Scrutinizing Swamp Gas: Model Helps Predict Global Wetland Greenhouse Emissions
Friday, January 22, 2010 - 11:35
in Earth & Climate
Methane ranks only behind water vapor and carbon dioxide among principal greenhouse gases , in terms of its abundance and global warming potential. Even though it is less abundant and has a shorter lifetime in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, methane in the atmosphere accounts for nearly 20 percent of the heating effect of greenhouse gases compared with carbon dioxide's 50 percent. And similar to CO2, methane in the atmosphere emanates from both anthropogenic and natural sources. [More]