Ethanol & Biodiesel Ethanol Use of Ethanol Ethanol & the Environment Biodiesel Use of Biodiesel Biodiesel & the Environment Wind Electricity ...

Climate Golden Age or Greenhouse Gas Dark Age Legacy?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, P.

2016-12-01

Relying on the IPCC Assessments, this paper assesses legacy from total committed global warming over centuries, correlated with comprehensive projected impacts. Socio-economic inertia, climate system inertia, atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations, amplifying feedback emissions, and unmasking of cooling aerosols are determinants. Stabilization of global temperature (and ocean acidification for CO2) requires emissions of "long lived greenhouse gases" to be "about zero," including feedbacks. "The feedback … is positive" this century; many large feedback sources tend to be self- and inter-reinforcing. Only timely total conversion of all fossil fuel power to clean, virtually zero-carbon renewable power can achieve virtual zero carbon emissions. This results in multiple, increasing benefits for the entire world population of today's and all future generations, as laid out here. Conversions of methane- and nitrous oxide-emitting sources have large benefits. Without timely conversion to virtual zero emissions, the global climate and ocean disruptions are predicted to become progressively more severe and practically irreversible. "Continued emission of greenhouse gases will increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems." Crop yields in all main food-producing regions are projected to decline progressively with rising temperature (as proxy to multiple adverse effects) (AR5). Ocean heating, acidification, and de-oxygenation are projected to increase under all scenarios, as is species extinction. The legacy for humanity depends on reducing long-lived global emissions fast enough to virtual zero. Today's surface warming with unprecedented and accelerating atmospheric GHG concentrations requires an immediate response. The only IPCC scenario to possibly meet this and not exceed 2ºC by and after 2100 is the best-case RCP2.6, which requires CO2 eq. emissions to peak right away and decline at the latest by 2020.

The early faint sun paradox: organic shielding of ultraviolet-labile greenhouse gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sagan, C.; Chyba, C.

1997-01-01

Atmospheric mixing ratios of approximately 10(-5 +/- 1) for ammonia on the early Earth would have been sufficient, through the resulting greenhouse warming, to counteract the temperature effects of the faint early sun. One argument against such model atmospheres has been the short time scale for ammonia photodissociation by solar ultraviolet light. Here it is shown that ultraviolet absorption by steady-state amounts of high-altitude organic solids produced from methane photolysis may have shielded ammonia sufficiently that ammonia resupply rates were able to maintain surface temperatures above freezing.

Radiative Forcing by Well-Mixed Greenhouse Gases: Estimates from Climate Models in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, W. D.; Ramaswamy, V.; Schwarzkopf, M. D.; Sun, Y.; Portmann, R. W.; Fu, Q.; Casanova, S. E. B.; Dufresne, J.-L.; Fillmore, D. W.; Forster, P. M. D.;

Calibration and Application of an Array of Portable FTIR Spectrometers (EM27/SUN) for Detecting Greenhouse Gas Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frey, M.; Chelin, P.; Fratacci, T.; Schäfer, K.; Xueref-Remy, I.; Te, Y. V.; Jeseck, P.; Janssen, C.; Vogel, F. R.; Hase, F.; Blumenstock, T.; Kiel, M.; Sha, M. K.; Tu, Q.; Gross, J.; Gizaw, G.

2015-12-01

Anthropogenic global warming is mainly driven by a continuing increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases abundances. Precise knowledge of the variable atmospheric concentrations is of utmost importance for the quantification of sinks and sources of these gases. For global observations of column-averaged dry air mole fractions of greenhouse gases, satellite-borne instruments (e.g. GOSAT or OCO-2) are used. These instruments are validated against a network of ground-based high resolution Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometers. This network, called TCCON (Total Carbon Column Observing Network), provides column-averaged abundances with reference precision and accuracy. However, these instruments are expensive, logistically demanding and stationary, so TCCON is less adequate for the quantification of sinks and sources on a regional scale. Recently the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology developed a portable FTIR spectrometer (EM27/SUN) together with Bruker Optics, Ettlingen. In addition to filling in the spatial gaps of the existing TCCON network for better global coverage, a set of these spectrometers can be arranged for detecting localized sinks and sources of greenhouse gases on a regional level, e.g. major cities or fracking areas. Due to their long lifetime, CO2 and CH4 emissions of these sources only introduce a small enhancement to the accumulated atmospheric background abundance. Therefore, high precision and stability are a prerequisite for the measurements. We present a rigorous calibration procedure for a quintuple of EM27/SUN spectrometers. Moreover, we show results from a test campaign conducted 2014 in the major city of Berlin, Germany. We demonstrate that the CO2 emissions of Berlin can be clearly identified in the observations. Measurement results are compared with a simple dispersion model. Finally, a comparison between Berlin data and data from a recent campaign in the megacity Paris is shown.

Heterogeneous Multi-Robot System for Mapping Environmental Variables of Greenhouses

PubMed Central

Roldán, Juan Jesús; Garcia-Aunon, Pablo; Garzón, Mario; de León, Jorge; del Cerro, Jaime; Barrientos, Antonio

2016-01-01

The productivity of greenhouses highly depends on the environmental conditions of crops, such as temperature and humidity. The control and monitoring might need large sensor networks, and as a consequence, mobile sensory systems might be a more suitable solution. This paper describes the application of a heterogeneous robot team to monitor environmental variables of greenhouses. The multi-robot system includes both ground and aerial vehicles, looking to provide flexibility and improve performance. The multi-robot sensory system measures the temperature, humidity, luminosity and carbon dioxide concentration in the ground and at different heights. Nevertheless, these measurements can be complemented with other ones (e.g., the concentration of various gases or images of crops) without a considerable effort. Additionally, this work addresses some relevant challenges of multi-robot sensory systems, such as the mission planning and task allocation, the guidance, navigation and control of robots in greenhouses and the coordination among ground and aerial vehicles. This work has an eminently practical approach, and therefore, the system has been extensively tested both in simulations and field experiments. PMID:27376297

Evaluation of the potentialities to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions resulting from various treatments of municipal solid wastes (MSW) in moist tropical climates: application to Yaounde.

PubMed

Ngnikam, Emmanuel; Tanawa, Emile; Rousseaux, Patrick; Riedacker, Arthur; Gourdon, Rémy

2002-12-01

The authors here analyse the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) resulting from the various treatment of municipal solid waste found in the town of Yaounde. Four management systems have been taken as the basis for analyses. System 1 is the traditional collection and landfill disposal, while in system 2 the hiogas produced in the landfill is recuperated to produce electricity. In systems 3 and 4, in addition to the collection, we have introduced a centralised composting or biogas plant before the landfilling disposal of refuse. A Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) of the four systems was made; this enable us to quantify the flux of matter and of energy, consumed or produced by the systems. Following this, only the greenhouse effect was taken into account to evaluate the ecological consequences of the MSW management systems. The method used to evaluate this impact takes into consideration on the one hand, GHG emissions or avoided emission following the substitution of fuel with methane recovered from landfills or produced in the digesters, and on the other hand, sequestrated carbon in the soil following the regular deposit of compost. Landfilling without recuperation of methane is the most emitting solution for greenhouse gas: it leads to the emission of 1.7 ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2E) per ton of household waste. Composting and methanisation allow one to have a comparable level of emission reduction, either respectively 1.8 and 2 tCO2E/t of MSW. In order to reduce the emission of GHG in the waste management systems, it is advisable to avoid first of all the emissions of methane coming from the landfills. System 2 seems to be a solution that would reduce the emissions of GHG at low cost (2.2 to 4 $/tCO2E). System 2 is calculated as the most effective at the environmental and economic level in the context of Yaounde. Therefore traditional collection, landfill disposal and biogas recuperation to produce electricity is preferable in moist tropical climates.

The temporal and spatial variability of halogenated trace gases in the upper troposphere.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oram, D.; O'Sullivan, D.; Brenninkmeijer, C.; van Velthoven, P.; Sturges, W.

2007-12-01

Halogenated trace gases play an important role in stratospheric and tropospheric chemistry, particularly affecting ozone concentrations. In addition they have direct and indirect effects on radiative forcing, and impact on tropospheric reactivity. Data from the CARIBIC project (Civil Aircraft for Regular Investigation of the Atmosphere Based on an Instrumented Container) have been used in conjunction with back-trajectory analysis to further our understanding of the chemical composition, inter-hemispheric distribution and source regions of halogenated compounds in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. Whole air samples collected within CARIBIC, have been analyzed using gas chromatography mass spectrometry for around 35 halocarbons and related trace gases, among them many potent greenhouse gases and species important for ozone depletion. The large spatial and temporal coverage of the CARIBIC project has enabled new work to be done investigating recent inter-annual trends in the CFCs, halons, and other anthropogenic halocarbons, as well as identifying clear inter-hemispheric and seasonal variability for a number of species, such as methylene chloride, HCFCs, methyl chloride, methyl bromide, methyl iodide and several reactive short lived bromo and chloro carbons. In this paper results from the CARIBIC flights to China and the Philippines will be highlighted, to discuss anthropogenic emissions of ozone depleting and greenhouse gases, from Asia and Africa. Data from flights to South America will also be presented. As production and consumption of many of these substances are being phased out in Europe and North America, emissions from Asia, Africa and also South America are becoming increasingly more important. Emissions from these regions are also of interest, as the most significant sources are often collocated with regions of convection in the tropics and sub-tropics. Thus enabling a greater proportion of the substances emitted to reach the stratosphere, where

Requirements for a Global Greenhouse Gas Information System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duren, R.; Boland, S.; Lempert, R.; Miller, C.

2008-12-01

A global greenhouse gas information system will prove a critical component of any successful effort to mitigate climate change which relies on limiting the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. The system will provide the situational awareness necessary to actively reduce emissions, influence land use change, and sequester carbon. The information from such a system will be subject to intense scrutiny. Therefore, an effective system must openly and transparently produce data of unassailable quality. A global greenhouse gas information system will likely require a combination of space-and air-based remote- sensing assets, ground-based measurements, carbon cycle modeling and self-reporting. The specific requirements on such a system will be shaped by the degree of international cooperation it enjoys and the needs of the policy regime it aims to support, which might range from verifying treaty obligations, to certifying the tradable permits and offsets underlying a market in greenhouse gas emission reductions, to providing a comprehensive inventory of high and low emitters that could be used by non-governmental organizations and other international actors. While some technical studies have examined particular system components in single scenarios, there remains a need for a comprehensive survey of the range of potential requirements, options, and strategies for the overall system. We have initiated such a survey and recently hosted a workshop which engaged a diverse community of stakeholders to begin synthesizing requirements for such a system, with an initial focus on carbon dioxide. In this paper we describe our plan for completing the definition of the requirements, options, and strategies for a global greenhouse gas monitoring system. We discuss our overall approach and provide a status on the initial requirements synthesis activity.

Landscape geomorphic characteristic impacts on greenhouse gas fluxes in exposed stream and riparian sediments

Treesearch

Philippe Vidon; Satish Serchan

2016-01-01

While excessive releases of greenhouse gases (GHG: N2O, CO2, CH4) to the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuel remains a concern, we also need to better quantify GHG emissions from natural systems. This study investigates GHG fluxes at the soil–atmosphere interface in a series of 7 stream...

Soil greenhouse gas production: Relations to soil attributes in a sugarcane production area, southern Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The production of the main soil greenhouse gases (GHG: CO2, CH4 and N2O) is influenced by agricultural practices that cause changes in soil physical, chemical and biological attributes, directly affecting their emission to the atmosphere. The aim of this study was to investigate the infield soil CO2...

Tree specie effects on soil microbial community composition and greenhouse gases emissions in a Mediterranean ecotone forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, Maria Jose; Ortiz, Carlos; Kitzler, Barbara; Curiel, Jorge; Rubio, Agustin

2016-04-01

Over recent decades in the Iberian Peninsula, altitudinal shifts from Pinus sylvestris L. to Quercus pyrenaica Willd species has been observed as a consequence of Global Change, meaning changes in temperature, precipitation, land use and forestry. The forest conversion from pine to oak can alter the litter quality and quantity provided to the soil and thereby the soil microbial community composition and functioning. Since soil microbiota plays an important role in organic matter decomposition, and this in turn is key in biogeochemical cycles and forest ecosystems productivity, the rate in which forests produce and consume greenhouse gases can be also affected by changes in forest composition. In other words, changes in litter decomposition will ultimately affect downstream carbon and nitrogen dynamics although this impact is uncertain. In order to predict changes in carbon and nitrogen stocks in Global Change scenarios, it is necessary to deepen the impact of vegetation changes on soil microbial communities, litter decomposition dynamics (priming effect) and the underlying interactions between these factors. To test this, we conducted a full-factorial transplant microcosms experiment mixing both fresh soils and litter from Pyrenean oak, Scots pine and mixed stands collected inside their transitional area in Central Spain. The microcosms consisted in soil cylinders inside Kilner jars used as chambers inside an incubator. In this experiment, we investigated how and to what extent the addition of litter with different quality (needles, oak leaves and mixed needles-leaves) to soil inoculums with contrasting soil microbiota impact on (i) soil CO2, NO, N2O and CH4 efflux rates, (ii) total organic carbon and nitrogen and (iii) dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen. Furthermore, we assessed if these responses were controlled by changes in the microbial community structure using the PLFA analyses prior and after the incubation period of 54 days.

Positive feedback of greenhouse gas balances to warming is determined by non-growing season emissions in an alpine meadow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, S.; Wang, J.; Quan, Q.; Chen, W.; Wen, X.; Yu, G.

2017-12-01

Large uncertainties exist in the sources and sinks of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) in response to climate warming and human activity. So far, numerous previous studies have evaluated the CO2 budget, but little attention has paid to CH4 and N2O budgets and the concurrent balance of these three gases in combination, especially in the non-growing season. Here, we synthesized eddy covariance measurement with the automatic chamber measurements of CO2, CH4, and N2O exposed to three levels of temperature treatments (ambient, +1.5 °C, +2.5 °C) and two disturbance treatments (ummowing, mowing) in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. We have found that warming caused increase in CH4 uptake and decrease in N2O emission offset little of the enhancement in CO2 emission, triggering a positive feedback to climate warming. Warming switches the ecosystem from a net sink (-17 ± 14 g CO2-eq m-2 yr-1) in the control to a net source of greenhouse gases of 94 ± 36 gCO2-eq m-2 yr-1 in the plots with +1.5 °C warming treatment, and 177 ± 6 gCO2-eq m-2 yr-1 in the plots with +2.5 °C warming treatment. The changes in the non-growing season balance, rather than those in the growing season, dominate the warming responses of annual greehouse gas balance. And this is not changed by mowing. The dominant role of responses of winter greenhouse gas balance in the positive feedback of ecosystem to climate warming highlights that greenhouse gas balance in cold season has to be considered when assessing climate-carbon cycle feedback.

Joint implementation: Biodiversity and greenhouse gas offsets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cutright, Noel J.

1996-11-01

One of the most pressing environmental issues today is the possibility that projected increases in global emissions of greenhouse gases from increased deforestation, development, and fossil-fuel combustion could significantly alter global climate patterns. Under the terms of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, signed in Rio de Janeiro during the June 1992 Earth Summit, the United States and other industrialized countries committed to balancing greenhouse gas emissions at 1990 levels in the year 2000. Included in the treaty is a provision titled “Joint Implementation,” whereby industrialized countries assist developing countries in jointly modifying long-term emission trends, either through emission reductions or by protecting and enhancing greenhouse gas sinks (carbon sequestration). The US Climate Action Plan, signed by President Clinton in 1993, calls for voluntary climate change mitigation measures by various sectors, and the action plan included a new program, the US Initiative on Joint Implementation. Wisconsin Electric decided to invest in a Jl project because its concept encourages creative, cost-effective solutions to environmental problems through partnering, international cooperation, and innovation. The project chosen, a forest preservation and management effort in Belize, will sequester more than five million tons of carbon dioxide over a 40-year period, will become economically selfsustaining after ten years, and will have substantial biodiversity benefits.

Impacts of enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers on greenhouse gas emissions in a coastal plain soil under cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Enhanced-efficiency nitrogen fertilizers (EENFs) have the potential to increase crop yield while also decreasing N loss from agricultural fields. However, effects of EENFs on emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) need to be studied at a variety of locations and cropping systems. The effects of these ...

Experimental research on the effects of water application on greenhouse gas emissions from beef cattle feedlots

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effect of water application (e.g., through rainfall or sprinkler system) on emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), such as nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2), from pen surfaces of open-lot beef cattle feedlots was evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions. Soil/ma...

40 CFR 86.1818-12 - Greenhouse gas emission standards for light-duty vehicles, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... group of six greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons... for passenger automobiles and light trucks. (1) For a given individual model year's production of... production of that model type/footprint combination for the appropriate model year. (C) The resulting...

A rational procedure for estimation of greenhouse-gas emissions from municipal wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Monteith, Hugh D; Sahely, Halla R; MacLean, Heather L; Bagley, David M

2005-01-01

Municipal wastewater treatment may lead to the emission of greenhouse gases. The current Intergovenmental Panel on Climate Change (Geneva, Switzerland) approach attributes only methane emissions to wastewater treatment, but this approach may overestimate greenhouse gas emissions from the highly aerobic processes primarily used in North America. To better estimate greenhouse gas emissions, a procedure is developed that can be used either with plant-specific data or more general regional data. The procedure was evaluated using full-scale data from 16 Canadian wastewater treatment facilities and then applied to all 10 Canadian provinces. The principal greenhouse gas emitted from municipal wastewater treatment plants was estimated to be carbon dioxide (CO2), with very little methane expected. The emission rates ranged from 0.005 kg CO2-equivalent/m3 treated for primary treatment facilities to 0.26 kg CO2-equivalent/m3 for conventional activated sludge, with anaerobic sludge digestion to over 0.8 kg CO2-equivalent/m3 for extended aeration with aerobic digestion. Increasing the effectiveness of biogas generation and use will decrease the greenhouse gas emissions that may be assigned to the wastewater treatment plant.

Ionic composition and greenhouse gases evaluation in Tietê River sediment and mud landfill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La-Scalea, M. A.; Fornaro, A.; Abreu, E. L.; Mendonça, C. A.

2012-04-01

There are 39 cities composing the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP) which has grown seven times during the last sixty years, reaching, in 2011, 19.3 million inhabitants. This fact associated with a strong industrial development provoked, among other consequences, a disordered urbanization along the most important river of the region: Tietê. About 100 Km of its 1,150 Km full extension crosses MASP and, during the 60's, Marginal Tietê roadway was constructed, occupying the river banks as access routes. Tietê River was straightened and several landfills were created with its deposit (sediment and mud). EACH-USP (46.50 W, 23.48 S) lies nowadays in one of these areas, where this work has been developed. Therefore, the goal is to evaluate the chemical composition (ionic and gases) and its variability in function of the depth levels using three wells, from 0.60 to 9.0 m of depth. The wells were perforated in September 2011, end of the dry weather. Each well owns a homemade multiport sampling device (HMSD), being possible to push gas and/or water up from 15 available ports. The gases measurements were carried out using a GEM-2000 plus (Landtec) portable analyzer. Aqueous samples containing solid material were taken at each level depth from ports of the HMSD. However, no water was found in some levels. All samples were kept cooled until analysis procedures. After decantation of the solid material, the supernatant liquid was divided in two portions, being its conductivity (Micronal conductimeter) and pH (pH-meter Metrohm 654 with combined glass electrode) measured with the former and ionic analysis with the latter, in which all samples were filtered (Millex 0.22 micrometer pores) before each ionic chromatographic analysis, using Metrohm 850 System, for the ions: sodium, ammonium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride, nitrate and sulfate. The first sampling stage was carried out during November and December 2011 in the beginning of rainy season in the mid Spring

Assessment of US, Indian and Chinese Middle School Students' Outlook on the Greenhouse Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niyogi, D.; Ganesh, N.; Singh, D.; Liu, X.; Shepardson, D. P.; Roychoudhury, A.; Hirsch, A.; Halversen, C.

2012-12-01

When you think of the greenhouse effect and climate change what images and concepts come to mind? Answers to these questions are important to educators and policy makers as they wrestle with the issue of educating and conveying these concepts in class rooms and to the general public. The greenhouse effect (GHE) sustains life on the earth through regulating the temperatures on the planet. Well-mixed greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide absorb outgoing (long wave) radiation from the Earth's surface while allowing passage without absorption of the incoming solar (shortwave) radiation. Increasing the GHG concentration in the atmosphere increases the absorption of long wavelength radiation thereby increasing global temperatures that result in changes in the atmospheric states consistently over multiple decades.The concept of the greenhouse effect is critical to the discussions underway pertaining to climate change and the controls on greenhouse emissions being proposed in different forums. This study sought to (1) investigate students' conceptions about the greenhouse effect, global warming and climate change; (2) determine if there are differences between perceptions for students in US, India and China (Asia)- where there are known differences in the political and scientific approaches; and (3) determine if there any differences, contextual or otherwise, in the way the greenhouse effect is taught in these countries. This study was conducted in select schools in the Midwest US, India and China that volunteered to work with this project. -For US, data from 51 secondary students from three different schools were analyzed, for India the number was 71 from 3 schools, while for China the number is over 100 (and being analyzed) from different classes within a school. Study Hypotheses: 1.Middle school students have a good scientific understanding of greenhouse gases. 2.The U.S and Asian students have the same outlook. Teachers

New measurements quantify atmospheric greenhouse effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Atreyee

2012-10-01

In spite of a large body of existing measurements of incoming short-wave solar radiation and outgoing long-wave terrestrial radiation at the surface of the Earth and, more recently, in the upper atmosphere, there are few observations documenting how radiation profiles change through the atmosphere—information that is necessary to fully quantify the greenhouse effect of Earth's atmosphere. Through the use of existing technology but employing improvements in observational techniques it may now be possible not only to quantify but also to understand how different components of the atmosphere (e.g., concentration of gases, cloud cover, moisture, and aerosols) contribute to the greenhouse effect. Using weather balloons equipped with radiosondes, Philipona et al. continuously measured radiation fluxes from the surface of Earth up to altitudes of 35 kilometers in the upper stratosphere. Combining data from flights conducted during both day and night with continuous 24-hour measurements made at the surface of the Earth, the researchers created radiation profiles of all four components necessary to fully capture the radiation budget of Earth, namely, the upward and downward short-wave and long-wave radiation as a function of altitude.

76 FR 61293 - Extension of Public Comment Period: Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases: Technical Revisions...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-04

... Electronics Manufacturing and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Categories of the Greenhouse Gas Reporting...: Technical Revisions to the Electronics Manufacturing and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Categories of... to the Electronics Manufacturing and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems Categories of the...

Understanding the fluvial loss of carbon from the UK - implications for terrestrial carbon, greenhouse gases and water quality.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worrall, F.; Howden, N. J. K.

2016-12-01

We have developed a number of methods to estimate the fate of fluvial organic matter through UK catchments. Here we include dissolved organic matter (DOM), particulate organic matter (POC), and dissolved gases to estimate losses from the terrestrial biosphere; in-stream losses and production (including the role of water and waste treatment); and export to the continental shelf and atmsophere. We use multiple approaches, including: mass balance studies, modelling and experimentation. Mass balance studies suggest that the UK terrestrial biosphere losses 5 Mtonnes C/yr (21.8 tonnes C/km2/yr) in the proportion of 7:22:4 (POC:DOC:diss. CO2). The mass balance studies suggest 3.5 Mtonnes C/yr (15.2 tonnes C/km2/yr) is lost to the atmosphere in the proportion 8:75:17 (POC:DOC:diss. CO2); UK rivers have short residence times (typically 1-2 days) and so the diurnal cycle becomes critical. Experiments show that turnover rates are close to zero overnight but that these can be periods of DOM production from turnover of POM and that the presence of POM may inhibit turnover of DOM; The development and modelling using physically-explicit rate laws showed that the loss of DOC was between 24 and 37% - lower than that estimated from mass balance studies, but that the loss rate of TOC (DOC + POC) was between 57 and 80% - close to that estimated from mass balance studies; The turnover of organic particles within rivers means that any notion that soil erosion leads to net carbon drawdown is entirely negated and the emission factor for gross soil erosion is estimated to be between 0.11 and 0.66 tonnes CO2eq/yr for every 1 tonne of gross erosion; and, Studies of molecular change of DOM and POM along rivers shows that, while POM represents an admixture of its sources (soils and vegetation), the DOM which enters rivers as highly oxidised becomes more reduced in channel. The release of greenhouse gases from UK rivers is now estimated to be between 15,800 - 33,000 ktonnes CO2eq/yr equivalent

[Survey of the use of long-lasting expanding gases in ophthalmology in Japan].

PubMed

Sakamoto, Taiji; Hida, Tetsuo; Tano, Yasuo; Negi, Akira; Takeuchi, Shinobu; Ishibashi, Tatsuro; Inoue, Yoshitsugu; Ohguro, Nobuyuki; Okada, Annabelle Ayame

2008-01-01

To survey the use of long-lasting expanding gases in ophthalmology in Japan. A questionnaire was sent to 1,236 teaching hospitals approved by the Japanese Ophthalmological Society requesting information regarding indications, methods, efficacy and complications related to the use of long-lasting expanding gases administered from January through December 2005. Four-hundred and fifty-nine hospitals responded to the survey (response rate 37.1%). A total of 174,221 ophthalmic surgeries were performed during the survey period, with long-lasting expanding gases used in 19,816 of cases (11.4%). The surgical procedure was vitrectomy in 89.6% of cases in which gas was administered. The most frequent indication for gas use was rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, for which SF6 was the preferred gas. Industrial use gas was utilized in 76.1% of cases, while 22.4% of cases received medical use gas. Increase in intraocular pressure was the most common complication of intraocular gas tamponade (3121 cases, 15.7%), followed by cataract formation. Ninety-eight percent of ophthalmologists responding supported the use of long-lasting expanding gases with vitrectomy, 85% with scleral buckling procedures, and 84% with surgery to remove subretinal hemorrhage. The consensus was that substantial deterioration of surgical results would occur if long-lasting expanding gases could not be used. Long-lasting expanding gases are being widely administered in ophthalmology in Japan, and appear to have good efficacy for a variety of indications. Several complications related to the use of these gases were reported, however the rates of complications were low.

Making Small-Scale Classroom Greenhouse Gas Flux Calculations Using a Handmade Gas Capture Hood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schouten, Peter W.; Sharma, Ashok; Burn, Stewart; Goodman, Nigel; Parisi, Alfio; Downs, Nathan; Lemckert, Charles

2013-01-01

The emissions of various types of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from natural and industrial sources are undergoing a great deal of scrutiny around the world. The three main GHGs that are of most concern are carbon dioxide (CO[subscript 2]), nitrous oxide (N[subscript 2]O) and methane (CH[subscript 4]). CO[subscript 2], N[subscript 2]O and CH[subscript…

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality: Two global challenges.

PubMed

Erickson, Larry E

2017-07-01

There are many good reasons to promote sustainable development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other combustion emissions. The air quality in many urban environments is causing many premature deaths because of asthma, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and dementia associated with combustion emissions. The global social cost of air pollution is at least $3 trillion/year; particulates, nitrogen oxides and ozone associated with combustion emissions are very costly pollutants. Better air quality in urban environments is one of the reasons for countries to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. There are many potential benefits associated with limiting climate change. In the recent past, the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have been increasing and the number of weather and climate disasters with costs over $1 billion has been increasing. The average global temperature set new record highs in 2014, 2015, and 2016. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the transition to electric vehicles and electricity generation using renewable energy must take place in accord with the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. This work reviews progress and identifies some of the health benefits associated with reducing combustion emissions. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 982-988, 2017.

Abrupt Climate Transition of Icy Worlds from Snowball to Moist or Runaway Greenhouse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; Ding, F.; Ramirez, R. M.; Peltier, W. R.; Hu, Y.; Liu, Y.

2017-12-01

Ongoing and future space missions aim to identify potentially habitable planets in our Solar System and beyond. Planetary habitability is determined not only by a planet's current stellar insolation and atmospheric properties, but also by the evolutionary history of its climate. It has been suggested that icy planets and moons become habitable after their initial ice shield melts as their host stars brighten. Here we show from global climate model simulations that a habitable state is not achieved in the climatic evolution of those icy planets and moons that possess an inactive carbonate-silicate cycle and low concentrations of greenhouse gases. Examples for such planetary bodies are the icy moons Europa and Enceladus, and certain icy exoplanets orbiting G and F stars. We find that the stellar fluxes that are required to overcome a planet's initial snowball state are so large that they lead to significant water loss and preclude a habitable planet. Specifically, they exceed the moist greenhouse limit, at which water vapour accumulates at high altitudes where it can readily escape, or the runaway greenhouse limit, at which the strength of the greenhouse increases until the oceans boil away. We suggest that some icy planetary bodies may transition directly to a moist or runaway greenhouse without passing through a habitable Earth-like state.

Abrupt climate transition of icy worlds from snowball to moist or runaway greenhouse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jun; Ding, Feng; Ramirez, Ramses M.; Peltier, W. R.; Hu, Yongyun; Liu, Yonggang

2017-08-01

Ongoing and future space missions aim to identify potentially habitable planets in our Solar System and beyond. Planetary habitability is determined not only by a planet's current stellar insolation and atmospheric properties, but also by the evolutionary history of its climate. It has been suggested that icy planets and moons become habitable after their initial ice shield melts as their host stars brighten. Here we show from global climate model simulations that a habitable state is not achieved in the climatic evolution of those icy planets and moons that possess an inactive carbonate-silicate cycle and low concentrations of greenhouse gases. Examples for such planetary bodies are the icy moons Europa and Enceladus, and certain icy exoplanets orbiting G and F stars. We find that the stellar fluxes that are required to overcome a planet's initial snowball state are so large that they lead to significant water loss and preclude a habitable planet. Specifically, they exceed the moist greenhouse limit, at which water vapour accumulates at high altitudes where it can readily escape, or the runaway greenhouse limit, at which the strength of the greenhouse increases until the oceans boil away. We suggest that some icy planetary bodies may transition directly to a moist or runaway greenhouse without passing through a habitable Earth-like state.

Emissions of ammonia and greenhouse gases during combined pre-composting and vermicomposting of duck manure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Jinzhi; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; Hu, Zhengyi, E-mail: zhyhu@ucas.ac.cn

Highlights: • Earthworms significantly decreased emissions of N{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4}, but had a marginal effect on CO{sub 2} emission. • NH{sub 3}, N{sub 2}O, and CH{sub 4} emissions were significantly reduced by reed straw and zeolite, CO{sub 2} emission was increased by reed straw. • Combined pre-composting and vermicomposting with reed straw and zeolite would be recommended for disposal of duck manure. - Abstract: Combined pre-composting and vermicomposting has shown potential for reclamation of solid wastes, which is a significant source of ammonia (NH{sub 3}), and greenhouse gases (GHG), including nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O), methane (CH{sub 4}), andmore » carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}). Earthworms and amendments may both affect physico-chemical characteristics that control gas-producing processes, and thus affect NH{sub 3} and GHG emissions. Here, we used two-way ANOVA to test the effects of addition of reed straw and combined addition of reed straw and zeolite on NH{sub 3} and GHG emissions during pre-composting of duck manure, either with or without a follow-up phase of vermicomposting. Results showed that cumulative N{sub 2}O, CH{sub 4}, and CO{sub 2} emissions during pre-composting and vermicomposting ranged from 92.8, 5.8, and 260.6 mg kg{sup −1} DM to 274.2, 30.4, and 314.0 mg kg{sup −1} DM, respectively. Earthworms and amendments significantly decreased N{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4} emissions. Emission of CO{sub 2} was not affected by earthworms, but increased in responses to addition of reed straw. Cumulative NH{sub 3} emission ranged from 3.0 to 8.1 g kg{sup −1} DM, and was significantly decreased by reed straw and zeolite addition. In conclusion, combined pre-composting and vermicomposting with reed straw and zeolite addition would be strongly recommended in mitigating emissions of N{sub 2}O, CH{sub 4}, and NH{sub 3} from duck manure. Moreover, this method also provides nutrient-rich products that can be used as a fertilizer.« less

40 CFR 86.1818-12 - Greenhouse gas emission standards for light-duty vehicles, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... group of six greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons... passenger automobiles and light trucks. (1) For a given individual model year's production of passenger... multiplied by the total production of that model type/footprint combination for the appropriate model year...

40 CFR 86.1818-12 - Greenhouse gas emission standards for light-duty vehicles, light-duty trucks, and medium-duty...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... group of six greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydrofluorocarbons... passenger automobiles and light trucks. (1) For a given individual model year's production of passenger... the total production of that model type/footprint combination for the appropriate model year. (C) The...

Mitigation activities in the forest sector to reduce emissions and enhance sinks of greenhouse gases

Treesearch

Richard Birdsey; Ralph Alig; Darius Adams

2000-01-01

In June 1992, representatives from 172 countries gathered at the "Earth Summit" in Rio de Janeiro to discuss environmental issues. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) was adopted to achieve ". . . stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic...

GREENHOUSE GASES FROM BIOMASS AND FOSSIL FUEL STOVES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A MANILA PILOT STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

Samples were taken of the combustion gases released by household cookstoves in Manila, Philippines. In a total of 24 samples, 14 cookstoves were tested. These were fueled by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), kerosene (three kinds of stoves), charcoal, and wood. Ambient samples were ...

The relative importance of sources of greenhouse-gas emissions: comparison of global through subnational perspectives.

PubMed

Cushman, Robert M; Jones, Sonja B

2002-03-01

Increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases are widely expected to cause global warming and other climatic changes. It is important to establish priorities for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, so that resources can be allocated efficiently and effectively. This is a global problem, and it is possible, on a global scale, to identify those activities whose emissions have the greatest potential for enhancing the greenhouse effect. However, perspectives from smaller scales must be appreciated, because it is on scales down to the local level that response measures will be implemented. This paper analyzes the relative importance of emissions from the many individual sources, on scales ranging from global to national to subnational. Individual country perspectives and proposed policy measures and those of subnational political entities exhibit some commonalities but differ among themselves and from a global-scale perspective in detail.

Reducing greenhouses and the temperature history of earth and Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sagan, C.

1977-01-01

It has been suggested that NH3 and other reducing gases were present in the earth's primitive atmosphere, enhancing the global greenhouse effect; data obtained through isotopic archeothermometry support this hypothesis. Computations have been applied to the evolution of surface temperatures on Mars, considering various bolometric albedos and compositions. The results are of interest in the study of Martian sinuous channels which may have been created by aqueous fluvial errosion, and imply that clement conditions may have previously occurred on Mars, and may occur in the future.

CO2 [Carbon Dioxide] Diet for a Greenhouse Planet: A Citizen's Guide for Slowing Global Warming.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeCicco, John; And Others

This guide discusses the global warming issue and offers a plan to facilitate a decrease in the emissions of the major greenhouse gases in the United States, including those under the control of individual citizens. A letter from the organization's president describes its involvement with the global warming issue. A brief overview presented in the…

SQuAd - Approach for the Spatial Quantification of the Advection influence on the balance closure of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schuetze, C.; Barth, M.; Hehn, M.; Ziemann, A.

2016-12-01

The eddy-covariance (EC) method can provide information about turbulent fluxes of energy and greenhouse gases (GHG) accurately if all necessary corrections and conversions are applied to the measured raw data and all boundary conditions for the method are satisfied. Nevertheless and even in flat terrain, advection can occur leading to a closing gap of energy and matter balances. Without accounting for advection, annual estimates of CO2 sink strength are overestimated, because advection usually results in underestimation of nocturnal CO2 flux. Advection is produced by low-frequent exchange processes, which can occur due to the surface heterogeneity. To measure advective fluxes there is still and strongly a need for ground-based remote sensing techniques which provide the relevant GHG concentration together with wind components spatially resolved within the same voxel structure. The SQuAd-approach applies an integrated method combination of acoustic tomography and open-path optical remote sensing based on infrared spectroscopy with the aim to obtain spatially and temporally resolved information about wind components and GHG concentration. The monitoring approach focuses on the validation of the joint application of the two independent, non-intrusive methods concerning the ability to close the existent gap in GHG balance. The innovative combination of acoustic travel-time tomography (A-TOM) and open-path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (OP-FTIR) together with atmospheric modelling will enable an upscaling and enhancement of EC measurements. OP-FTIR instrumentation has the significant advantage of real-time simultaneous measurements of line-averaged concentrations for CO2 and other GHG with high precision. A-TOM is a scalable method to remotely resolve 3D wind and temperature fields. The presentation will give an overview about the proposed method combination and results of experimental validation tests at an ICOS site (flat grassland) in Eastern Germany.

Assessing environmental impacts of organic and inorganic fertilizer on daily and seasonal Greenhouse Gases effluxes in rice field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Jing; Sha, Zhi-min; Hassani, Danial; Zhao, Zheng; Cao, Lin-kui

2017-04-01

According to the 5th Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change evaluation report, the average surface temperature of the earth has escalated from 0.69 °C (1901) to 1.08 °C (2012), which is primarily ascribed to the anthropogenic emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs). For the current study, a field experiment with four treatments, including chemical fertilizer, mixed fertilizer (MT), organic fertilizer (OT) and control (CK) was carried out in the Station of Long-term Fertilization Qingpu, Shanghai. The probable impact of fertilization on the average daily and accumulative emissions of GHGs were examined during different growth stages. The results indicated that fertilizer treatments considerably affected emissions of CH4, N2O and CO2. CH4 emitted most in OT, followed by MT, CT and CK, with the emissions of 77.29, 41.64, 30.20 and 17.37 kg ha-1, respectively. As for N2O emissions, there were no significant variations between CT (1.18 kg ha-1) and MT (1.05 kg ha-1), which were both higher than OT (0.66 kg ha-1) and CK (0.23 kg ha-1). CO2 emissions in CT (34 371 kg ha-1) came first, followed by MT (28 929 kg ha-1), OT (19 118 kg ha-1) and CK (11 533 kg ha-1), independently. Soil nutrients or fertility (humid acid, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and C: N) may perhaps speed up CH4 emissions, whilst drainage implicated could alleviate its production. Furthermore, applying substantial organic fertilizer at once might accelerate sudden and huge release of N2O. In addition, despite the inconsistencies among different years observed, the trend that organic fertilizer made the biggest amount of contribution to warming potential was alike. Consequently, the utilization of organic fertilizer should be mitigated, by applying some other inorganic fertilizers.

Middle-School Understanding of the Greenhouse Effect using a NetLogo Computer Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, L.; Koons, P. O.; Schauffler, M.

2009-12-01

We investigated the effectiveness of a freely available agent based, modeling program as a learning tool for seventh and eighth grade students to explore the greenhouse effect without added curriculum. The investigation was conducted at two Maine middle-schools with 136 seventh-grade students and 11 eighth-grade students in eight classes. Students were given a pre-test that consisted of a concept map, a free-response question, and multiple-choice questions about how the greenhouse effect influences the Earth's temperature. The computer model simulates the greenhouse effect and allows students to manipulate atmospheric and surface conditions to observe the effects on the Earth’s temperature. Students explored the Greenhouse Effect model for approximately twenty minutes with only two focus questions for guidance. After the exploration period, students were given a post-test that was identical to the pre-test. Parametric post-test analysis of the assessments indicated middle-school students gained in their understanding about how the greenhouse effect influences the Earth's temperature after exploring the computer model for approximately twenty minutes. The magnitude of the changes in pre- and post-test concept map and free-response scores were small (average free-response post-test score of 7.0) compared to an expert's score (48), indicating that students understood only a few of the system relationships. While students gained in their understanding about the greenhouse effect, there was evidence that students held onto their misconceptions that (1) carbon dioxide in the atmosphere deteriorates the ozone layer, (2) the greenhouse effect is a result of humans burning fossil fuels, and (3) infrared and visible light have similar behaviors with greenhouse gases. We recommend using the Greenhouse Effect computer model with guided inquiry to focus students’ investigations on the system relationships in the model.

Japanese Competitiveness and Japanese Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minabe, Shigeo

1986-01-01

Analyzes and compares Japanese and American industrial policy and labor practices. Proposes that certain aspects of the Japanese system be adapted by American businesses for purpose of increasing international competitiveness. Proposes specific actions and plans for both the Japanese and American systems. (ML)

History of chemically and radiatively important atmospheric gases from the Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment (AGAGE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prinn, Ronald G.; Weiss, Ray F.; Arduini, Jgor; Arnold, Tim; Langley DeWitt, H.; Fraser, Paul J.; Ganesan, Anita L.; Gasore, Jimmy; Harth, Christina M.; Hermansen, Ove; Kim, Jooil; Krummel, Paul B.; Li, Shanlan; Loh, Zoë M.; Lunder, Chris R.; Maione, Michela; Manning, Alistair J.; Miller, Ben R.; Mitrevski, Blagoj; Mühle, Jens; O'Doherty, Simon; Park, Sunyoung; Reimann, Stefan; Rigby, Matt; Saito, Takuya; Salameh, Peter K.; Schmidt, Roland; Simmonds, Peter G.; Steele, L. Paul; Vollmer, Martin K.; Wang, Ray H.; Yao, Bo; Yokouchi, Yoko; Young, Dickon; Zhou, Lingxi

2018-06-01

We present the organization, instrumentation, datasets, data interpretation, modeling, and accomplishments of the multinational global atmospheric measurement program AGAGE (Advanced Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment). AGAGE is distinguished by its capability to measure globally, at high frequency, and at multiple sites all the important species in the Montreal Protocol and all the important non-carbon-dioxide (non-CO2) gases assessed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (CO2 is also measured at several sites). The scientific objectives of AGAGE are important in furthering our understanding of global chemical and climatic phenomena. They are the following: (1) to accurately measure the temporal and spatial distributions of anthropogenic gases that contribute the majority of reactive halogen to the stratosphere and/or are strong infrared absorbers (chlorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons - CFCs, bromocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons - HCFCs, hydrofluorocarbons - HFCs and polyfluorinated compounds (perfluorocarbons - PFCs), nitrogen trifluoride - NF3, sulfuryl fluoride - SO2F2, and sulfur hexafluoride - SF6) and use these measurements to determine the global rates of their emission and/or destruction (i.e., lifetimes); (2) to accurately measure the global distributions and temporal behaviors and determine the sources and sinks of non-CO2 biogenic-anthropogenic gases important to climate change and/or ozone depletion (methane - CH4, nitrous oxide - N2O, carbon monoxide - CO, molecular hydrogen - H2, methyl chloride - CH3Cl, and methyl bromide - CH3Br); (3) to identify new long-lived greenhouse and ozone-depleting gases (e.g., SO2F2, NF3, heavy PFCs (C4F10, C5F12, C6F14, C7F16, and C8F18) and hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs; e.g., CH2 = CFCF3) have been identified in AGAGE), initiate the real-time monitoring of these new gases, and reconstruct their past histories from AGAGE, air archive, and firn air measurements; (4) to determine the average concentrations and

A new estimation of global soil greenhouse gas fluxes using a simple data-oriented model.

PubMed

Hashimoto, Shoji

2012-01-01

Soil greenhouse gas fluxes (particularly CO(2), CH(4), and N(2)O) play important roles in climate change. However, despite the importance of these soil greenhouse gases, the number of reports on global soil greenhouse gas fluxes is limited. Here, new estimates are presented for global soil CO(2) emission (total soil respiration), CH(4) uptake, and N(2)O emission fluxes, using a simple data-oriented model. The estimated global fluxes for CO(2) emission, CH(4) uptake, and N(2)O emission were 78 Pg C yr(-1) (Monte Carlo 95% confidence interval, 64-95 Pg C yr(-1)), 18 Tg C yr(-1) (11-23 Tg C yr(-1)), and 4.4 Tg N yr(-1) (1.4-11.1 Tg N yr(-1)), respectively. Tropical regions were the largest contributor of all of the gases, particularly the CO(2) and N(2)O fluxes. The soil CO(2) and N(2)O fluxes had more pronounced seasonal patterns than the soil CH(4) flux. The collected estimates, including both the previous and the present estimates, demonstrate that the means of the best estimates from each study were 79 Pg C yr(-1) (291 Pg CO(2) yr(-1); coefficient of variation, CV = 13%, N = 6) for CO(2), 21 Tg C yr(-1) (29 Tg CH(4) yr(-1); CV = 24%, N = 24) for CH(4), and 7.8 Tg N yr(-1) (12.2 Tg N(2)O yr(-1); CV = 38%, N = 11) for N(2)O. For N(2)O, the mean of the estimates that was calculated by excluding the earliest two estimates was 6.6 Tg N yr(-1) (10.4 Tg N(2)O yr(-1); CV = 22%, N = 9). The reported estimates vary and have large degrees of uncertainty but their overall magnitudes are in general agreement. To further minimize the uncertainty of soil greenhouse gas flux estimates, it is necessary to build global databases and identify key processes in describing global soil greenhouse gas fluxes.

Current and emerging laser sensors for greenhouse gas sensing and leak detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frish, Michael B.

2014-05-01

To reduce atmospheric accumulation of the greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide, networks of continuously operating sensors that monitor and map their sources are desirable. In this paper, we discuss advances in laser-based open-path leak detectors, as well as technical and economic challenges inhibiting widespread sensor deployment for "ubiquitous monitoring". We describe permanently-installed, wireless, solar-powered sensors that overcome previous installation and maintenance difficulties while providing autonomous real-time leak reporting without false alarms.

Dynamic-gravimetric preparation of metrologically traceable primary calibration standards for halogenated greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillevic, Myriam; Vollmer, Martin K.; Wyss, Simon A.; Leuenberger, Daiana; Ackermann, Andreas; Pascale, Céline; Niederhauser, Bernhard; Reimann, Stefan

2018-06-01

For many years, the comparability of measurements obtained with various instruments within a global-scale air quality monitoring network has been ensured by anchoring all results to a unique suite of reference gas mixtures, also called a primary calibration scale. Such suites of reference gas mixtures are usually prepared and then stored over decades in pressurised cylinders by a designated laboratory. For the halogenated gases which have been measured over the last 40 years, this anchoring method is highly relevant as measurement reproducibility is currently much better ( < 1 %, k = 2 or 95 % confidence interval) than the expanded uncertainty of a reference gas mixture (usually > 2 %). Meanwhile, newly emitted halogenated gases are already measured in the atmosphere at pmol mol-1 levels, while still lacking an established reference standard. For compounds prone to adsorption on material surfaces, it is difficult to evaluate mixture stability and thus variations in the molar fractions over time in cylinders at pmol mol-1 levels.To support atmospheric monitoring of halogenated gases, we create new primary calibration scales for SF6 (sulfur hexafluoride), HFC-125 (pentafluoroethane), HFO-1234yf (or HFC-1234yf, 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoroprop-1-ene), HCFC-132b (1,2-dichloro-1,1-difluoroethane) and CFC-13 (chlorotrifluoromethane). The preparation method, newly applied to halocarbons, is dynamic and gravimetric: it is based on the permeation principle followed by dynamic dilution and cryo-filling of the mixture in cylinders. The obtained METAS-2017 primary calibration scales are made of 11 cylinders containing these five substances at near-ambient and slightly varying molar fractions. Each prepared molar fraction is traceable to the realisation of SI units (International System of Units) and is assigned an uncertainty estimate following international guidelines (JCGM, 2008), ranging from 0.6 % for SF6 to 1.3 % (k = 2) for all other substances. The smallest uncertainty

Comparison of Gross Greenhouse Gas Fluxes from Hydroelectric Reservoirs in Brazil with Thermopower Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogerio, J. P.; Dos Santos, M. A.; Matvienko, B.; dos Santos, E.; Rocha, C. H.; Sikar, E.; Junior, A. M.

2013-05-01

Widespread interest in human impacts on the Earth has prompted much questioning in fields of concern to the general public. One of these issues is the extent of the impacts on the environment caused by hydro-based power generation, once viewed as a clean energy source. From the early 1990s onwards, papers and studies have been challenging this assumption through claims that hydroelectric dams also emit greenhouse gases, generated by the decomposition of biomass flooded by filling these reservoirs. Like as other freshwater bodies, hydroelectric reservoirs produce gases underwater by biology decomposition of organic matter. Some of these biogenic gases are effective in terms of Global Warming. The decomposition is mainly due by anaerobically regime, emitting methane (CH4), nitrogen (N2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). This paper compare results obtained from gross greenhouse fluxes in Brazilian hydropower reservoirs with thermo power plants using different types of fuels and technology. Measurements were carried in the Manso, Serra da Mesa, Corumbá, Itumbiara, Estreito, Furnas and Peixoto reservoirs, located in Cerrado biome and in Funil reservoir located at Atlantic forest biome with well defined climatologically regimes. Fluxes of carbon dioxide and methane in each of the reservoirs selected, whether through bubbles and/or diffusive exchange between water and atmosphere, were assessed by sampling. The intensity of emissions has a great variability and some environmental factors could be responsible for these variations. Factors that influence the emissions could be the water and air temperature, depth, wind velocity, sunlight, physical and chemical parameters of water, the composition of underwater biomass and the operational regime of the reservoir. Based in this calculations is possible to conclude that the large amount of hydro-power studied is better than thermopower source in terms of atmospheric greenhouse emissions. The comparisons between the reservoirs studied

Greenhouse gas exchange over grazed systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felber, R.; Ammann, C.; Neftel, A.

2012-04-01

Grasslands act as sinks and sources of greenhouse gases (GHG) and are, in conjunction with livestock production systems, responsible for a large share of GHG emissions. Whereas ecosystem scale flux measurements (eddy covariance) are commonly used to investigate CO2 exchange (and is becoming state-of-the-art for other GHGs, too), GHG emissions from agricultural animals are usually investigated on the scale of individual animals. Therefore eddy covariance technique has to be tested for combined systems (i.e. grazed systems). Our project investigates the ability of field scale flux measurements to reliably quantify the contribution of grazing dairy cows to the net exchange of CO2 and CH4. To quantify the contribution of the animals to the net flux the position, movement, and grazing/rumination activity of each cow are recorded. In combination with a detailed footprint analysis of the eddy covariance fluxes, the animal related CO2 and CH4 emissions are derived and compared to standard emission values derived from respiration chambers. The aim of the project is to test the assumption whether field scale CO2 flux measurements adequately include the respiration of grazing cows and to identify potential errors in ecosystem Greenhouse gas budgets.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality: Two global challenges

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

There are many good reasons to promote sustainable development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other combustion emissions. The air quality in many urban environments is causing many premature deaths because of asthma, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and dementia associated with combustion emissions. The global social cost of air pollution is at least $3 trillion/year; particulates, nitrogen oxides and ozone associated with combustion emissions are very costly pollutants. Better air quality in urban environments is one of the reasons for countries to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. There are many potential benefits associated with limiting climate change. In the recent past, the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have been increasing and the number of weather and climate disasters with costs over $1 billion has been increasing. The average global temperature set new record highs in 2014, 2015, and 2016. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the transition to electric vehicles and electricity generation using renewable energy must take place in accord with the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. This work reviews progress and identifies some of the health benefits associated with reducing combustion emissions. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 982–988, 2017 PMID:29238442

The Influence of Soil Displacement in Bavarian Agricultural Landscapes on the Land-Atmosphere Exchange of Greenhouse Gases.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smidt, J.; Schmid, H. P. E.

2016-12-01

The terrestrial biosphere represents the world's second-largest stock of carbon, after the oceans, estimated to be 2300 Gt carbon with 1500 Gt of organic carbon (Kirkels et al., 2014). In agricultural landscapes, erosion and deposition caused by tillage and subsequent heavy precipitation redistribute large amounts of soil and therefore carbon (Van Oost et al., 2007). Erosion rates in areas of agricultural production are 1-2 magnitudes larger than in areas covered with native vegetation (Montgomery, 2007). Landscapes in the German state of Bavaria have been used for agricultural production for thousands of years. Within the framework of the project "Bavarian Landscapes Under Climate Change," a multi-method approach is taken. At two distinct watersheds in Bavaria, we attempt to quantify the effect of soil displacement on the fluxes of CO2, N2O and CH4 using continuous eddy covariance (EC) data, small manual gas chamber measurements and a soil laboratory incubation experiment designed to simulate an erosion event. The pre-alpine site of Rottenbuch, part of the TERENO network, is located at 690 masl and characterized by molasses and carbonic/dolomitic fluvioglacial sediments. The Otterbach site, part of the Bavarian Forest, lies at 350 masl and is dominated by granite and gneiss rock. The sites have an annual precipitation of 1200 and 700 mm, respectively. In Rottenbuch, the downslope area is managed grassland and the upslope area is grazed part of the year. In Otterbach, the downslope field is organic grassland, and the upslope area is used for agricultural production. There is a standard EC station at each site, as well as automatic chambers (Rottenbuch) and manual chambers (Otterbach). The data collected will be used to calibrate, run and verify numerical models to ascertain the sensitivity of the fluxes to biological, biochemical and physical processes and ultimately bring light to the question of agricultural landscapes as sinks or sources of greenhouse gases.

Biochar helps enhance maize productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions under balanced fertilization in a rainfed low fertility inceptisol.

PubMed

Zhang, Dengxiao; Pan, Genxing; Wu, Gang; Kibue, Grace Wanjiru; Li, Lianqing; Zhang, Xuhui; Zheng, Jinwei; Zheng, Jufeng; Cheng, Kun; Joseph, Stephen; Liu, Xiaoyu

2016-01-01

Maize production plays an important role in global food security, especially in arid and poor-soil regions. Its production is also increasing in China in terms of both planting area and yield. However, maize productivity in rainfed croplands is constrained by low soil fertility and moisture insufficiency. To increase the maize yield, local farmers use NPK fertilizer. However, the fertilization regime (CF) they practice is unbalanced with too much nitrogen in proportion to both phosphorus and potassium, which has led to low fertilizer use efficiency and excessive greenhouse gases emissions. A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess whether a high yielding but low greenhouse gases emission system could be developed by the combination of balanced fertilization (BF) and biochar amendment in a rainfed farmland located in the Northern region of China. Biochar was applied at rates of 0, 20, and 40 t/ha. Results show that BF and biochar increased maize yield and partial nutrient productivity and decreased nitrous oxide (N2O) emission. Under BF the maize yield was 23.7% greater than under CF. N2O emissions under BF were less than half that under CF due to a reduced N fertilizer application rate. Biochar amendment decreased N2O by more than 31% under CF, while it had no effect on N2O emissions under BF. Thus BF was effective at maintaining a high maize yield and reducing greenhouse gases emissions. If combined with biochar amendment, BF would be a good way of sustaining low carbon agriculture in rainfed areas. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The runaway greenhouse: implications for future climate change, geoengineering and planetary atmospheres.

PubMed

Goldblatt, Colin; Watson, Andrew J

2012-09-13

The ultimate climate emergency is a 'runaway greenhouse': a hot and water-vapour-rich atmosphere limits the emission of thermal radiation to space, causing runaway warming. Warming ceases only after the surface reaches approximately 1400 K and emits radiation in the near-infrared, where water is not a good greenhouse gas. This would evaporate the entire ocean and exterminate all planetary life. Venus experienced a runaway greenhouse in the past, and we expect that the Earth will in around 2 billion years as solar luminosity increases. But could we bring on such a catastrophe prematurely, by our current climate-altering activities? Here, we review what is known about the runaway greenhouse to answer this question, describing the various limits on outgoing radiation and how climate will evolve between these. The good news is that almost all lines of evidence lead us to believe that is unlikely to be possible, even in principle, to trigger full a runaway greenhouse by addition of non-condensible greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. However, our understanding of the dynamics, thermodynamics, radiative transfer and cloud physics of hot and steamy atmospheres is weak. We cannot therefore completely rule out the possibility that human actions might cause a transition, if not to full runaway, then at least to a much warmer climate state than the present one. High climate sensitivity might provide a warning. If we, or more likely our remote descendants, are threatened with a runaway greenhouse, then geoengineering to reflect sunlight might be life's only hope. Injecting reflective aerosols into the stratosphere would be too short-lived, and even sunshades in space might require excessive maintenance. In the distant future, modifying Earth's orbit might provide a sustainable solution. The runaway greenhouse also remains relevant in planetary sciences and astrobiology: as extrasolar planets smaller and nearer to their stars are detected, some will be in

Emissions Of Greenhouse Gases From Rice Agriculture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M. Aslam K. Khalil

This project produced detailed data on the processes that affect methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice agriculture and their inter-relationships. It defines the shifting roles and potential future of these gases in causing global warming and the benefits and tradeoffs of reducing emissions. The major results include: 1). Mechanisms and Processes Leading to Methane Emissions are Delineated. Our experiments have tested the standard model of methane emissions from rice fields and found new results on the processes that control the flux. A mathematical mass balance model was used to unravel the production, oxidation and transport of methane from rice.more » The results suggested that when large amounts of organic matter are applied, the additional flux that is observed is due to both greater production and reduced oxidation of methane. 2). Methane Emissions From China Have Been Decreasing Over the Last Two Decades. We have calculated that methane emissions from rice fields have been falling in recent decades. This decrease is particularly large in China. While some of this is due to reduced area of rice agriculture, the bigger effect is from the reduction in the emission factor which is the annual amount of methane emitted per hectare of rice. The two most important changes that cause this decreasing emission from China are the reduced use of organic amendments which have been replaced by commercial nitrogen fertilizers, and the increased practice of intermittent flooding as greater demands are placed on water resources. 3). Global Methane Emissions Have Been Constant For More Than 20 Years. While the concentrations of methane in the atmosphere have been leveling off in recent years, our studies show that this is caused by a near constant total global source of methane for the last 20 years or more. This is probably because as some anthropogenic sources have increased, others, such as the rice agriculture source, have fallen. Changes in natural emissions

Greenhouse gas mitigation in a carbon constrained world - the role of CCS in Germany

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schumacher, Katja; Sands, Ronald D.

2009-01-05

In a carbon constrained world, at least four classes of greenhouse gas mitigation options are available: energy efficiency, switching to low or carbon-free energy sources, introduction of carbon dioxide capture and storage along with electric generating technologies, and reductions in emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases. The contribution of each option to overall greenhouse gas mitigation varies by cost, scale, and timing. In particular, carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) promises to allow for low-emissions fossil-fuel based power generation. This is particularly relevant for Germany, where electricity generation is largely coal-based and, at the same time, ambitious climate targets are inmore » place. Our objective is to provide a balanced analysis of the various classes of greenhouse gas mitigation options with a particular focus on CCS for Germany. We simulate the potential role of advanced fossil fuel based electricity generating technologies with CCS (IGCC, NGCC) as well the potential for retrofit with CCS for existing and currently built fossil plants from the present through 2050. We employ a computable general equilibrium (CGE) economic model as a core model and integrating tool.« less

Future Climate Impacts of Direct Radiative Forcing Anthropogenic Aerosols, Tropospheric Ozone, and Long-lived Greenhouse Gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Wei-Ting; Liao, Hong; Seinfeld, John H.

2007-01-01

Long-lived greenhouse gases (GHGs) are the most important driver of climate change over the next century. Aerosols and tropospheric ozone (O3) are expected to induce significant perturbations to the GHG-forced climate. To distinguish the equilibrium climate responses to changes in direct radiative forcing of anthropogenic aerosols, tropospheric ozone, and GHG between present day and year 2100, four 80-year equilibrium climates are simulated using a unified tropospheric chemistry-aerosol model within the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) general circulation model (GCM) 110. Concentrations of sulfate, nitrate, primary organic (POA) carbon, secondary organic (SOA) carbon, black carbon (BC) aerosols, and tropospheric ozone for present day and year 2100 are obtained a priori by coupled chemistry-aerosol GCM simulations, with emissions of aerosols, ozone, and precursors based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Emissions Scenario (SRES) A2. Changing anthropogenic aerosols, tropospheric ozone, and GHG from present day to year 2100 is predicted to perturb the global annual mean radiative forcing by +0.18 (considering aerosol direct effects only), +0.65, and +6.54 W m(sup -2) at the tropopause, and to induce an equilibrium global annual mean surface temperature change of +0.14, +0.32, and +5.31 K, respectively, with the largest temperature response occurring at northern high latitudes. Anthropogenic aerosols, through their direct effect, are predicted to alter the Hadley circulation owing to an increasing interhemispheric temperature gradient, leading to changes in tropical precipitation. When changes in both aerosols and tropospheric ozone are considered, the predicted patterns of change in global circulation and the hydrological cycle are similar to those induced by aerosols alone. GHG-induced climate changes, such as amplified warming over high latitudes, weakened Hadley circulation, and increasing precipitation over the

Cycling of greenhouse gases as a function of groundwater level in a floodplain - carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane: Implications for Biogeochemical Change in a Warming World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bill, M.; Conrad, M. E.; Tokunaga, T. K.; Hobson, C.; Williams, K. H.

2016-12-01

Floodplain sediment-water systems play an important role in carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane greenhouse gas cycling. Changes in temperature and precipitation can alter biogeochemical equilibrium as well as production and consumption of greenhouse gases. We monitored CO2, N2O, CH4 greenhouse gas concentrations and C, O, and N stable isotope variations over a period of 4 years in a cross section of five wells located with increasing distance from the Colorado River. Pore space of partially saturated sediments located above an alluvial aquifer was sampled in vertically resolved profiles from 0.5 m to 3 m depth at a periodicity of one month to 2 weeks. Gas concentrations and stable isotopic signatures show annual-scale fluctuations. From 2013 to 2016 during cold seasons, low δ13C of CO2 ( -24‰) and high δ15N of N2O ( -5‰) and minimum concentrations in CO2 (< 5%v), N2O (< 5ppmv) and CH4 (< 0.5ppmv) coincide with low water table elevation and low temperature. At the beginning of summer, which corresponds to maximum water table elevation, we observed the highest concentrations of N2O ( 50ppmv) and of CO2 ( 5.5%v). Low δ15N ( -16‰) and relatively high δ13C ( -21‰) values were also observed for the summer season. CH4 was observed only in the well closest to the river (7ppmv). The variation of CO2, N2O and CH4 concentrations and δ values suggest changes in reducing/oxidizing microbial activity. Strongest biologically mediated reduction is associated with the highest water table, which typically induces reducing conditions. The maximum water elevation coincides with the annual snowmelt in the Rocky Mountains. Climate change directly impacts on biogeochemical cycling in the floodplain by affecting stream and river water discharge. At local and global scales, a drier and warmer climate will decrease N2O and CH4 production. A wetter climate induces higher stream and river water discharge, which will increase the zone and magnitude of N2O and CH4 production.

Long-term greenhouse gas measurements from aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karion, A.; Sweeney, C.; Wolter, S.; Newberger, T.; Chen, H.; Andrews, A.; Kofler, J.; Neff, D.; Tans, P.

2013-03-01

In March 2009 the NOAA/ESRL/GMD Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases Group collaborated with the US Coast Guard (USCG) to establish the Alaska Coast Guard (ACG) sampling site, a unique addition to NOAA's atmospheric monitoring network. This collaboration takes advantage of USCG bi-weekly Arctic Domain Awareness (ADA) flights, conducted with Hercules C-130 aircraft from March to November each year. Flights typically last 8 h and cover a large area, traveling from Kodiak up to Barrow, Alaska, with altitude profiles near the coast and in the interior. NOAA instrumentation on each flight includes a flask sampling system, a continuous cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) carbon dioxide (CO2)/methane (CH4)/carbon monoxide (CO)/water vapor (H2O) analyzer, a continuous ozone analyzer, and an ambient temperature and humidity sensor. Air samples collected in flight are analyzed at NOAA/ESRL for the major greenhouse gases and a variety of halocarbons and hydrocarbons that influence climate, stratospheric ozone, and air quality. We describe the overall system for making accurate greenhouse gas measurements using a CRDS analyzer on an aircraft with minimal operator interaction and present an assessment of analyzer performance over a three-year period. Overall analytical uncertainty of CRDS measurements in 2011 is estimated to be 0.15 ppm, 1.4 ppb, and 5 ppb for CO2, CH4, and CO, respectively, considering short-term precision, calibration uncertainties, and water vapor correction uncertainty. The stability of the CRDS analyzer over a seven-month deployment period is better than 0.15 ppm, 2 ppb, and 4 ppb for CO2, CH4, and CO, respectively, based on differences of on-board reference tank measurements from a laboratory calibration performed prior to deployment. This stability is not affected by variation in pressure or temperature during flight. We conclude that the uncertainty reported for our measurements would not be significantly affected if the measurements were made without in

Long-term greenhouse gas measurements from aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karion, A.; Sweeney, C.; Wolter, S.; Newberger, T.; Chen, H.; Andrews, A.; Kofler, J.; Neff, D.; Tans, P.

2012-10-01

In March 2009 the NOAA/ESRL/GMD Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Gases Group collaborated with the US Coast Guard (USCG) to establish the Alaska Coast Guard (ACG) sampling site, a unique addition to NOAA's atmospheric monitoring network. This collaboration takes advantage of USCG bi-weekly Arctic Domain Awareness (ADA) flights, conducted with Hercules C-130 aircraft from March to November each year. NOAA has installed window-replacement inlet plates on two USCG C-130 aircraft and deploys a pallet with NOAA instrumentation on each ADA flight. Flights typically last 8 h and cover a very large area, traveling from Kodiak, AK in the south up to Barrow, AK in the north, and making altitude profiles near the coast as well as in the interior. NOAA instrumentation on each flight includes: a flask sampling system, a continuous CO2/CH4/CO/H2O analyzer, a continuous ozone analyzer, and an ambient temperature and humidity sensor. GPS time and location from the aircraft's navigation system are also collected. Air samples collected in flight are analyzed at NOAA/ESRL for the major greenhouse gases and a variety of halocarbons and hydrocarbons that influence climate, stratospheric ozone, and air quality. Instruments on this aircraft are designed and deployed to be able to collect air samples and data autonomously, so that NOAA personnel visit the site only for installation at the beginning of each season. We present an assessment of the cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) CO2/CH4/CO/H2O analyzer performance operating on an aircraft over a three-year period. We describe the overall system for making accurate greenhouse gas measurements using a CRDS analyzer on an aircraft with minimal operator interaction. Short and long-term stability of the CRDS analyzer over a seven-month deployment period is better than 0.15 ppm, 2 ppb, and 5 ppb for CO2, CH4, CO respectively, considering differences of on-board reference tank measurements from a laboratory calibration performed prior to

Occurrence of greenhouse gases (CO2, N2O and CH4) in groundwater of the Walloon Region (Belgium).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurado, Anna; Borges, Alberto V.; Pujades, Estanislao; Hakoun, Vivien; Knöller, Kay; Brouyère, Serge

2017-04-01

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are an environmental problem because their concentrations in the atmosphere have continuously risen since the industrial revolution. They can be indirectly transferred to the atmosphere through groundwater discharge into surface water bodies such as rivers. However, their occurrence is poorly evaluated in groundwater. The aim of this work is to identify the hydrogeological contexts (e.g., chalk and limestone aquifers) and the most conductive conditions for the generation of GHGs in groundwater at a regional scale. To this end, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations, major and minor elements and environmental isotopes were monitored in several groundwater bodies of the Walloon Region (Belgium) from September 2014 to June 2016. The concentrations of GHGs in groundwater ranged from 1769 to 100519 ppm for the partial pressure of CO2 and from 0 to 1064 nmol/L and 1 to 37062 nmol/L for CH4 and N2O respectively. Overall, groundwater was supersaturated in GHGs with respect to atmospheric equilibrium, suggesting that groundwater contribute to the atmospheric GHGs budget. Prior inspection of the data suggested that N2O in groundwater can be produced by denitrification and nitrification. The most suitable conditions for the accumulation of N2O are promoted by intermediate dissolved oxygen concentrations (2.5-3 mg L-1) and the availability of nitrate (NO3-). These observations will be compared with the isotopes of NO3-. CH4 was less detected and at lower concentration than N2O, suggesting that groundwater redox conditions are not reducing enough to promoted the production of CH4. The results will be presented and discussed in detail in the presentation.

[Synergistic emission reduction of chief air pollutants and greenhouse gases-based on scenario simulations of energy consumptions in Beijing].

PubMed

Xie, Yuan-bo; Li, Wei

2013-05-01

It is one of the common targets and important tasks for energy management and environmental control of Beijing to improve urban air quality while reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Here, based on the interim and long term developmental planning and energy structure of the city, three energy consumption scenarios in low, moderate and high restrictions were designed by taking the potential energy saving policies and environmental targets into account. The long-range energy alternatives planning (LEAP) model was employed to predict and evaluate reduction effects of the chief air pollutants and GHG during 2010 to 2020 under the three given scenarios. The results showed that if urban energy consumption system was optimized or adjusted by exercising energy saving and emission reduction and pollution control measures, the predicted energy uses will be reduced by 10 to 30 million tons of coal equivalents by 2020. Under the two energy scenarios with moderate and high restrictions, the anticipated emissions of SO2, NOx, PM10, PM2.5, VOC and GHG will be respectively reduced to 71 to 100.2, 159.2 to 218.7, 89.8 to 133.8, 51.4 to 96.0, 56.4 to 74.8 and 148 200 to 164 700 thousand tons. Correspondingly, when compared with the low-restriction scenario, the reducing rate will be 53% to 67% , 50% to 64% , 33% to 55% , 25% to 60% , 41% to 55% and 26% to 34% respectively. Furthermore, based on a study of synergistic emission reduction of the air pollutants and GHG, it was proposed that the adjustment and control of energy consumptions shall be intensively developed in the three sectors of industry, transportation and services. In this way the synergistic reduction of the emissions of chief air pollutants and GHG will be achieved; meanwhile the pressures of energy demands may be deliberately relieved.

Operation GREENHOUSE-1951

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-15

GREENHOUSE, DOG. 107 28 Runit Island radiological safety survey results following GREENHOUSE, DOG. 108 29 Estimate of maximum possible exposure at Parry...Enjebi Island radiological safety survey results following GREENHOUSE, EASY. 116 35 GREENHOUSE, EASY flight patterns. 118 36 Surface radex area and ship...positions during GREENHOUSE, GEORGE. 120 37 GREENHOUSE, GEORGE flight patterns. 122 38 Eleleron, Aomon, and Bijire island radiological safety survey

Impact of greenhouse gas metrics on the quantification of agricultural emissions and farm-scale mitigation strategies: a New Zealand case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reisinger, Andy; Ledgard, Stewart

2013-06-01

Agriculture emits a range of greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gas metrics allow emissions of different gases to be reported in a common unit called CO2-equivalent. This enables comparisons of the efficiency of different farms and production systems and of alternative mitigation strategies across all gases. The standard metric is the 100 year global warming potential (GWP), but alternative metrics have been proposed and could result in very different CO2-equivalent emissions, particularly for CH4. While significant effort has been made to reduce uncertainties in emissions estimates of individual gases, little effort has been spent on evaluating the implications of alternative metrics on overall agricultural emissions profiles and mitigation strategies. Here we assess, for a selection of New Zealand dairy farms, the effect of two alternative metrics (100 yr GWP and global temperature change potentials, GTP) on farm-scale emissions and apparent efficiency and cost effectiveness of alternative mitigation strategies. We find that alternative metrics significantly change the balance between CH4 and N2O; in some cases, alternative metrics even determine whether a specific management option would reduce or increase net farm-level emissions or emissions intensity. However, the relative ranking of different farms by profitability or emissions intensity, and the ranking of the most cost-effective mitigation options for each farm, are relatively unaffected by the metric. We conclude that alternative metrics would change the perceived significance of individual gases from agriculture and the overall cost to farmers if a price were applied to agricultural emissions, but the economically most effective response strategies are unaffected by the choice of metric.

Canonical partition functions: ideal quantum gases, interacting classical gases, and interacting quantum gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Chi-Chun; Dai, Wu-Sheng

2018-02-01

In statistical mechanics, for a system with a fixed number of particles, e.g. a finite-size system, strictly speaking, the thermodynamic quantity needs to be calculated in the canonical ensemble. Nevertheless, the calculation of the canonical partition function is difficult. In this paper, based on the mathematical theory of the symmetric function, we suggest a method for the calculation of the canonical partition function of ideal quantum gases, including ideal Bose, Fermi, and Gentile gases. Moreover, we express the canonical partition functions of interacting classical and quantum gases given by the classical and quantum cluster expansion methods in terms of the Bell polynomial in mathematics. The virial coefficients of ideal Bose, Fermi, and Gentile gases are calculated from the exact canonical partition function. The virial coefficients of interacting classical and quantum gases are calculated from the canonical partition function by using the expansion of the Bell polynomial, rather than calculated from the grand canonical potential.

What rules GHG-(greenhouse gas)-fluxes in a prealpine bog - management or watertable?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Förster, Christoph; Drösler, Matthias

2010-05-01

Being an important sink of carbon, the small stripe of bogs in the foreland of the Alps plays an important role for the carbon balance of Germany. A big part was drained for peat-use and to get agricultural land in the last centuries. Restoration of these degraded bogs can help to rebuild this function, whereas the watertable is an important co-factor for the amount of mitigation of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O). To estimate GHG-balances gas-flux measurements, using the chamber method developed by Drösler (2005) were done in 2007 and 2008 on a degraded bog-meadow, which was partly rewetted in 1993 and which is still managed in large areas. This mosaic of restored, drained and managed areas showed big differences in their carbon-balances from a high source (~ 500 g CO2-C m-2 a-1) to a moderate sink (~ -200 g CO2-C m-2 a-1). Where the management was stopped in 1993, some Sphagnum-communities developed which helped to turn these areas from moderate sources (47 g CO2-C m-2 a-1) or sinks (-58 g CO2-C m-2 a-1) to permanent sinks with uptakes between (-150 and -250 g CO2-C m-2 a-1). Key words: bog, carbon-balance, greenhouse gases, restoration, watertable

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Reservoir Water Surfaces: A ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Collectively, reservoirs are an important anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. Attempts to model reservoir GHG fluxes, however, have been limited by inconsistencies in methodological approaches and data availability. An increase in the number of published reservoir GHG flux estimates during the last 15 years warrants a comprehensive analysis of the magnitude and potential controls on these fluxes. Here we synthesize worldwide reservoir CH4, CO2, and N2O emission data and estimate that GHG emissions from reservoirs account for 80.2 Tmol CO2 equivalents yr-1, thus constituting approximately 5% of anthropogenic radiative forcing. The majority (93%) of these emissions are from CH4, and mainly in the form of bubbles. While age and latitude have historically been linked to reservoir GHG emissions, we found that factors related to reservoir nutrient status and rainfall were better predictors. In particular, nutrient-rich eutrophic reservoirs were found to have an order of magnitude higher per-area CH4 fluxes, on average, than their nutrient-poor oligotrophic counterparts. Therefore, management measures to reduce reservoir eutrophication may result in an important co-benefit, the reduction of GHG emissions to the atmosphere. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG)

Land Use Effects on Net Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in the US Great Plains: Historical Trends and Model Projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Grosso, S. J.; Parton, W. J.; Ojima, D. S.; Mosier, A. R.; Mosier, A. R.; Paustian, K.; Peterson, G. A.

2001-12-01

We present maps showing regional patterns of land use change and soil C levels in the US Great Plains during the 20th century and time series of net greenhouse gas fluxes associated with different land uses. Net greenhouse gas fluxes were calculated by accounting for soil CO2 fluxes, the CO2 equivalents of N2O emissions and CH4 uptake, and the CO2 costs of N fertilizer production. Both historical and modern agriculture in this region have been net sources of greenhouse gases. The primary reason for this, prior to 1950, is that agriculture mined soil C and resulted in net CO2 emissions. When chemical N fertilizer became widely used in the 1950's agricultural soils began to sequester CO2-C but these soils were still net greenhouse gas sources if the effects of increased N2O emissions and decreased CH4 uptake are included. The sensitivity of net greenhouse gas fluxes to conventional and alternative land uses was explored using the DAYCENT ecosystem model. Model projections suggest that conversion to no-till, reduction of the fallow period, and use of nitrification inhibitors can significantly decrease net greenhouse gas emissions in dryland and irrigated systems, while maintaining or increasing crop yields.

A New Estimation of Global Soil Greenhouse Gas Fluxes Using a Simple Data-Oriented Model

PubMed Central

Hashimoto, Shoji

2012-01-01

Soil greenhouse gas fluxes (particularly CO2, CH4, and N2O) play important roles in climate change. However, despite the importance of these soil greenhouse gases, the number of reports on global soil greenhouse gas fluxes is limited. Here, new estimates are presented for global soil CO2 emission (total soil respiration), CH4 uptake, and N2O emission fluxes, using a simple data-oriented model. The estimated global fluxes for CO2 emission, CH4 uptake, and N2O emission were 78 Pg C yr−1 (Monte Carlo 95% confidence interval, 64–95 Pg C yr−1), 18 Tg C yr−1 (11–23 Tg C yr−1), and 4.4 Tg N yr−1 (1.4–11.1 Tg N yr−1), respectively. Tropical regions were the largest contributor of all of the gases, particularly the CO2 and N2O fluxes. The soil CO2 and N2O fluxes had more pronounced seasonal patterns than the soil CH4 flux. The collected estimates, including both the previous and the present estimates, demonstrate that the means of the best estimates from each study were 79 Pg C yr−1 (291 Pg CO2 yr−1; coefficient of variation, CV = 13%, N = 6) for CO2, 21 Tg C yr−1 (29 Tg CH4 yr−1; CV = 24%, N = 24) for CH4, and 7.8 Tg N yr−1 (12.2 Tg N2O yr−1; CV = 38%, N = 11) for N2O. For N2O, the mean of the estimates that was calculated by excluding the earliest two estimates was 6.6 Tg N yr−1 (10.4 Tg N2O yr−1; CV = 22%, N = 9). The reported estimates vary and have large degrees of uncertainty but their overall magnitudes are in general agreement. To further minimize the uncertainty of soil greenhouse gas flux estimates, it is necessary to build global databases and identify key processes in describing global soil greenhouse gas fluxes. PMID:22876295

Response of the midlatitude jets and of their variability to increased greenhouse gases in the CMIP5 models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Elizabeth; Polvani, Lorenzo

2013-04-01

This work documents how the midlatitude, eddy-driven jets respond to climate change using output from 72 model integrations run for the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 5 (CMIP5). We consider separately the North Atlantic, the North Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere jets. Unlike previous studies, we do not limit our analysis to annual mean changes in the latitude and speed of the jets only, but also explore how the daily variability of each jet changes with increased greenhouse gases. Given the direct connection between synoptic activity and the location of the eddy-driven jet, changes in jet variability directly relate to the changes in the future storm tracks. We find that all jets migrate poleward with climate change: the Southern Hemisphere jet shifts poleward by 2 degrees of latitude between the Historical period and the end of the 21st century in the RCP8.5 scenario, whereas the Northern Hemisphere jets shift by only 1 degree. The speed of the Southern Hemisphere jet also increases markedly (by 1.2 m/s between 850-700 hPa), while the speed remains nearly constant for both jets in the Northern Hemisphere. The seasonality of the jet shifts will also be addressed, whereby the largest poleward jet shift occurs in the autumn of each hemisphere (i.e. MAM for the Southern Hemisphere jet, and SON for the North Atlantic and North Pacific jets). We find that the structure of the daily jet variability is a strong function of the jet position in all three sectors of the globe. For the Southern Hemisphere and the North Atlantic jets, the variability becomes less of a north-south wobbling (i.e. an `annular mode') with a poleward shift of the jet. In contrast, for the North Pacific jet, the variability becomes less of a pulsing and more of a north-south wobbling. In spite of these differences, we are able find a mechanism (based on Rossby wave breaking) that is able to explain many of the changes in jet variability within a single theoretical framework.

Space-based Lidar Measurements of Greenhouse Gases and Their Projected Impact on Quantification of Surface Sources and Sinks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawa, S. R.; Baker, D. F.; Chatterjee, A.; Crowell, S.

2016-12-01

The measurement of atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHG), principally CO2 and CH4, from space using active (lidar) sensing techniques has several potentially significant advantages in comparison to missions using passive instrument approaches. A great deal of progress has been made in development of the active methods since the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) 2007 Decadal Survey recommended the ASCENDS mission (Active Sensing of Carbon Emissions, Nights, Days, and Seasons) for NASA's next generation CO2 observing system. Active GHG missions remain in consideration by the current NAS Decadal Survey for Earth Science 2017. In this presentation, we update the measurement characteristics expected for active GHG sensing, test how these measurements will enhance our ability to quantify GHG surface fluxes, and examine the potential role of active sensing to address carbon cycle issues as required for confident projection of carbon-climate interactions. Over the past decade, laser CO2 instrument concepts, retrieval approaches, and measurement techniques have matured significantly, driven by technology advances and by analysis of data from airborne simulators. Performance simulations updated to match the latest developments show substantially lower random errors, better spatial resolution, and more information content for global XCO2 data than just a few years ago. Observing System Simulation Experiments using global flux inversion models show corresponding improvements in resolving surface fluxes and reducing flux uncertainties for the expected lidar data. Simulations including prospective systematic (bias) errors, which are expected to be lesser for the lidar system compared to passive measurements, provide guidance for instrument design requirements. We will comment on the impact of errors in knowledge of the atmospheric state including the need for coincident measurements of O2 column in order to normalize the column abundances to dry air mole fraction. We will also

Spatial variations in immediate greenhouse gases and aerosol emissions and resulting radiative forcing from wildfires in interior Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huang, Shengli; Liu, Heping; Dahal, Devendra; Jin, Suming; Li, Shuang; Liu, Shu-Guang

2016-01-01

Boreal fires can cool the climate; however, this conclusion came from individual fires and may not represent the whole story. We hypothesize that the climatic impact of boreal fires depends on local landscape heterogeneity such as burn severity, prefire vegetation type, and soil properties. To test this hypothesis, spatially explicit emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and aerosols and their resulting radiative forcing are required as an important and necessary component towards a full assessment. In this study, we integrated remote sensing (Landsat and MODIS) and models (carbon consumption model, emission factors model, and radiative forcing model) to calculate the carbon consumption, GHGs and aerosol emissions, and their radiative forcing of 2001–2010 fires at 30 m resolution in the Yukon River Basin of Alaska. Total carbon consumption showed significant spatial variation, with a mean of 2,615 g C m−2 and a standard deviation of 2,589 g C m−2. The carbon consumption led to different amounts of GHGs and aerosol emissions, ranging from 593.26 Tg (CO2) to 0.16 Tg (N2O). When converted to equivalent CO2 based on global warming potential metric, the maximum 20 years equivalent CO2 was black carbon (713.77 Tg), and the lowest 20 years equivalent CO2 was organic carbon (−583.13 Tg). The resulting radiative forcing also showed significant spatial variation: CO2, CH4, and N2O can cause a 20-year mean radiative forcing of 7.41 W m−2 with a standard deviation of 2.87 W m−2. This emission forcing heterogeneity indicates that different boreal fires have different climatic impacts. When considering the spatial variation of other forcings, such as surface shortwave forcing, we may conclude that some boreal fires, especially boreal deciduous fires, can warm the climate.

Small ponds play big role in greenhouse gas emissions from inland waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holgerson, M.; Raymond, P. A.

2017-12-01

Inland waters are an important part of the global carbon cycle, but there is uncertainty in estimating their greenhouse gas emissions. Uncertainty stems from different models and variable estimates of surface water gas concentrations, gas exchange rates, and the global size distribution of water bodies. Emissions from small water bodies are especially difficult to estimate because they are not globally mapped and few studies have assessed their greenhouse gas concentrations and gas exchange rates. To overcome these limitations, we studied greenhouse gases and gas exchange rates in small ponds in temperate forests of the northeastern United States. We then compiled our data with direct measurements of CO2 and CH4 concentrations from 427 ponds and lakes worldwide, and upscaled to estimate greenhouse gas emissions using estimates of gas exchange rates and the size distribution of lakes. We found that small ponds play a disproportionately large role in greenhouse gas emissions. While small ponds only account for about 9% of global lakes and ponds by area, they contribute 15% of CO2 and 41% of diffusive CH4 emissions from inland freshwaters. Secondly, we measured gas exchange velocities (k) in small ponds and compiled direct measurements of k from 67 global water bodies. We found that k is low but highly variable in small ponds, and increases and becomes even more variable with lake size, a finding that is not currently included in global carbon models. In a third study, we found that gas exchange in small ponds is highly sensitive to overnight cooling, which can lead to short bursts of increased k at night, with implications for greenhouse gas emissions. Overall, these studies show that small ponds are a critical part of the global carbon cycle, and also highlight many knowledge gaps. Therefore, understanding small pond carbon cycling is an important research priority.

Greenhouse gas emissions from alternative water supply processes in southern California, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, A.; Townsend-Small, A.

2012-12-01

Burgeoning population centers and declining hydrological resources have encouraged the development of alternative water treatment systems, including desalination and wastewater recycling. These processes currently provide potable water for millions of people and assist in satisfying agricultural and landscaping irrigation demands. There are a variety of alternative water production methods in place, and while they help to reduce the demands placed on aquifers, during their operation they are also significant sources of greenhouse gases. The environmental advantages of these alternative water production methods need to be carefully weighed against their energy footprints and greenhouse gas emissions profiles. This study measured the greenhouse gas emissions of a wastewater treatment and recycling facility in Orange County, California to get a more complete picture of the carbon footprint of the plant. We measured atmospheric emissions of CO2, CH4, and N2O throughout the water recycling process and at various times of the day and week. This allowed us to assemble a thorough, cross-sectional profile of greenhouse gas emissions from the facility. We then compared the measured emissions of the treatment plant to the modeled emissions of desalination plants in order to assess the relative carbon footprints of the two water production methods. Other water supply alternatives, including regional water importation, were also included in the comparison in order to provide a more complete understanding of the potential greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, we assessed the significance of wastewater treatment as an urban greenhouse gas source when compared to other known emissions in the region. This research offers a valuable tool for sustainable urban and regional development by providing planners with a quantified comparison of the carbon footprints of several water production options.

The effect of catena position on greenhouse gas emissions from Dambo located termite (odontotermes transvaalensis) mounds from Central Zimbabwe

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is one of the most important greenhouse gases. The global warming potentials (GWP) of nitrous oxide (N2O) is 310 more, than that of carbon dioxide (CO2) during a 100 year time scale on molecule for molecule basis. Natural sources of N2O include wetlands. Sub-Saharan Africa is occ...

Greenhouse gas contribution of municipal solid waste collection: A case study in the city of Istanbul, Turkey.

PubMed

Korkut, Nafiz E; Yaman, Cevat; Küçükağa, Yusuf; Jaunich, Megan K; Demir, İbrahim

2018-02-01

This article estimates greenhouse gas emissions and global warming factors resulting from collection of municipal solid waste to the transfer stations or landfills in Istanbul for the year of 2015. The aim of this study is to quantify and compare diesel fuel consumption and estimate the greenhouse gas emissions and global warming factors associated with municipal solid waste collection of the 39 districts of Istanbul. Each district's greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the provision and combustion of diesel fuel was estimated by considering the number of collection trips and distances to municipal solid waste facilities. The estimated greenhouse gases and global warming factors for the districts varied from 61.2 to 2759.1 t CO 2 -eq and from 4.60 to 15.20 kg CO 2 -eq t -1 , respectively. The total greenhouse gas emission was estimated as 46.4E3 t CO 2 -eq. Lastly, the collection data from the districts was used to parameterise a collection model that can be used to estimate fuel consumption associated with municipal solid waste collection. This mechanistic model can then be used to predict future fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with municipal solid waste collection based on projected population, waste generation, and distance to transfer stations and landfills. The greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by decreasing the trip numbers and trip distances, building more transfer stations around the city, and making sure that the collection trucks are full in each trip.

Modeling the Effects of Hydrogeomorphology and Climactic Factors on Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Greenhouse Gas Dynamics in Riparian Zones.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassanzadeh, Y.; Vidon, P.; Gold, A.; Pradhanang, S. M.; Addy, K.

2017-12-01

Vegetated riparian zones are often considered for use as best management practices to mitigate the impacts of agriculture on water quality. However, riparian zones can also be a source of greenhouse gases and their influence on water quality varies depending on landscape hydrogeomorphic characteristics and climate. Methods used to evaluate riparian zone functions include conceptual models, and spatially explicit and process based models (REMM), but very few attempts have been made to connect riparian zone characteristics with function using easily accessible landscape scale data. Here, we present comprehensive statistical models that can be used to assess riparian zone functions with easily obtainable landscape-scale hydrogeomorphic attributes and climate data. Models were developed from a database spanning 88 years and 36 sites. Statistical methods including principal component analysis and stepwise regression were used to reduced data dimensionality and identify significant predictors. Models were validated using additional data collected from scientific literature. The 8 models developed connect landscape characteristics to nitrogen and phosphorus concentration and removal (1-4), greenhouse gas emissions (5-7), and water table depth (8). Results show the range of influence that various climate and landscape characteristics have on riparian zone functions, and the tradeoffs that exist with regards to nitrogen, phosphorous, and greenhouse gases. These models will help reduce the need for extensive field measurements and help scientists and land managers make more informed decisions regarding the use of riparian zones for water quality management.

Analysis of potential for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in municipal solid waste in Brazil, in the state and city of Rio de Janeiro

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loureiro, S.M., E-mail: saulo@lima.coppe.ufrj.br; Rovere, E.L.L., E-mail: emilio@ppe.ufrj.br; Mahler, C.F., E-mail: mahler0503@yahoo.com

2013-05-15

Highlights: ► We constructed future scenarios of emissions of greenhouse gases in waste. ► Was used the IPCC methodology for calculating emission inventories. ► We calculated the costs of abatement for emissions reduction in landfill waste. ► The results were compared to Brazil, state and city of Rio de Janeiro. ► The higher the environmental passive, the greater the possibility of use of biogas. - Abstract: This paper examines potential changes in solid waste policies for the reduction in GHG for the country of Brazil and one of its major states and cities, Rio de Janeiro, from 2005 to 2030.more » To examine these policy options, trends in solid waste quantities and associated GHG emissions are derived. Three alternative policy scenarios are evaluated in terms of effectiveness, technology, and economics and conclusions posited regarding optimal strategies for Brazil to implement. These scenarios are been building on the guidelines for national inventories of GHG emissions (IPCC, 2006) and adapted to Brazilian states and municipalities’ boundaries. Based on the results, it is possible to say that the potential revenue from products of solid waste management is more than sufficient to transform the current scenario in this country into one of financial and environmental gains, where the negative impacts of climate change have created a huge opportunity to expand infrastructure for waste management.« less

Greenhouse gas fluxes in southeastern U.S. coastal plain wetlands under contrasting land uses.

PubMed

Morse, Jennifer L; Ardón, Marcelo; Bernhardt, Emily S

2012-01-01

Whether through sea level rise or wetland restoration, agricultural soils in coastal areas will be inundated at increasing rates, renewing connections to sensitive surface waters and raising critical questions about environmental trade-offs. Wetland restoration is often implemented in agricultural catchments to improve water quality through nutrient removal. Yet flooding of soils can also increase production of the greenhouse gases nitrous oxide and methane, representing a potential environmental trade-off. Our study aimed to quantify and compare greenhouse gas emissions from unmanaged and restored forested wetlands, as well as actively managed agricultural fields within the North Carolina coastal plain, USA. In sampling conducted once every two months over a two-year comparative study, we found that soil carbon dioxide flux (range: 8000-64 800 kg CO2 x ha(-1) x yr(-1)) comprised 66-100% of total greenhouse gas emissions from all sites and that methane emissions (range: -6.87 to 197 kg CH4 x ha(-1) x yr(-1)) were highest from permanently inundated sites, while nitrous oxide fluxes (range: -1.07 to 139 kg N2O x ha(-1) x yr(-1)) were highest in sites with lower water tables. Contrary to predictions, greenhouse gas fluxes (as CO2 equivalents) from the restored wetland were lower than from either agricultural fields or unmanaged forested wetlands. In these acidic coastal freshwater ecosystems, the conversion of agricultural fields to flooded young forested wetlands did not result in increases in greenhouse gas emissions.

Relevance of emissions timing in biofuel greenhouse gases and climate impacts.

PubMed

Schwietzke, Stefan; Griffin, W Michael; Matthews, H Scott

2011-10-01

Employing life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as a key performance metric in energy and environmental policy may underestimate actual climate change impacts. Emissions released early in the life cycle cause greater cumulative radiative forcing (CRF) over the next decades than later emissions. Some indicate that ignoring emissions timing in traditional biofuel GHG accounting overestimates the effectiveness of policies supporting corn ethanol by 10-90% due to early land use change (LUC) induced GHGs. We use an IPCC climate model to (1) estimate absolute CRF from U.S. corn ethanol and (2) quantify an emissions timing factor (ETF), which is masked in the traditional GHG accounting. In contrast to earlier analyses, ETF is only 2% (5%) over 100 (50) years of impacts. Emissions uncertainty itself (LUC, fuel production period) is 1-2 orders of magnitude higher, which dwarfs the timing effect. From a GHG accounting perspective, emissions timing adds little to our understanding of the climate impacts of biofuels. However, policy makers should recognize that ETF could significantly decrease corn ethanol's probability of meeting the 20% GHG reduction target in the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. The added uncertainty of potentially employing more complex emissions metrics is yet to be quantified.

Climate Change and the Greenhouse Effect - Nature and Humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alevizos, Anastasios; Zygouras, Grigorios

2014-05-01

In this project twenty A grade students of Lyceum (age 16) were involved (2011-12) and had been learning to give answers to questions about greenhouse gases, their origin and the processes forming them with regard to human activity on our planet and our dependence on fossil fuels. They had considered whether and how this dependence affects global warming, how this dependence can be reduced by changing attitudes and using renewable energy sources and further more they had put questions and doubts about anthropogenic global warming existence. The student dialogues during a '' TV series debate '' concerning the views, questions and answers of three groups, the ''IPCCs'', the ''CLIMATE SCEPTICS'' and the '' REALISTS'' are exposed on a poster.

Handling Japanese without a Japanese Operating System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatasa, Kazumi; And Others

1992-01-01

The Macintosh HyperCard environment has become a popular platform for Japanese language courseware because of its flexibility and ease of programing. This project created Japanese bitmap font files for the JIS Levels 1 and 2, and writing XFCNs for font manipulation, Japanese kana input, and answer correction. (12 references) (Author/LB)

Response of greenhouse gas emissions from three types of wetland soils to simulated temperature change on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yi; Liu, Guihua; Xiong, Ziqian; Liu, Wenzhi

2017-12-01

Wetlands emit a large quantity of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contribute significantly to global warming. The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, known as the ;Third Pole; of the earth, contains abundant and diverse wetlands. Due to increasing human-induced pressures such as reclamation, overgrazing and climate change, many plateau wetlands have been degraded or destroyed. Until now, the response of soil greenhouse gas emissions to extreme summer temperatures in the plateau wetlands remains unknown. In this study, we collected 36 soil samples from riverine, lacustrine and palustrine wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We compared the carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from soils incubated aerobically at 7, 12, and 19 °C. The results showed that the emissions of CH4 and N2O but not CO2 were significantly affected by the simulated temperature change. The N2O emission rate was considerably higher in palustrine wetlands compared with lacustrine and riverine wetlands. However, the CO2 and CH4 emissions did not differ significantly among the three wetland types. The ratio of CO2 to CH4 production increased with increasing incubation temperatures. The global warming potential of greenhouse gases at 19 °C was approximately 1.18 and 2.12 times greater than that at 12 and 7 °C, respectively. Our findings suggest that temperature change has a strong effect on soil greenhouse gas emissions and global warming potential of wetlands on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, especially palustrine wetlands. Therefore, targeted strategies should be developed to mitigate the potential impacts of climate warming on the plateau.

Gardening with Greenhouses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keeler, Rusty

2010-01-01

Greenhouses come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges: from simple hand-built plastic-covered frames to dazzling geodesic domes. Some child care centers install greenhouses as a part of their outdoor garden space. Other centers have incorporated a greenhouse into the building itself. Greenhouses provide a great opportunity for children to grow…

Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from coal fires using airborne and ground-based methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engle, M.A.; Radke, L.F.; Heffern, E.L.; O'Keefe, J.M.K.; Smeltzer, C.D.; Hower, J.C.; Hower, J.M.; Prakash, A.; Kolker, A.; Eatwell, R.J.; ter, Schure A.; Queen, G.; Aggen, K.L.; Stracher, G.B.; Henke, K.R.; Olea, R.A.; Roman-Colon, Y.

2011-01-01

Coal fires occur in all coal-bearing regions of the world and number, conservatively, in the thousands. These fires emit a variety of compounds including greenhouse gases. However, the magnitude of the contribution of combustion gases from coal fires to the environment is highly uncertain, because adequate data and methods for assessing emissions are lacking. This study demonstrates the ability to estimate CO2 and CH4 emissions for the Welch Ranch coal fire, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA, using two independent methods: (a) heat flux calculated from aerial thermal infrared imaging (3.7-4.4td-1 of CO2 equivalent emissions) and (b) direct, ground-based measurements (7.3-9.5td-1 of CO2 equivalent emissions). Both approaches offer the potential for conducting inventories of coal fires to assess their gas emissions and to evaluate and prioritize fires for mitigation. ?? 2011.

Separation of polar gases from nonpolar gases

DOEpatents

Kulprathipanja, S.

1986-08-19

The separation of polar gases from nonpolar gases may be effected by passing a mixture of nonpolar gases over the face of a multicomponent membrane at separation conditions. The multicomponent membrane which is used to effect the separation will comprise a mixture of a glycol plasticizer having a molecular weight of from about 200 to about 600 and an organic polymer cast on a porous support. The porous support is pretreated prior to casting of the mixture thereon by contact with a polyhydric alcohol whereby the pores of the support are altered, thus adding to the increased permeability of the polar gas.

The effects of biomass burning on the concentration of trace gases in the atmosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donaldson, Leon M.

1988-01-01

Over the past several years, there has been considerable interest concerning the global effects of biomass burning on concentrations of trace gases in the atmosphere. The paucity of reported studies and investigations into the effects of the Greenhouse Gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O), up until about a decade ago, would suggest that the topic was not then one of universal concern. Efforts are now being made to understand the biogenic, anthropogenic and photochemical sources of atmospheric trace gases. Biomass burning which includes the burning of forests for clearing, the burning of vegetative stubble after harvesting, and lightning and human-induced wildfires is but one consideration under the general paradigm of atmospheric perturbations. A team of researchers from the Langley Research Center, along with the Canadian Forest Ministry, Ontario, Canada collaborated in an experiment in a deforestration effort through a prescribed burn. Through a specially designed experimental modeling and instrumentation, a substantial pre-burn data set was collected. The primary focus of the pre-burn experimental activities was the emission of nitrous oxide (N2O) gas from selected sites.

4. Perspective view, greenhouse, from the southwest. The greenhouse is ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. Perspective view, greenhouse, from the southwest. The greenhouse is the portion of the seed house to the right (south) of the double doors. - John Bartram House & Garden, Greenhouse, 54th Street & LIndbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Greenhouse gas microbiology in wet and dry straw crust covering pig slurry.

PubMed

Hansen, Rikke R; Nielsen, Daniel Aa; Schramm, Andreas; Nielsen, Lars P; Revsbech, Niels P; Hansen, Martin N

2009-01-01

Liquid manure (slurry) storages are sources of gases such as ammonia (NH(3)) and methane (CH(4)). Danish slurry storages are required to be covered to reduce NH(3) emissions and often a floating crust of straw is applied. This study investigated whether physical properties of the crust or crust microbiology had an effect on the emission of the potent greenhouse gases CH(4) and nitrous oxide (N(2)O) when crust moisture was manipulated ("dry", "moderate", and "wet"). The dry crust had the deepest oxygen penetration (45 mm as compared to 20 mm in the wet treatment) as measured with microsensors, the highest amounts of nitrogen oxides (NO(2)(-) and NO(3)(-)) (up to 36 mumol g(-1) wet weight) and the highest emissions of N(2)O and CH(4). Fluorescent in situ hybridization and gene-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to detect occurrence of bacterial groups. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were abundant in all three crust types, whereas nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) were undetectable and methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) were only sparsely present in the wet treatment. A change to anoxia did not affect the CH(4) emission indicating the virtual absence of aerobic methane oxidation in the investigated 2-mo old crusts. However, an increase in N(2)O emission was observed in all crusted treatments exposed to anoxia, and this was probably a result of denitrification based on NO(x)(-) that had accumulated in the crust during oxic conditions. To reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions, floating crust should be managed to optimize conditions for methanotrophs.

Airborne Measurements and Emission Estimates of Greenhouse Gases and Other Trace Constituents From the 2013 California Yosemite Rim Wildfire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yates, E. L.; Iraci, L. T.; Singh, H. B.; Tanaka, T.; Roby, M. C.; Hamill, P.; Clements, C. B.; Lareau, N.; Contezac, J.; Blake, D. R.;

Techno-economic analysis of wood biomass boilers for the greenhouse industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chau, J.; Sowlati, T.; Sokhansanj, Shahabaddine

2009-01-01

The objective of this study is to perform a techno-economic analysis on a typical wood pellet and wood residue boiler for generation of heat to an average-sized greenhouse in British Columbia. The variables analyzed included greenhouse size and structure, boiler efficiency, fuel types, and source of carbon dioxide (CO2) for crop fertilization. The net present value (NPV) show that installing a wood pellet or a wood residue boiler to provide 40% of the annual heat demand is more economical than using a natural gas boiler to provide all the heat at a discount rate of 10%. For an assumed lifespanmore » of 25 years, a wood pellet boiler system could generate NPV of C$259,311 without electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and C$74,695 with ESP, respectively. While, installing a wood residue boiler with or without an ESP could provide NPV of C$919,922 or C$1,104,538, respectively. Using a wood biomass boiler could also eliminate over 3000 tonne CO2 equivalents of greenhouse gases annually. Wood biomass combustion generates more particulate matters than natural gas combustion. However, an advanced emission control system could significantly reduce particulate matters emission from wood biomass combustion which would bring the particulate emission to a relatively similar level as for natural gas.« less

Separation of polar gases from nonpolar gases

DOEpatents

Kulprathipanja, Santi; Kulkarni, Sudhir S.

1986-01-01

Polar gases such as hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and ammonia may be separated from nonpolar gases such as methane, nitrogen, hydrogen or carbon dioxide by passing a mixture of polar and nonpolar gases over the face of a multicomponent membrane at separation conditions. The multicomponent membrane which is used to effect the separation will comprise a mixture of a glycol plasticizer having a molecular weight of from about 200 to about 600 and an organic polymer cast on a porous support. The use of such membranes as exemplified by polyethylene glycol and silicon rubber composited on polysulfone will permit greater selectivity accompanied by a high flux rate in the separation process.

Separation of polar gases from nonpolar gases

DOEpatents

Kulprathipanja, S.; Kulkarni, S.S.

1986-08-26

Polar gases such as hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide and ammonia may be separated from nonpolar gases such as methane, nitrogen, hydrogen or carbon dioxide by passing a mixture of polar and nonpolar gases over the face of a multicomponent membrane at separation conditions. The multicomponent membrane which is used to effect the separation will comprise a mixture of a glycol plasticizer having a molecular weight of from about 200 to about 600 and an organic polymer cast on a porous support. The use of such membranes as exemplified by polyethylene glycol and silicon rubber composited on polysulfone will permit greater selectivity accompanied by a high flux rate in the separation process.

Increased spring flooding of agricultural fields will exhibit altered production of greenhouse gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, R. F.; Smith, C. M.; Smyth, E. M.; Kantola, I. B.; DeLucia, E. H.

2013-12-01

The U.S. Corn Belt currently is a net source of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide to the atmosphere, but is also a sink of methane. Among the proposed effects of climate change in the North American Midwest region is an increase in the frequency and duration of spring flooding events. This would cause ponding in fields which may change the greenhouse gas balance of the region, especially by providing a suitable anoxic environment for the proliferation of methanogens, increasing methane emissions. To determine whether methanogenesis occurs in flooded agricultural soils of the Midwest and how other gas fluxes are affected, we installed collars into the ground of a research field located in central Illinois. The control group was maintained at the same conditions as the surrounding field. Two groups of collars were sustained with water flooding the headspaces via a drip irrigation system; one treatment was analyzed for gas fluxes of CH4, N2O, and CO2 evolving from the collars, and a separate treatment of flooded collars was used for soil sampling. Comparing flooded soils versus control we measured reduced N2O fluxes (-3.12 x 10-6 × 6.8 x 10-7 g N m-2 min-1), reduced CO2 fluxes (-6.13 x 10-3 × 9.3 x 10-4 g CO2 m-2 min-1), and increased methane fluxes (+2.72 x 10-6 × 5.8 x 10-7 g CH4 m-2 min-1). After only one week of treatment the flooded soils switched from being sinks to sources of methane, which continued across the duration of the experiment. These preliminary results indicate that methanogenesis occurs in flooded agricultural fields, and suggest including regional modeling into further study. Although the global warming potential of methane is 25 times greater than CO2, our measured rates of methane production were compensated by reductions in nitrous oxide and CO2 fluxes, reducing the total 100-year horizon global warming potential of the flooded soils we studied by 64.8%. This indicates that accounting for more frequent seasonal ponding would significantly

Communicating the uncertainty in estimated greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture

PubMed Central

Milne, Alice E.; Glendining, Margaret J.; Lark, R. Murray; Perryman, Sarah A.M.; Gordon, Taylor; Whitmore, Andrew P.

2015-01-01

In an effort to mitigate anthropogenic effects on the global climate system, industrialised countries are required to quantify and report, for various economic sectors, the annual emissions of greenhouse gases from their several sources and the absorption of the same in different sinks. These estimates are uncertain, and this uncertainty must be communicated effectively, if government bodies, research scientists or members of the public are to draw sound conclusions. Our interest is in communicating the uncertainty in estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture to those who might directly use the results from the inventory. We tested six methods of communication. These were: a verbal scale using the IPCC calibrated phrases such as ‘likely’ and ‘very unlikely’; probabilities that emissions are within a defined range of values; confidence intervals for the expected value; histograms; box plots; and shaded arrays that depict the probability density of the uncertain quantity. In a formal trial we used these methods to communicate uncertainty about four specific inferences about greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. Sixty four individuals who use results from the greenhouse gas inventory professionally participated in the trial, and we tested how effectively the uncertainty about these inferences was communicated by means of a questionnaire. Our results showed differences in the efficacy of the methods of communication, and interactions with the nature of the target audience. We found that, although the verbal scale was thought to be a good method of communication it did not convey enough information and was open to misinterpretation. Shaded arrays were similarly criticised for being open to misinterpretation, but proved to give the best impression of uncertainty when participants were asked to interpret results from the greenhouse gas inventory. Box plots were most favoured by our participants largely because they were particularly favoured by those

How increasing CO2 leads to an increased negative greenhouse effect in Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmithüsen, Holger; Notholt, Justus; König-Langlo, Gert; Lemke, Peter; Jung, Thomas

2015-12-01

CO2 is the strongest anthropogenic forcing agent for climate change since preindustrial times. Like other greenhouse gases, CO2 absorbs terrestrial surface radiation and causes emission from the atmosphere to space. As the surface is generally warmer than the atmosphere, the total long-wave emission to space is commonly less than the surface emission. However, this does not hold true for the high elevated areas of central Antarctica. For this region, the emission to space is higher than the surface emission; and the greenhouse effect of CO2 is around zero or even negative, which has not been discussed so far. We investigated this in detail and show that for central Antarctica an increase in CO2 concentration leads to an increased long-wave energy loss to space, which cools the Earth-atmosphere system. These findings for central Antarctica are in contrast to the general warming effect of increasing CO2.

Marine cycling of the climate relevant trace gases carbonyl sulfide (OCS) and carbon disulfide (CS2) in the Peruvian upwelling regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lennartz, Sinikka; von Hobe, Marc; Booge, Dennis; Gonçalves-Araujo, Rafael; Bracher, Astrid; Röttgers, Rüdiger; Ksionzek, Kerstin B.; Koch, Boris P.; Fischer, Tim; Bittig, Henry; Quack, Birgit; Krüger, Kirstin; Marandino, Christa A.

2017-04-01

The ocean is a major source for the climate relevant trace gases carbonyl sulfide (OCS) and carbon disulfide (CS2). While the greenhouse gas CS2 quickly oxidizes to OCS in the atmosphere, the atmospheric lifetime of OCS of 2-7 years leads to an accumulation of this gas and makes it the most abundant reduced sulfur compound in the atmosphere. OCS has a counteracting effect on the climate: in the troposphere, it acts as a greenhouse gas causing warming, whereas it also sustains the stratospheric aerosol layer, and thus increases Earth's albedo causing cooling. To better constrain the important oceanic source of these trace gases, the marine cycling needs to be well understood and quantified. For OCS, the production and consumption processes are identified, but photoproduction and light-independent production rates remain to be quantified across different regions. In contrast, the processes that influence the oceanic cycling of CS2 are less well understood. Here we present new data from a cruise to the Peruvian upwelling regime and relate measurements of OCS and CS2 to key parameters, such as dissolved organic sulfur, chromophoric and fluorescent dissolved organic matter. We use a 1D water column model to further constrain their production and degradation rates. A focus is set on the influence of oxygen on the marine cycling of these two gases in oxygen depleted zones in the ocean, which are expected to expand in the future.

15. Interior view, greenhouse, from the northwest. The greenhouse interior ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. Interior view, greenhouse, from the northwest. The greenhouse interior was quite modest, the space between the floor of the lower level and the joists carrying the loft floor is only five-and-one-half feet. - John Bartram House & Garden, Greenhouse, 54th Street & LIndbergh Boulevard, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Drivers of Microbial Metabolic Activity, Biogeochemical Cycling and Associated Greenhouse Gas Production in Streambed Sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comer-Warner, S.; Krause, S.; Gooddy, D.; Blaen, P.; Brekenfeld, N.; Wexler, S.; Kaiser, J.

2017-12-01

Hotspots of enhanced biogeochemical reactivity are produced where groundwater and surface water mixes in streambed sediments. This enhanced reactivity is due to elevated residence times and nutrient concentrations found in these areas, leading to increased rates of microbial metabolic activity. Streambed sediments, therefore, may be important in reducing catchment-wide nutrient concentrations through increased cycling. However, they also have the potential to produce high concentrations of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4 and N2O), as end-products of respiration and intermediate products of denitrification. The hydrological and biogeochemical drivers of streambed C and N cycling, are still insufficiently understood. Here we present results from biogeochemical sampling and tracer experiments in an agricultural sandstone stream in the UK. Nutrient, DOC and greenhouse gas concentrations, as well as d13CCO2, were measured in the streambed sediment in multilevel piezometers, and nutrient concentrations, as well as d15NNO3 and d18ONO3, were measured in Diffusive Equilibrium in Thin-film Gels. Tracer experiments using both conservative (Fluorescein and NaCl) and smart (Resazurin-Resorufin) tracers were performed to determine in-stream metabolism, transient storage and solute transport times in sub-reaches of the stream. Our results show large differences in nutrient and greenhouse gas concentrations between sub-reaches dominated by gravel sediments and those dominated by sandy sediments, as well as seasonally. This suggests temperature, sediment type and residence time are key controls on streambed nutrient cycling and greenhouse gas production. The results of this study have important implications for future greenhouse gas estimates from streams and rivers, particularly as the contribution of sediment greenhouse gas production is recognised as increasingly significant.

Quantifying greenhouse gas emissions from coal fires using airborne and ground-based methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Engle, Mark A.; Radke, Lawrence F.; Heffern, Edward L.; O'Keefe, Jennifer M.K.; Smeltzer, Charles; Hower, James C.; Hower, Judith M.; Prakash, Anupma; Kolker, Allan; Eatwell, Robert J.; ter Schure, Arnout; Queen, Gerald; Aggen, Kerry L.; Stracher, Glenn B.; Henke, Kevin R.; Olea, Ricardo A.; Román-Colón, Yomayara

2011-01-01

Coal fires occur in all coal-bearing regions of the world and number, conservatively, in the thousands. These fires emit a variety of compounds including greenhouse gases. However, the magnitude of the contribution of combustion gases from coal fires to the environment is highly uncertain, because adequate data and methods for assessing emissions are lacking. This study demonstrates the ability to estimate CO2 and CH4 emissions for the Welch Ranch coal fire, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA, using two independent methods: (a) heat flux calculated from aerial thermal infrared imaging (3.7–4.4 t d−1 of CO2 equivalent emissions) and (b) direct, ground-based measurements (7.3–9.5 t d−1 of CO2 equivalent emissions). Both approaches offer the potential for conducting inventories of coal fires to assess their gas emissions and to evaluate and prioritize fires for mitigation.

Calibration and validation of an activated sludge model for greenhouse gases no. 1 (ASMG1): prediction of temperature-dependent N₂O emission dynamics.

PubMed

Guo, Lisha; Vanrolleghem, Peter A

2014-02-01

An activated sludge model for greenhouse gases no. 1 was calibrated with data from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) without control systems and validated with data from three similar plants equipped with control systems. Special about the calibration/validation approach adopted in this paper is that the data are obtained from simulations with a mathematical model that is widely accepted to describe effluent quality and operating costs of actual WWTPs, the Benchmark Simulation Model No. 2 (BSM2). The calibration also aimed at fitting the model to typical observed nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission data, i.e., a yearly average of 0.5% of the influent total nitrogen load emitted as N₂O-N. Model validation was performed by challenging the model in configurations with different control strategies. The kinetic term describing the dissolved oxygen effect on the denitrification by ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) was modified into a Haldane term. Both original and Haldane-modified models passed calibration and validation. Even though their yearly averaged values were similar, the two models presented different dynamic N₂O emissions under cold temperature conditions and control. Therefore, data collected in such situations can potentially permit model discrimination. Observed seasonal trends in N₂O emissions are simulated well with both original and Haldane-modified models. A mechanistic explanation based on the temperature-dependent interaction between heterotrophic and autotrophic N₂O pathways was provided. Finally, while adding the AOB denitrification pathway to a model with only heterotrophic N₂O production showed little impact on effluent quality and operating cost criteria, it clearly affected N2O emission productions.

Global emissions of trace gases, particulate matter, and hazardous air pollutants from open burning of domestic waste.

PubMed

Wiedinmyer, Christine; Yokelson, Robert J; Gullett, Brian K

2014-08-19

The open burning of waste, whether at individual residences, businesses, or dump sites, is a large source of air pollutants. These emissions, however, are not included in many current emission inventories used for chemistry and climate modeling applications. This paper presents the first comprehensive and consistent estimates of the global emissions of greenhouse gases, particulate matter, reactive trace gases, and toxic compounds from open waste burning. Global emissions of CO2 from open waste burning are relatively small compared to total anthropogenic CO2; however, regional CO2 emissions, particularly in many developing countries in Asia and Africa, are substantial. Further, emissions of reactive trace gases and particulate matter from open waste burning are more significant on regional scales. For example, the emissions of PM10 from open domestic waste burning in China is equivalent to 22% of China's total reported anthropogenic PM10 emissions. The results of the emissions model presented here suggest that emissions of many air pollutants are significantly underestimated in current inventories because open waste burning is not included, consistent with studies that compare model results with available observations.

Quantification of greenhouse gas emissions from waste management processes for municipalities--a comparative review focusing on Africa.

PubMed

Friedrich, Elena; Trois, Cristina

2011-07-01

The amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted due to waste management in the cities of developing countries is predicted to rise considerably in the near future; however, these countries have a series of problems in accounting and reporting these gases. Some of these problems are related to the status quo of waste management in the developing world and some to the lack of a coherent framework for accounting and reporting of greenhouse gases from waste at municipal level. This review summarizes and compares GHG emissions from individual waste management processes which make up a municipal waste management system, with an emphasis on developing countries and, in particular, Africa. It should be seen as a first step towards developing a more holistic GHG accounting model for municipalities. The comparison between these emissions from developed and developing countries at process level, reveals that there is agreement on the magnitude of the emissions expected from each process (generation of waste, collection and transport, disposal and recycling). The highest GHG savings are achieved through recycling, and these savings would be even higher in developing countries which rely on coal for energy production (e.g. South Africa, India and China) and where non-motorized collection and transport is used. The highest emissions are due to the methane released by dumpsites and landfills, and these emissions are predicted to increase significantly, unless more of the methane is captured and either flared or used for energy generation. The clean development mechanism (CDM) projects implemented in the developing world have made some progress in this field; however, African countries lag behind. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon recovery by fermentation of CO-rich off gases - Turning steel mills into biorefineries.

PubMed

Molitor, Bastian; Richter, Hanno; Martin, Michael E; Jensen, Rasmus O; Juminaga, Alex; Mihalcea, Christophe; Angenent, Largus T

2016-09-01

Technological solutions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from anthropogenic sources are required. Heavy industrial processes, such as steel making, contribute considerably to GHG emissions. Fermentation of carbon monoxide (CO)-rich off gases with wild-type acetogenic bacteria can be used to produce ethanol, acetate, and 2,3-butanediol, thereby, reducing the carbon footprint of heavy industries. Here, the processes for the production of ethanol from CO-rich off gases are discussed and a perspective on further routes towards an integrated biorefinery at a steel mill is given. Recent achievements in genetic engineering as well as integration of other biotechnology platforms to increase the product portfolio are summarized. Already, yields have been increased and the portfolio of products broadened. To develop a commercially viable process, however, the extraction from dilute product streams is a critical step and alternatives to distillation are discussed. Finally, another critical step is waste(water) treatment with the possibility to recover resources. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Preliminary assessment of the potential of biochar technology in mitigating the greenhouse effect in China].

PubMed

Jiang, Zhi-Xiang; Zheng, Hao; Li, Feng-Min; Wang, Zhen-Yu

2013-06-01

The production of biochar by pyrolysis and its application to soil can sequester the CO2 which was absorbed by plants from atmosphere into soil, in addition it can also bring multiple benefits for agriculture production. On the basis of the available potential survey of the biomass residues from agriculture and forestry section, life cycle assessment was employed to quantify the potential of biochar technology in mitigation of greenhouse gases in our country. The results showed: In China, the amount of available biomass resource was 6.04 x 10(8) t every year and its net greenhouse effect potential was 5.32 x 10(8) t CO(2e) (CO(2e): CO2 equivalent), which was equivalent to 0.88 t CO(2e) for every ton biomass. The greatest of contributor to the total potential was plant carbon sequestration in soil as the form of biochar which accounts for 73.94%, followed by production of renewable energy and its percentage was 23.85%. In summary, production of biochar from agriculture and forestry biomass residues had a significant potential for our country to struggle with the pressure of greenhouse gas emission.

Estimation of the atmosphere-ocean fluxes of greenhouse gases and aerosols at the finer resolution of the coastal ocean.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vieira, Vasco; Sahlée, Erik; Jurus, Pavel; Clementi, Emanuela; Pettersson, Heidi; Mateus, Marcos

2016-04-01

The balances and fluxes of greenhouse gases and aerosols between atmosphere and ocean are fundamental for Earth's heat budget. Hence, the scientific community needs to know and simulate them with accuracy in order to monitor climate change from Earth-Observation satellites and to produce reliable estimates of climate change using Earth-System Models (ESM). So far, ESM have represented earth's surface with coarser resolutions so that each cell of the marine domain is dominated by the open ocean. In such case it is enough to use simple algorithms considering the wind speed 10m above sea-surface (u10) as sole driver of the gas transfer velocity. The formulation by Wanninkhof (1992) is broadly accepted as the best. However, the ESM community is becoming increasingly aware of the need to model with finer resolutions. Then, it is no longer enough to only consider u10 when modelling gas transfer velocities across the coastal oceans' surfaces. More comprehensive formulations are required that adjust better to local conditions by also accounting for the effects of sea-surface agitation, wave breaking, atmospheric stability of the Surface Boundary Layer, current drag with the bottom, surfactants and rain. Accurate algorithms are also fundamental to monitor atmosphere and ocean greenhouse gas concentrations using satellite data and reverse modelling. Past satellite missions ERS, Envisat, Jason-2, Aqua, Terra and Metop, have already been remotely sensing the ocean's surface at much finer resolutions than ESM using instruments like MERIS, MODIS, AMR, AATSR, MIPAS, Poseidon-3, SCIAMACHY, SeaWiFS, and IASI. The planned new satellite missions Sentinel-3, OCO-2 and GOSAT will further increase the resolutions. We developed a framework to congregate competing formulations for the estimation of the solubility and transfer velocity of virtually any gas on the biosphere taking into consideration the atmosphere and ocean fundamental variables and their derived geophysical processes

[Gases in vitreoretinal surgery].

PubMed

Janco, L; Vida, R; Bartos, M; Villémová, K; Izák, M

2012-02-01

To evaluate the importance and benefits of using gases in vitreoretinal surgery. The gases represent a wide group of substances used in eye surgery for more than 100 years. The role of intraocular gases in vitreoretinal surgery is irreplaceable. Their use is still considered to be the "gold standard". An important step in eye surgery was the introduction of expanding gases--sulfur hexafluoride and perfluorocarbons into routine clinical practice. The most common indications for the use of intraocular gases are: retinal detachment, idiopathic macular hole, complications of vitreoretinal surgery and others. The introduction of intraocular gases into routine clinical practice, along with other modern surgical techniques resulted in significant improvement of postoperative outcomes in a wide range of eye diseases. Understanding the principles of intraocular gases use brings the benefits to the patient and physician as well. Due to their physical and chemical properties they pose far the best and most appropriate variant of intraocular tamponade. Gases also bring some disadvantages, such as difficulties in detailed fundus examination, visual acuity testing, ultrasonographic examination, difficulties in application of intravitreal drugs or reduced possibility of retina laser treatment. The gases significantly change optical system properties of the eye. The use of gases in vitreoretinal surgery has significantly increased success rate of retinal detachment surgery, complicated posterior segment cases, trauma, surgery of the macula and other diseases.

Co-control of urban air pollutants and greenhouse gases in Mexico City.

PubMed

West, J Jason; Osnaya, Patricia; Laguna, Israel; Martínez, Julia; Fernández, Adrián

2004-07-01

This study addresses the synergies of mitigation measures to control urban air pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in developing integrated "co-control" strategies for Mexico City. First, existing studies of emissions reduction measures--PROAIRE (the air quality plan for Mexico City) and separate GHG studies--are used to construct a harmonized database of options. Second, linear programming (LP) is developed and applied as a decision-support tool to analyze least-cost strategies for meeting co-control targets for multiple pollutants. We estimate that implementing PROAIRE measures as planned will reduce 3.1% of the 2010 metropolitan CO2 emissions, in addition to substantial local air pollutant reductions. Applying the LP, PROAIRE emissions reductions can be met at a 20% lower cost, using only the PROAIRE measures, by adjusting investments toward the more cost-effective measures; lower net costs are possible by including cost-saving GHG mitigation measures, but with increased investment. When CO2 emission reduction targets are added to PROAIRE targets, the most cost-effective solutions use PROAIRE measures for the majority of local pollutant reductions, and GHG measures for additional CO2 control. Because of synergies, the integrated planning of urban-global co-control can be beneficial, but we estimate that for Mexico City these benefits are often small.

Recycling of metals: accounting of greenhouse gases and global warming contributions.

PubMed

Damgaard, Anders; Larsen, Anna W; Christensen, Thomas H

2009-11-01

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to recycling of metals in post-consumer waste are assessed from a waste management perspective; here the material recovery facility (MRF), for the sorting of the recovered metal. The GHG accounting includes indirect upstream emissions, direct activities at the MRF as well as indirect downstream activities in terms of reprocessing of the metal scrap and savings in terms of avoided production of virgin metal. The global warming factor (GWF) shows that upstream activities and the MRF causes negligible GHG emissions (12.8 to 52.6 kg CO(2)-equivalents tonne(-1) recovered metal) compared to the reprocessing of the metal itself (360-1260 kg CO(2)-equivalents tonne(-1) of recovered aluminium and 400- 1020 kg CO(2)-equivalents tonne(- 1) of recovered steel).The reprocessing is however counterbalanced by large savings of avoided virgin production of steel and aluminium. The net downstream savings were found to be 5040-19 340 kg CO(2)-equivalents tonne(-1) of treated aluminium and 560-2360 kg CO(2)-equivalents tonne(-1) of treated steel. Due to the huge differences in reported data it is hard to compare general data on the recovery of metal scrap as they are very dependent on the technology and data choices. Furthermore, the energy used in both the recovery process as well as the avoided primary production is crucial. The range of avoided impact shows that recovery of metals will always be beneficial over primary production, due to the high energy savings, and that the GHG emissions associated with the sorting of metals are negligible.

Chemical Modeling of the Reactivity of Short-Lived Greenhouse Gases: A Model Inter-Comparison Prescribing a Well-Measured, Remote Troposphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prather, Michael J.; Flynn, Clare M.; Zhu, Xin; Steenrod, Stephen D.; Strode, Sarah A.; Fiore, Arlene M.; Correa, Gustavo; Murray, Lee T.; Lamarque, Jean-Francois

2018-01-01

We develop a new protocol for merging in situ measurements with 3-D model simulations of atmospheric chemistry with the goal of integrating over the data to identify the most reactive air parcels in terms of tropospheric production and loss of the greenhouse gases ozone and methane. Presupposing that we can accurately measure atmospheric composition, we examine whether models constrained by such measurements agree on the chemical budgets for ozone and methane. In applying our technique to a synthetic data stream of 14,880 parcels along 180W, we are able to isolate the performance of the photochemical modules operating within their global chemistry-climate and chemistry-transport models, removing the effects of modules controlling tracer transport, emissions, and scavenging. Differences in reactivity across models are driven only by the chemical mechanism and the diurnal cycle of photolysis rates, which are driven in turn by temperature, water vapor, solar zenith angle, clouds, and possibly aerosols and overhead ozone, which are calculated in each model. We evaluate six global models and identify their differences and similarities in simulating the chemistry through a range of innovative diagnostics. All models agree that the more highly reactive parcels dominate the chemistry (e.g., the hottest 10% of parcels control 25-30% of the total reactivities), but do not fully agree on which parcels comprise the top 10%. Distinct differences in specific features occur, including the regions of maximum ozone production and methane loss, as well as in the relationship between photolysis and these reactivities. Unique, possibly aberrant, features are identified for each model, providing a benchmark for photochemical module development. Among the 6 models tested here, 3 are almost indistinguishable based on the inherent variability caused by clouds, and thus we identify 4, effectively distinct, chemical models. Based on this work, we suggest that water vapor differences in

Cover crops mitigate direct greenhouse gases balance but reduce drainage under climate change scenarios in temperate climate with dry summers.

PubMed

Tribouillois, Hélène; Constantin, Julie; Justes, Eric

2018-06-01

Cover crops provide ecosystem services such as storing atmospheric carbon in soils after incorporation of their residues. Cover crops also influence soil water balance, which can be an issue in temperate climates with dry summers as for example in southern France and Europe. As a consequence, it is necessary to understand cover crops' long-term influence on greenhouse gases (GHG) and water balances to assess their potential to mitigate climate change in arable cropping systems. We used the previously calibrated and validated soil-crop model STICS to simulate scenarios of cover crop introduction to assess their influence on rainfed and irrigated cropping systems and crop rotations distributed among five contrasted sites in southern France from 2007 to 2052. Our results showed that cover crops can improve mean direct GHG balance by 315 kg CO 2 e ha -1  year -1 in the long term compared to that of bare soil. This was due mainly to an increase in carbon storage in the soil despite a slight increase in N 2 O emissions which can be compensated by adapting fertilization. Cover crops also influence the water balance by reducing mean annual drainage by 20 mm/year but increasing mean annual evapotranspiration by 20 mm/year compared to those of bare soil. Using cover crops to improve the GHG balance may help to mitigate climate change by decreasing CO 2 e emitted in cropping systems which can represent a decrease from 4.5% to 9% of annual GHG emissions of the French agriculture and forestry sector. However, if not well managed, they also could create water management issues in watersheds with shallow groundwater. Relationships between cover crop biomass and its influence on several variables such as drainage, carbon sequestration, and GHG emissions could be used to extend our results to other conditions to assess the cover crops' influence in a wider range of areas. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sources of greenhouse gases and carbon monoxide in central London (UK)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helfter, Carole; Tremper, Anja; Zazzeri, Giulia; Barlow, Janet F.; Nemitz, Eiko

2015-04-01

Biosphere-atmosphere exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2) has been on the scientific agenda for several decades and new technology now also allows for high-precision, continuous monitoring of fluxes of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). Compared to the natural environment, flux measurements in the urban environment, which is home to over 50% of the population globally, are still rare despite high densities of anthropogenic sources of pollutants. We report on over three years of measurements atop a 192 m tower in central London (UK), Europe's largest city, which started in October 2011. Fluxes of methane, carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide are measured by eddy-covariance (EC) at the British Telecom tower (51° 31' 17.4' N 0° 8' 20.04' W). In addition to the long-term measurements, EC fluxes of nitrous oxide (N2O) were measured in February 2014. All four trace gases exhibit diurnal trends consistent with anthropogenic activities with minimum emissions at night and early afternoon maxima. Segregating emissions by wind direction reveals heterogeneous source distributions with temporal patterns and source strengths that differ between compounds. The lowest emissions for CO, CO2 and CH4 were recorded for NW winds. The highest emissions of methane were in the SE sector, in the NE for CO2 and in the W for CO. Fluxes of all 3 gases exhibited marked seasonal trends characterised by a decrease in emissions in summer (63% reduction for CO, 36% for CO2 and 22% for CH4). Monthly fluxes of CO and CO2 were linearly correlated to air temperature (R2 = 0.7 and 0.59 respectively); a weaker dependence upon temperature was also observed for CH4 (R2 = 0.31). Diurnal and seasonal emissions of CO and CO2 are mainly controlled by local fossil fuel combustion and vehicle cold starts are thought to account for 20-30% of additional emissions of CO during the winter. Fugitive emissions of CH4 from the natural gas distribution network are thought to be substantial, which is consistent

Are there pre-Quaternary geological analogues for a future greenhouse warming?

PubMed

Haywood, Alan M; Ridgwell, Andy; Lunt, Daniel J; Hill, Daniel J; Pound, Matthew J; Dowsett, Harry J; Dolan, Aisling M; Francis, Jane E; Williams, Mark

2011-03-13

Given the inherent uncertainties in predicting how climate and environments will respond to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, it would be beneficial to society if science could identify geological analogues to the human race's current grand climate experiment. This has been a focus of the geological and palaeoclimate communities over the last 30 years, with many scientific papers claiming that intervals in Earth history can be used as an analogue for future climate change. Using a coupled ocean-atmosphere modelling approach, we test this assertion for the most probable pre-Quaternary candidates of the last 100 million years: the Mid- and Late Cretaceous, the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), the Early Eocene, as well as warm intervals within the Miocene and Pliocene epochs. These intervals fail as true direct analogues since they either represent equilibrium climate states to a long-term CO(2) forcing--whereas anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases provide a progressive (transient) forcing on climate--or the sensitivity of the climate system itself to CO(2) was different. While no close geological analogue exists, past warm intervals in Earth history provide a unique opportunity to investigate processes that operated during warm (high CO(2)) climate states. Palaeoclimate and environmental reconstruction/modelling are facilitating the assessment and calculation of the response of global temperatures to increasing CO(2) concentrations in the longer term (multiple centuries); this is now referred to as the Earth System Sensitivity, which is critical in identifying CO(2) thresholds in the atmosphere that must not be crossed to avoid dangerous levels of climate change in the long term. Palaeoclimatology also provides a unique and independent way to evaluate the qualities of climate and Earth system models used to predict future climate.

Are there pre-Quaternary geological analogues for a future greenhouse warming?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Haywood, A.M.; Ridgwell, A.; Lunt, D.J.; Hill, D.J.; Pound, M.J.; Dowsett, H.J.; Dolan, A.M.; Francis, J.E.; Williams, M.

2011-01-01

Given the inherent uncertainties in predicting how climate and environments will respond to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, it would be beneficial to society if science could identify geological analogues to the human race's current grand climate experiment. This has been a focus of the geological and palaeoclimate communities over the last 30 years, with many scientific papers claiming that intervals in Earth history can be used as an analogue for future climate change. Using a coupled ocean-atmosphere modelling approach, we test this assertion for the most probable pre-Quaternary candidates of the last 100 million years: the Mid- and Late Cretaceous, the Palaeocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), the Early Eocene, as well as warm intervals within the Miocene and Pliocene epochs. These intervals fail as true direct analogues since they either represent equilibrium climate states to a long-term CO2 forcing-whereas anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases provide a progressive (transient) forcing on climate-or the sensitivity of the climate system itself to CO2 was different. While no close geological analogue exists, past warm intervals in Earth history provide a unique opportunity to investigate processes that operated during warm (high CO2) climate states. Palaeoclimate and environmental reconstruction/modelling are facilitating the assessment and calculation of the response of global temperatures to increasing CO2 concentrations in the longer term (multiple centuries); this is now referred to as the Earth System Sensitivity, which is critical in identifying CO2 thresholds in the atmosphere that must not be crossed to avoid dangerous levels of climate change in the long term. Palaeoclimatology also provides a unique and independent way to evaluate the qualities of climate and Earth system models used to predict future climate. ?? 2011 The Royal Society.

Eocene Hyperthermal Event Offers Insight Into Greenhouse Warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowen, Gabriel J.; Bralower, Timothy J.; Delaney, Margaret L.; Dickens, Gerald R.; Kelly, Daniel C.; Koch, Paul L.; Kump, Lee R.; Meng, Jin; Sloan, Lisa C.; Thomas, Ellen; Wing, Scott L.; Zachos, James C.

2006-04-01

What happens to the Earth's climate, environment, and biota when thousands of gigatons of greenhouse gases are rapidly added to the atmosphere? Modern anthropogenic forcing of atmospheric chemistry promises to provide an experiment in such change that has not been matched since the early Paleogene, more than 50 million years ago (Ma),when catastrophic release of carbon to the atmosphere drove abrupt, transient, hyperthermal events. Research on the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM)-the best documented of these events, which occurred about 55 Ma-has advanced significantly since its discovery 15 years ago. During the PETM, carbon addition to the oceans and atmosphere was of a magnitude similar to that which is anticipated through the 21st century. This event initiated global warming, biotic extinction and migration, and fundamental changes in the carbon and hydrological cycles that transformed the early Paleogene world.

The Greenhouse and Anti-Greenhouse Effects on Titan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, C. P.; Cuzzi, Jeffrey N. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and is the only moon in the solar system with a substantial atmosphere. Its atmosphere is mostly made of nitrogen, with a few percent CH4, 0.1% H2 and an uncertain level of Ar (less than 10%). The surface pressure is 1.5 atms and the surface temperature is 95 K, decreasing to 71 at the tropopause before rising to stratospheric temperatures of 180 K. In pressure and composition Titan's atmosphere is the closest twin to Earth's. The surface of Titan remains unknown, hidden by the thick smog layer, but it may be an ocean of liquid methane and ethane. Titan's atmosphere has a greenhouse effect which is much stronger than the Earth's - 92% of the surface warming is due to greenhouse radiation. However an organic smog layer in the upper atmosphere produces an anti-greenhouse effect that cuts the greenhouse warming in half - removing 35% of the incoming solar radiation. Models suggest that during its formation Titan's atmosphere was heated to high temperatures due to accretional energy. This was followed by a cold Triton-like period which gradually warmed to the present conditions. The coupled greenhouse and haze anti-greenhouse may be relevant to recent suggestions for haze shielding of a CH4 - NH3 early atmosphere on Earth or Mars. When the NASA/ESA mission to the Saturn System, Cassini, launches in a few years it will carry a probe that will be sent to the surface of Titan and show us this world that is strange and yet in many ways similar to our own.

Emission of greenhouse gases from waste incineration in Korea.

PubMed

Hwang, Kum-Lok; Choi, Sang-Min; Kim, Moon-Kyung; Heo, Jong-Bae; Zoh, Kyung-Duk

2017-07-01

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission factors previously reported from various waste incineration plants have shown significant variations according to country-specific, plant-specific, and operational conditions. The purpose of this study is to estimate GHG emissions and emission factors at nine incineration facilities in Korea by measuring the GHG concentrations in the flue gas samples. The selected incineration plants had different operation systems (i.e., stoker, fluidized bed, moving grate, rotary kiln, and kiln & stoker), and different nitrogen oxide (NO x ) removal systems (i.e., selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR)) to treat municipal solid waste (MSW), commercial solid waste (CSW), and specified waste (SW). The total mean emission factors for A and B facilities for MSW incineration were found to be 134 ± 17 kg CO 2 ton -1 , 88 ± 36 g CH 4 ton -1 , and 69 ± 16 g N 2 O ton -1 , while those for CSW incineration were 22.56 g CH 4 ton -1 and 259.76 g N 2 O ton -1 , and for SW incineration emission factors were 2959 kg CO 2 ton -1 , 43.44 g CH 4 ton -1 and 401.21 g N 2 O ton -1 , respectively. Total emissions calculated using annual incineration for MSW were 3587 ton CO 2 -eq yr -1 for A facility and 11,082 ton CO 2 -eq yr -1 for B facility, while those of IPCC default values were 13,167 ton CO 2- eq yr -1 for A facility and 32,916 ton CO 2- eq yr -1 , indicating that the emissions of IPCC default values were estimated higher than those of the plant-specific emission factors. The emission of CSW for C facility was 1403 ton CO 2 -eq yr -1 , while those of SW for D to I facilities was 28,830 ton CO 2 -eq yr -1 . The sensitivity analysis using a Monte Carlo simulation for GHG emission factors in MSW showed that the GHG concentrations have a greater impact than the incineration amount and flow rate of flue gas. For MSW incineration plants using the same stoker type in operation, the estimated emissions and

Research activity of the greenhouse gas measurements using optical remote sensing in Japan (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asai, K.

2009-12-01

Japan might be one of the most active countries dedicating themselves to studying the greenhouse gas (GHG) measurements using optical remote sensing not only on the ground but also from space. There are two reasons; one of them ascends to the Kyoto Protocol, agreed in December 1997 in Kyoto, an ancient city of Japan until 19th centuries, was designed to address the international response to serious climate change due to greenhouse gases. The other reason is due to a revision of the Basic Environment Law of Japan in order to meet the Kyoto Protocol in 1998. The State makes efforts to ensure international collaboration so as to effectively promote the monitoring, observation and measurement of the environmental situation with regard to global warming. Main activities are listed in a Table1. They are divided into two categories, i.e. the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT), launched on Jan.23, 2009 and active remote sensing using lidar technology. In case of GOSAT, an initial analysis of carbon dioxide and methane concentrations was obtained for clear-sky scenes over land. In the future, after further calibration and validation of the data, observation data and corresponding analyzed products will be made available. On the other hand, studies of the laser remote sensing for measuring GHG have been actively carrying out to achieve reliable data with a higher accuracy at wavelengths of 1.6micron meter (Tokyo Metropolitan University, JAXA, Mitsubishi Electric Co.) and 2 micron meter (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology). As well-known, one of the most interests regarding atmospheric CO2 measurements is that carbon dioxide molecule measured are due to anthropological emission from fossil fuel burning or due to natural one from forest fires etc. We proposed a newly advanced CO2/CO DIAL using a hybrid of pulsed Tm,Ho:YLF and pulsed OPO pumped by it for better understanding them. Now, our effort is directed to find out the most suitable

Do American born Japanese children still grow faster than native Japanese?

PubMed

Kano, K; Chung, C S

1975-09-01

Growth patterns of Japanese schoolchildren in Hawaii, composed of 2,954 boys and 3,213 girls aged between 11 and 17, were compared with those comparable groups of Japanese schoolchildren in Japan based on the data published by the Japanese Ministry of Education. Growth characteristics studied were height, weight, and relative weight index, weight/(height). The Hawaii-Japanese boys were taller at early ages but the difference disappeared by age 16. Native Japanese girls were shorter than Hawaii-Japanese until age 13, but they overtook the latter by age 14, exceeding them in height after age 15. A similar pattern was found in weights of girls but the Hawaii-Japanese boys remained consistently heavier by 5.0 to 9.0 kg than native Japanese. The relative weight measure indicated that the Hawaii boys were more "obese" than native Japanese boys for the growth period studied; whereas the same tendency was maintained until age 15 in girls. These observations indicate a marked degree of convergence of the patterns of physical growth of the two populations, whose differences were unmistakably in favor of American born children in earlier studies. It is concluded that the convergence is due largely to the improved environmental conditions in Japan in recent years.

Greenhouse gas reduction by recovery and utilization of landfill methane and CO{sub 2} technical and market feasibility study, Boului Landfill, Bucharest, Romania. Final report, September 30, 1997--September 19, 1998

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, W.J.; Brown, W.R.; Siwajek, L.

1998-09-01

The project is a landfill gas to energy project rated at about 4 megawatts (electric) at startup, increasing to 8 megawatts over time. The project site is Boului Landfill, near Bucharest, Romania. The project improves regional air quality, reduces emission of greenhouse gases, controls and utilizes landfill methane, and supplies electric power to the local grid. The technical and economic feasibility of pre-treating Boului landfill gas with Acrion`s new landfill gas cleanup technology prior to combustion for power production us attractive. Acrion`s gas treatment provides several benefits to the currently structured electric generation project: (1) increase energy density of landfillmore » gas from about 500 Btu/ft{sup 3} to about 750 Btu/ft{sup 3}; (2) remove contaminants from landfill gas to prolong engine life and reduce maintenance;; (3) recover carbon dioxide from landfill gas for Romanian markets; and (4) reduce emission of greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide. Greenhouse gas emissions reduction attributable to successful implementation of the landfill gas to electric project, with commercial liquid CO{sub 2} recovery, is estimated to be 53 million metric tons of CO{sub 2} equivalent of its 15 year life.« less

Reactivity of rock and well in a geological storage of CO2 : role of co-injected gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renard, S.; Sterpenich, J.; Pironon, J.

2009-04-01

The CO2 capture and geological storage from high emitting sources (coal and gas power plants) is one of a panel of solutions proposed to reduce the global greenhouse gas emissions. Different pre- , post- or oxy-combustion capture processes are now available to separate associated gases (SOx, NOx, etc…) and the CO2. However, complete purification of CO2 is unachievable for cost reasons as well as for CO2 surplus of emissions due to the separation processes. By consequence, a non-negligible part (more or less 5%) of these gases, called "annex gases", could be co-injected with the CO2. Their impact on the chemical stability of reservoir rocks, caprocks and wells has to be evaluated before any large scale injection procedure. Physico-chemical transformations could modify mechanical and injectivity properties of the site and possibly alter storage safety. One of the aims of the CCS pilot project leaded by TOTAL at Lacq (France) is to develop, through a real case study, a methodology for a long-term safe storage qualification. Greenhouse gases are captured from an oxy-combustion power plant, transported along 30 km to the carbonate reservoir of Rousse at around 4500 m in depth. The study presented here is focused on laboratory simulations of geochemical interactions between the reservoir rock (fractured dolomite), the caprock (marl) and the injected CO2 with some potential annex gases. In the same time, experiments are performed on the reactivity of reference minerals such as calcite, dolomite, muscovite, quartz and pyrite to better understand the implication of each phase on bulk rock reactivity. Moreover, well reactivity is observed through specific steel and cement used by petroleum industry. Two annex gases (SO2 and NO) have been selected.. Their reactivity is compared to that of N2 considered as an inert annex gas from a chemical point of view. Solid samples are placed in 1cm3 gold capsules in presence or not of water with a salinity of 25 NaCl g/l. Gases are

A 156 kyr smoothed history of the atmospheric greenhouse gases CO2, CH4, and N2O and their radiative forcing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Köhler, Peter; Nehrbass-Ahles, Christoph; Schmitt, Jochen; Stocker, Thomas F.; Fischer, Hubertus

2017-06-01

Continuous records of the atmospheric greenhouse gases (GHGs) CO2, CH4, and N2O are necessary input data for transient climate simulations, and their associated radiative forcing represents important components in analyses of climate sensitivity and feedbacks. Since the available data from ice cores are discontinuous and partly ambiguous, a well-documented decision process during data compilation followed by some interpolating post-processing is necessary to obtain those desired time series. Here, we document our best possible data compilation of published ice core records and recent measurements on firn air and atmospheric samples spanning the interval from the penultimate glacial maximum ( ˜ 156 kyr BP) to the beginning of the year 2016 CE. We use the most recent age scales for the ice core data and apply a smoothing spline method to translate the discrete and irregularly spaced data points into continuous time series. These splines are then used to compute the radiative forcing for each GHG using well-established, simple formulations. We compile only a Southern Hemisphere record of CH4 and discuss how much larger a Northern Hemisphere or global CH4 record might have been due to its interpolar difference. The uncertainties of the individual data points are considered in the spline procedure. Based on the given data resolution, time-dependent cutoff periods of the spline, defining the degree of smoothing, are prescribed, ranging from 5000 years for the less resolved older parts of the records to 4 years for the densely sampled recent years. The computed splines seamlessly describe the GHG evolution on orbital and millennial timescales for glacial and glacial-interglacial variations and on centennial and decadal timescales for anthropogenic times. Data connected with this paper, including raw data and final splines, are available at doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.871273.

Sensitivity of greenhouse summer dryness to changes in plant rooting characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Milly, P.C.D.

1997-01-01

A possible consequence of increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere is "summer dryness," a decrease of summer plant-available soil water in middle latitudes, caused by increased availability of energy to drive evapotranspiration. Results from a numerical climate model indicate that summer dryness and related changes of land-surface water balances are highly sensitive to possible concomitant changes of plant-available water-holding capacity of soil, which depends on plant rooting depth and density. The model suggests that a 14% decrease of the soil volume whose water is accessible to plant roots would generate the same summer dryness, by one measure, as an equilibrium doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Conversely, a 14% increase of that soil volume would be sufficient to offset the summer dryness associated with carbon-dioxide doubling. Global and regional changes in rooting depth and density may result from (1) plant and plant-community responses to greenhouse warming, to carbon-dioxide fertilization, and to associated changes in the water balance and (2) anthropogenic deforestation and desertification. Given their apparently critical role, heretofore ignored, in global hydroclimatic change, such changes of rooting characteristics should be carefully evaluated using ecosystem observations, theory, and models.

A method for assessing carbon stocks, carbon sequestration, and greenhouse-gas fluxes in ecosystems of the United States under present conditions and future scenarios

Treesearch

Zhiliang Zhu; Brian Bergamaschi; Richard Bernknopf; David Clow; Dennis Dye; Stephen Faulkner; William Forney; Robert Gleason; Todd Hawbaker; Jinxun Liu; Shuguang Liu; Stephen Prisley; Bradley Reed; Matthew Reeves; Matthew Rollins; Benjamin Sleeter; Terry Sohl; Sarah Stackpoole; Stephen Stehman; Robert Striegl; Anne Wein

2010-01-01

This methodology was developed to fulfill a requirement by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). The EISA legislation mandates the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to develop a methodology and conduct an assessment of carbon storage, carbon sequestration, and fluxes of three principal greenhouse gases (GHG) for the Nation's ecosystems. The...

Changes in the carbon footprint of Japanese households in an aging society.

PubMed

Shigetomi, Yosuke; Nansai, Keisuke; Kagawa, Shigemi; Tohno, Susumu

2014-06-03

As the aging and low birthrate trends continue in Japan, and as changes in the working population and consumption patterns occur, new factors are expected to have an impact on consumption-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We present the impacts of changes in the composition of Japanese households on GHG emission structures using current (2005) consumption-based accounting on the commodity sectors that are expected to require priority efforts for reducing emissions in 2035. This is done using the Global Link Input-Output model (GLIO) and domestic household consumption data and assuming that recent detailed consumption expenditures based on the Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) will continue into the future. The results show that consumption-based GHG emissions derived from Japanese household consumption in 2035 are estimated to be 1061 Mt-CO2eq (4.2% lower than in 2005). This study can be used to reveal more information and as a resource in developing policies to more meticulously and efficiently reduce emissions based on emission and import rates for each domestic and overseas commodity supply chain.

Airborne measurements and emission estimates of greenhouse gases and other trace constituents from the 2013 California Yosemite Rim wildfire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yates, E. L.; Iraci, L. T.; Singh, H. B.; Tanaka, T.; Roby, M. C.; Hamill, P.; Clements, C. B.; Lareau, N.; Contezac, J.; Blake, D. R.; Simpson, I. J.; Wisthaler, A.; Mikoviny, T.; Diskin, G. S.; Beyersdorf, A. J.; Choi, Y.; Ryerson, T. B.; Jimenez, J. L.; Campuzano-Jost, P.; Loewenstein, M.; Gore, W.

2016-02-01

This paper presents airborne measurements of multiple atmospheric trace constituents including greenhouse gases (such as CO2, CH4, O3) and biomass burning tracers (such as CO, CH3CN) downwind of an exceptionally large wildfire. In summer 2013, the Rim wildfire, ignited just west of the Yosemite National Park, California, and burned over 250,000 acres of the forest during the 2-month period (17 August to 24 October) before it was extinguished. The Rim wildfire plume was intercepted by flights carried out by the NASA Ames Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX) on 29 August and the NASA DC-8, as part of SEAC4RS (Studies of Emissions, Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys), on 26 and 27 August during its intense, primary burning period. AJAX revisited the wildfire on 10 September when the conditions were increasingly smoldering, with slower growth. The more extensive payload of the DC-8 helped to bridge key measurements that were not available as part of AJAX (e. g. CO). Data analyses are presented in terms of emission ratios (ER), emission factors (EF) and combustion efficiency and are compared with previous wildfire studies. ERs were 8.0 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 on 26 August, 6.5 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 on 29 August and 18.3 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 on 10 September 2013. The increase in CH4 ER from 6.5 to 8.0 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 during the primary burning period to 18.3 ppb CH4 (ppm CO2)-1 during the fire's slower growth period likely indicates enhanced CH4 emissions from increased smoldering combustion relative to flaming combustion. Given the magnitude of the Rim wildfire, the impacts it had on regional air quality and the limited sampling of wildfire emissions in the western United States to date, this study provides a valuable dataset to support forestry and regional air quality management, including observations of ERs of a wide number of species from the Rim wildfire.

Recycling of glass: accounting of greenhouse gases and global warming contributions.

PubMed

Larsen, Anna W; Merrild, Hanna; Christensen, Thomas H

2009-11-01

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to recycling of glass waste were assessed from a waste management perspective. Focus was on the material recovery facility (MRF) where the initial sorting of glass waste takes place. The MRF delivers products like cullet and whole bottles to other industries. Two possible uses of reprocessed glass waste were considered: (i) remelting of cullet added to glass production; and (ii) re-use of whole bottles. The GHG emission accounting included indirect upstream emissions (provision of energy, fuels and auxiliaries), direct activities at the MRF and bottle-wash facility (combustion of fuels) as well as indirect downstream activities in terms of using the recovered glass waste in other industries and, thereby, avoiding emissions from conventional production. The GHG accounting was presented as aggregated global warming factors (GWFs) for the direct and indirect upstream and downstream processes, respectively. The range of GWFs was estimated to 0-70 kg CO(2)eq. tonne( -1) of glass waste for the upstream activities and the direct emissions from the waste management system. The GWF for the downstream effect showed some significant variation between the two cases. It was estimated to approximately -500 kg CO(2)-eq. tonne(- 1) of glass waste for the remelting technology and -1500 to -600 kg CO(2)-eq. tonne(-1) of glass waste for bottle re-use. Including the downstream process, large savings of GHG emissions can be attributed to the waste management system. The results showed that, in GHG emission accounting, attention should be drawn to thorough analysis of energy sources, especially electricity, and the downstream savings caused by material substitution.

Recycling of paper: accounting of greenhouse gases and global warming contributions.

PubMed

Merrild, Hanna; Damgaard, Anders; Christensen, Thomas H

2009-11-01

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been established for recycling of paper waste with focus on a material recovery facility (MRF). The MRF upgrades the paper and cardboard waste before it is delivered to other industries where new paper or board products are produced. The accounting showed that the GHG contributions from the upstream activities and operational activities, with global warming factors (GWFs) of respectively 1 to 29 and 3 to 9 kg CO(2)-eq. tonne(- 1) paper waste, were small in comparison wih the downstream activities. The GHG contributions from the downstream reprocessing of the paper waste ranged from approximately 490 to 1460 kg CO(2)-eq. tonne( -1) of paper waste. The system may be expanded to include crediting of avoided virgin paper production which would result in GHG contributions from -1270 to 390 kg CO(2)-eq. tonne(- 1) paper waste. It may also be assumed that the wood not used for virgin paper production instead is used for production of energy that in turn is assumed to substitute for fossil fuel energy. This would result in GHG contributions from -1850 to -4400 kg CO(2)-eq. tonne(- 1) of paper waste. These system expansions reveal very large GHG savings, suggesting that the indirect upstream and operational GHG contributions are negligible in comparison with the indirect downstream emissions. However, the data for reprocessing of paper waste and the data for virgin paper production are highly variable. These differences are mainly related to different energy sources for the mills, both in regards to energy form (heat or electricity) and fuel (biomass or fossil fuels).

Recycling of plastic: accounting of greenhouse gases and global warming contributions.

PubMed

Astrup, Thomas; Fruergaard, Thilde; Christensen, Thomas H

2009-11-01

Major greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to plastic waste recycling were evaluated with respect to three management alternatives: recycling of clean, single-type plastic, recycling of mixed/contaminated plastic, and use of plastic waste as fuel in industrial processes. Source-separated plastic waste was received at a material recovery facility (MRF) and processed for granulation and subsequent downstream use. In the three alternatives, plastic was assumed to be substituting virgin plastic in new products, wood in low-strength products (outdoor furniture, fences, etc.), and coal or fuel oil in the case of energy utilization. GHG accounting was organized in terms of indirect upstream emissions (e.g. provision of energy, fuels, and materials), direct emissions at the MRF (e.g. fuel combustion), and indirect downstream emissions (e.g. avoided emissions from production of virgin plastic, wood, or coal/oil). Combined, upstream and direct emissions were estimated to be roughly between 5 and 600 kg CO(2)-eq. tonne( -1) of plastic waste depending on treatment at the MRF and CO(2) emissions from electricity production. Potential downstream savings arising from substitution of virgin plastic, wood, and energy fuels were estimated to be around 60- 1600 kg CO(2)-eq. tonne( -1) of plastic waste depending on substitution ratios and CO(2) emissions from electricity production. Based on the reviewed data, it was concluded that substitution of virgin plastic should be preferred. If this is not viable due to a mixture of different plastic types and/or contamination, the plastic should be used for energy utilization. Recycling of plastic waste for substitution of other materials such as wood provided no savings with respect to global warming.

Japaneseplex: A forensic SNP assay for identification of Japanese people using Japanese-specific alleles.

PubMed

Yuasa, Isao; Akane, Atsushi; Yamamoto, Toshimichi; Matsusue, Aya; Endoh, Minoru; Nakagawa, Mayumi; Umetsu, Kazuo; Ishikawa, Takaki; Iino, Morio

2018-04-24

It is sometimes necessary to determine whether a forensic biological sample came from a Japanese person. In this study, we developed a 60-locus SNP assay designed for the differentiation of Japanese people from other East Asians using entirely and nearly Japanese-specific alleles. This multiplex assay consisted of 6 independent PCR reactions followed by single nucleotide extension. The average number and standard deviation of Japanese-specific alleles possessed by an individual were 0.81 ± 0.93 in 108 Koreans from Seoul, 8.87 ± 2.89 in 103 Japanese from Tottori, 17.20 ± 3.80 in 88 Japanese from Okinawa, and 0 in 220 Han Chinese from Wuxi and Changsha. The Koreans had 0-4 Japanese-specific alleles per individual, whereas the Japanese had 4-26 Japanese-specific alleles. Almost all Japanese were distinguished from the Koreans and other people by the factorial correspondence and principal component analyses. The Snipper program was also useful to estimate the degree of Japaneseness. The method described here was successfully applied to the differentiation of Japanese from non-Japanese people in forensic cases. This Japanese-specific SNP assay was named Japaneseplex. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Communicating the uncertainty in estimated greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.

PubMed

Milne, Alice E; Glendining, Margaret J; Lark, R Murray; Perryman, Sarah A M; Gordon, Taylor; Whitmore, Andrew P

2015-09-01

In an effort to mitigate anthropogenic effects on the global climate system, industrialised countries are required to quantify and report, for various economic sectors, the annual emissions of greenhouse gases from their several sources and the absorption of the same in different sinks. These estimates are uncertain, and this uncertainty must be communicated effectively, if government bodies, research scientists or members of the public are to draw sound conclusions. Our interest is in communicating the uncertainty in estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture to those who might directly use the results from the inventory. We tested six methods of communication. These were: a verbal scale using the IPCC calibrated phrases such as 'likely' and 'very unlikely'; probabilities that emissions are within a defined range of values; confidence intervals for the expected value; histograms; box plots; and shaded arrays that depict the probability density of the uncertain quantity. In a formal trial we used these methods to communicate uncertainty about four specific inferences about greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. Sixty four individuals who use results from the greenhouse gas inventory professionally participated in the trial, and we tested how effectively the uncertainty about these inferences was communicated by means of a questionnaire. Our results showed differences in the efficacy of the methods of communication, and interactions with the nature of the target audience. We found that, although the verbal scale was thought to be a good method of communication it did not convey enough information and was open to misinterpretation. Shaded arrays were similarly criticised for being open to misinterpretation, but proved to give the best impression of uncertainty when participants were asked to interpret results from the greenhouse gas inventory. Box plots were most favoured by our participants largely because they were particularly favoured by those who worked

Climate-chemical interactions and effects of changing atmospheric trace gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramanathan, V.; Callis, L.; Cess, R.; Hansen, J.; Isaksen, I.

1987-01-01

The paper considers trace gas-climate effects including the greenhouse effect of polyatomic trace gases, the nature of the radiative-chemical interactions, and radiative-dynamical interactions in the stratosphere, and the role of these effects in governing stratospheric climate change. Special consideration is given to recent developments in the investigations of the role of oceans in governing the transient climate responses, and a time-dependent estimate of the potential trace gas warming from the preindustrial era to the early 21st century. The importance of interacting modeling and observational efforts is emphasized. One of the problems remaining on the observational front is the lack of certainty in current estimates of the rate of growth of CO, O3, and NOx; the primary challenge is the design of a strategy that will minimize the sampling errors.

Perfluorotributylamine: A novel long-lived greenhouse gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Angela C.; Young, Cora J.; Hurley, Michael D.; Wallington, Timothy J.; Mabury, Scott A.

2013-11-01

Perfluorinated compounds impact the Earth's radiative balance. Perfluorotributylamine (PFTBA) belongs to the perfluoroalkyl amine class of compounds; these have not yet been investigated as long-lived greenhouse gases (LLGHGs). Atmospheric measurements of PFTBA made in Toronto, ON, detected a mixing ratio of 0.18 parts per trillion by volume. An instantaneous radiative efficiency of 0.86 W m-2 ppb-1 was calculated from its IR absorption spectra, and a lower limit of 500 years was estimated for its atmospheric lifetime. PFTBA has the highest radiative efficiency of any compound detected in the atmosphere. If the concentration in Toronto is representative of the change in global background concentration since the preindustrial period, then the radiative forcing of PFTBA is 1.5 × 10-4 W m-2. We calculate the global warming potential of PFTBA over a 100 year time horizon to be 7100. Detection of PFTBA demonstrates that perfluoroalkyl amines are a class of LLGHGs worthy of future study.

Operation Greenhouse: Communications

DTIC Science & Technology

1951-01-01

jottication •__ By,. , Dtsl•-bution1 TECHNICAL REPORT mailability Code’s Avait and -or Dist Special COMMUNICATIONS OPERATION GREENHOUSE 1951 COMMANDED BY...stem GREENHOUSE to include technical informa- therefrom. tion and operational experience not desirable Details of operation, such as call sign, fre- for...Atomic planning, organization, and engineering for Weapons Proving Ground. Where, in this re- Operation GREENHOUSE , since the solution port, reference is

Greenhouse gas emission and microbial community dynamics during simultaneous nitrification and denitrification process.

PubMed

Kong, Qiang; Wang, Zhi-Bin; Niu, Peng-Fei; Miao, Ming-Sheng

2016-06-01

This study evaluates greenhouse gas emission and the microbial community dynamics during simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) process. Based on CO2 equivalents, the SND reactor released 4.28g of greenhouse gases each cycle. 2.91% of the incoming nitrogen load was emitted as N2O. The CO2 and N2O emissions mainly occurred in the aerobic stage and CH4 emissions were consistently near zero. Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) contents in activated sludge increased during start-up the SND process. High-throughput sequencing showed increases in bacterial species richness, leading to changes in EPS content and composition observed using 3D-EEM fluorescence spectra. For denitrifying bacteria, the relative abundance of Pseudomonas significantly increased during the SND process, while Paracoccus decreased significantly. For phosphorus-accumulating bacteria, the relative abundance of Rhodocyclaceae also significantly increased. The relative abundance of other functional microbes, such as Nitrosomonadaceae (ammonia oxidizer), Nitrospirales (nitrite oxidizer) and Planctomyces (anammox) decreased significantly during the SND process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inventory of greenhouse gas emissions from on-road vehicles in Midwestern USA States and integrated approach to achieving environmental sustainability in transportation : USDOT Region V Regional University Transportation Center final report : technical su

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-29

Two project objectives one technical and one educational- were laid out in this project. The technical objective was to assess current inventory of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the six Midwestern states of the nation and to estimate improvements as ...

Variability of atmospheric greenhouse gases as a biogeochemical processing signal at regional scale in a karstic ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borràs, Sílvia; Vazquez, Eusebi; Morguí, Josep-Anton; Àgueda, Alba; Batet, Oscar; Cañas, Lídia; Curcoll, Roger; Grossi, Claudia; Nofuentes, Manel; Occhipinti, Paola; Rodó, Xavier

2015-04-01

The South-eastern area of the Iberian Peninsula is an area where climatic conditions reach extreme climatic conditions during the year, and is also heavily affected by the ENSO and NAO. The Natural Park of Cazorla, Segura de la Sierra and Las Villas is located in this region, and it is the largest protected natural area in Spain (209920 Ha). This area is characterized by important climatic and hydrologic contrasts: although the mean annual precipitation is 770 nm, the karstic soils are the main cause for water scarcity during the summer months, while on the other hand it is in this area where the two main rivers of Southern Spain, the Segura and the Guadalquivir, are born. The protected area comprises many forested landscapes, karstic areas and reservoirs like Tranco de Beas. The temperatures during summer are high, with over 40°C heatwaves occurring each year. But during the winter months, the land surface can be covered by snow for periods of time up until 30 days. The ENSO and NAO influences cause also an important inter annual climatic variability in this area. Under the ENSO, autumnal periods are more humid while the following spring is drier. In this area vegetal Mediterranean communities are dominant. But there are also a high number of endemic species and derelict species typical of temperate climate. Therefore it is a protected area with high specific diversity. Additionally, there is an important agricultural activity in the fringe areas of the Natural Park, mainly for olive production, while inside the Park this activity is focused on mountain wheat production. Therefore the diverse vegetal communities and landscapes can easily be under extreme climatic pressures, affecting in turn the biogeochemical processes at the regional scale. The constant, high-frequency monitoring of greenhouse gases (GHG) (CO2 and CH4) integrates the biogeochemical signal of changes in this area related to the carbon cycle at the regional scale, capturing the high diversity of

Considerable contribution of the Montreal Protocol to declining greenhouse gas emissions from the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Lei; Montzka, Stephen A.; Lehman, Scott J.; Godwin, David S.; Miller, Benjamin R.; Andrews, Arlyn E.; Thoning, Kirk; Miller, John B.; Sweeney, Colm; Siso, Caroline; Elkins, James W.; Hall, Bradley D.; Mondeel, Debra J.; Nance, David; Nehrkorn, Thomas; Mountain, Marikate; Fischer, Marc L.; Biraud, Sébastien C.; Chen, Huilin; Tans, Pieter P.

2017-08-01

Ozone depleting substances (ODSs) controlled by the Montreal Protocol are potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), as are their substitutes, the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Here we provide for the first time a comprehensive estimate of U.S. emissions of ODSs and HFCs based on precise measurements in discrete air samples from across North America and in the remote atmosphere. Derived emissions show spatial and seasonal variations qualitatively consistent with known uses and largely confirm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) national emissions inventories for most gases. The measurement-based results further indicate a substantial decline of ODS emissions from 2008 to 2014, equivalent to 50% of the CO2-equivalent decline in combined emissions of CO2 and all other long-lived GHGs inventoried by the EPA for the same period. Total estimated CO2-equivalent emissions of HFCs were comparable to the sum of ODS emissions in 2014, but can be expected to decline in the future in response to recent policy measures.

Effect of duckweed cover on greenhouse gas emissions and odour release from waste stabilisation ponds.

PubMed

van der Steen, N P; Nakiboneka, P; Mangalika, L; Ferrer, A V M; Gijzen, H J

2003-01-01

Treatment of wastewater in stabilisation pond systems prevents the negative environmental impact of uncontrolled disposal of sewage. However, even a natural treatment system may generate secondary negative environmental impacts in terms of energy consumption, emission of greenhouse gases and emission of odorous compounds. Whereas natural systems have an advantage over electro-mechanical systems in that they use less hardware and less energy, it is not yet known whether secondary environmental effects in the form of greenhouse gas emissions are lower for these systems. This research intends to be a first step in the direction of answering this question by assessing gas emissions from two types of natural systems, namely algae-based and duckweed-based stabilisation ponds. The H2S volatilisation from laboratory scale pond-reactors has been determined by drawing the air above the water surface continuously through a solution of 1 M NaOH for absorption of sulphide. The amount of H2S that volatilised from the algae pond-reactor, and was trapped in the NaOH trap, was found to be 2.5-86 mg/m2/day. The H2S volatilisation from the duckweed pond-reactor was found to be negligible, even though the sulphide concentration was 9.7 mg/l S(2-). The duckweed cover was a physical barrier for volatilisation, since bubbles were trapped in the cover. In addition the duckweed layer was found to be afavourable environment for both aerobic sulphide oxidisers (Beggiatoa gigantae) as well as for photosynthetic purple sulphur bacteria belonging to the genus Chromatium. These may also have contributed to the prevention of H2S volatilisation. Results on methane emissions were not conclusive so far, but the same mechanisms that prevent H2S volatilisation may also prevent methane volatilisation. Therefore it was concluded that duckweed covers on stabilisation ponds may reduce the emission of both odorous and greenhouse gases.

EDITORIAL: Cold Quantum GasesEditorial: Cold Quantum Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vassen, W.; Hemmerich, A.; Arimondo, E.

2003-04-01

This Special Issue of Journal of Optics B: Quantum and Semiclassical Optics brings together the contributions of various researchers working on theoretical and experimental aspects of cold quantum gases. Different aspects of atom optics, matter wave interferometry, laser manipulation of atoms and molecules, and production of very cold and degenerate gases are presented. The variety of subjects demonstrates the steadily expanding role associated with this research area. The topics discussed in this issue, extending from basic physics to applications of atom optics and of cold atomic samples, include: bulletBose--Einstein condensation bulletFermi degenerate gases bulletCharacterization and manipulation of quantum gases bulletCoherent and nonlinear cold matter wave optics bulletNew schemes for laser cooling bulletCoherent cold molecular gases bulletUltra-precise atomic clocks bulletApplications of cold quantum gases to metrology and spectroscopy bulletApplications of cold quantum gases to quantum computing bulletNanoprobes and nanolithography. This special issue is published in connection with the 7th International Workshop on Atom Optics and Interferometry, held in Lunteren, The Netherlands, from 28 September to 2 October 2002. This was the last in a series of Workshops organized with the support of the European Community that have greatly contributed to progress in this area. The scientific part of the Workshop was managed by A Hemmerich, W Hogervorst, W Vassen and J T M Walraven, with input from members of the International Programme Committee who are listed below. The practical aspects of the organization were ably handled by Petra de Gijsel from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam. The Workshop was funded by the European Science Foundation (programme BEC2000+), the European Networks 'Cold Quantum Gases (CQG)', coordinated by E Arimondo, and 'Cold Atoms and Ultraprecise Atomic Clocks (CAUAC)', coordinated by J Henningsen, by the German Physical Society (DFG), by