Long-term variations of the mole fraction and carbon isotope ratio of atmospheric methane observed at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard from 1996 to 2013

Shinji Morimoto; Ryo Fujita; Shuji Aoki; Daisuke Goto; Takakiyo Nakazawa

doi:10.1080/16000889.2017.1380497

$Long-term variations of the mole fraction and carbon isotope ratio of atmospheric methane observed at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard from 1996 to 2013 Cover$

Long-term variations of the mole fraction and carbon isotope ratio of atmospheric methane observed at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard from 1996 to 2013

Tellus B: Chemical and Physical Meteorology

Volume 69 (2017): Issue 1

By: Shinji Morimoto, Ryo Fujita, Shuji Aoki, Daisuke Goto and Takakiyo Nakazawa

Open Access

|Jan 2017

Abstract

We have conducted systematic observations of the CH₄ mole fraction and its carbon isotope ratio (δ¹³C) at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard (78°55′N, 11°56′E) using air samples collected weekly since 1991 and 1996, respectively. The CH₄ mole fraction showed long-term increase until 1999, stagnation between 2000 and 2006, followed by an increase after 2006. On the other hand, δ¹³C showed monotonous increase until 2006 and decrease after 2006. By comparing the rates of change in the CH₄ mole fraction and δ¹³C under the assumption that the atmospheric CH₄ lifetime is constant, it is suggested that the temporal pause of the CH₄ mole fraction observed at Ny-Ålesund is attributed to reductions of CH₄ release from the microbial and fossil fuel sectors. On the other hand, the increase in CH₄ after 2006 could be ascribed to an increase in microbial CH₄ release. The CH₄ and δ¹³C data presented in this paper would be useful for clarifying their temporal variations in the Arctic atmosphere, as well as providing additional constraints on the global CH₄ budget.

References

Aoki , S. , Nakazawa , T. , Murayama , S. and Kawaguchi , S. 1992 . Measurements of atmospheric methane at the Japanese Antarctic Station, Syowa . Tellus B 44 , 273 – 281 . DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0889.1992.t01-3-00005.x .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bergamaschi , P. , Houweling , S. , Segers , A. , Krol , M. , Frankenberg , C. and co-authors . 2013 . Atmospheric CH₄ in the first decade of the 21st century: inverse modeling analysis using SCIAMACHY satellite retrievals and NOAA surface measurements . J. Geophys. Res. 118 , 7350 – 7369 . DOI: 10.1002/jgrd.50480 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bousquet , P. , Ciais , P. , Miller , J. B. , Dlugokencky , E. J. , Hauglustaine , D. A. and co-authors . 2006 . Contribution of anthropogenic and natural sources to atmospheric methane variability . Nature 433 , 439 – 443 . DOI: 10.1038/nature05132 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
CMAP Precipitation Data provided by the NOAA/OAR/ESRL PSD , Boulder, CO , Online at: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
CPC Soil Moisture Data provided by the NOAA/OAR/ESRL PSD , Boulder, CO . Online at: http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/psd/
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dalsøren , S. B. , Myhre , C. L. , Myhre , G. , Gomez-Pelaez , A. J. , Søvde , O. A. and co-authors . 2016 . Atmospheric methane evolution the last 40 years . Atmos. Chem. Phys. 16 , 3099 – 3126 . DOI: 10.5194/acp-16-3099-2016 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dlugokencky , E. J. , Houweling , S. , Bruhwiler , L. , Masarie , K. A. , Lang , P. M. and co-authors . 2003 . Atmospheric methane levels off: temporary pause or a new steady state? Geophys. Res. Lett. 30 , 1992 . DOI: 10.1029/2003GL018126 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dlugokencky , E. J. , Bruhwiler , L. , White , J. W. C. , Emmons , L. K. , Novelli , P. C. and co-authors 2009 . Observational constraints on recent increases in the atmospheric CH₄ burden . Geophys. Res. Lett. 36 , L18803 . DOI: 10.1029/2009GL039780 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Dlugokencky , E. J. , Lang , P. M. , Crotwell , A. M. , Mund , J. W. , Crotwell , M. J. and co-authors . 2016 . Atmospheric methane dry air mole fractions from the NOAA ESRL Carbon Cycle Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network, 1983–2015, Version: 2016–07–07 , Online at: ftp://aftp.cmdl.noaa.gov/data/trace_gases/ch4/flask/surface/
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Giglio , L. , Randerson , J. T. and van der Werf , G. R. 2013 . Analysis of daily, monthly, and annual burned area using the fourth-generation global fire emissions database (GFED4) . J. Geophys. Res. 118 , 317 – 328 . DOI: 10.1002/jgrg.20042 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hausmann , P. , Sussmann , R. and Smale , D. 2016 . Contribution of oil and natural gas production to renewed increase in atmospheric methane (2007–2014): top–down estimate from ethane and methane column observations . Atmos Chem. Phys. 16 , 3227 – 3244 . DOI: 10.5194/acp-16-3227-2016 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Helmig , D. , Rossabi , S. , Hueber , J. , Tans , P. , Montzka , S. A. and co-authors . 2016 . Reversal of global atmospheric ethane and propane trends largely due to US oil and natural gas production . Nat. Geosci. 9 , 490 – 495 . DOI: 10.1038/NGEO2721 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Kirschke , S. , Bousquet , P. , Ciais , P. , Saunois , M. , Canadell , J. G. and co-authors. 2013 . Three decades of global methane sources and sinks . Nat. Geosci. 6 , 813 – 823 . DOI: 10.1038/ngeo1955 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lassey , K. R. , Lowe , D. C. and Manning , M. R. 2000 . The trend in atmospheric methane δ¹³C and implications for isotopic constraints on the global methane budget . Global Biogeochem. Cycles 14 , 41 – 49 . 10.1029/1999GB900094
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Matthews , E. and Fung , I. 2003 . LBA Regional Wetlands Data Set, 1-Degree Data set . Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center , Oak Ridge, TN , DOI: 10.3334/ORNLDAAC/688 . Online at: http://www.daac.ornl.gov
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
McNorton , J. , Chipperfield , M. P. , Gloor , M. , Wilson , C. , Feng , W. and co-authors. 2016 . Role of OH variability in the stalling of the global atmospheric CH₄ growth rate from 1999 to 2006 . Atmos. Chem. Phys. 16 , 7943 – 7956 . DOI: 10.5194/acp-16-7943-2016 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Montzka , S. A. , Krol , M. , Dlugokencky , E. , Hall , B. , Jöckel , P. and co-authors. 2011 . Small interannual variability of global atmospheric hydroxyl . Science 331 , 67 – 69 . DOI: 10.1126/science.1197640 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Morimoto , S. , Aoki , S. , Nakazawa , T. and Yamanouchi , T. 2006 . Temporal variations of the carbon isotopic ratio of atmospheric methane observed at Ny Ålesund, Svalbard from 1996 to 2004 . Geophys. Res. Lett. 33 , L01807 . DOI: 10.1029/2005GL024648 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Morimoto , S. , Aoki , S. and Nakazawa , T. 2009 . High precision measurements of carbon isotopic ratio of atmospheric methane using a continuous flow mass spectrometer . Antarctic Record 53 , 1 – 8 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Nakazawa , T. , Ishizawa , M. , Higuchi , K. and Trivett , N. 1997 . Two curve fitting methods applied to CO₂ flask data . Environmetrics 8 , 197 – 218 . 10.1002/(ISSN)1099-095X
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Nisbet , E. G. , Dlugokencky , E. J. , Manning , M. R. , Lowry , D. , Fisher , R. E. and co-authors. 2016 . Rising atmospheric methane: 2007–2014 growth and isotopic shift . Global Biogeochem. Cycles 30 , 1356 – 1370 . DOI: 10.1002/2016GB005406 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Reinsel , G. C. , Weatherhead , E. C. , Tiao , G. C. , Miller , A. J. , Nagatani , R. M. and co-authors . 2002 . On detection of turnaround and recovery in trend for ozone . J. Geophys. Res . 107 . DOI: 10.1029/2001JD000500 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Patra , P. K. , Krol , M. C. , Montzka , S. A. , Arnold , T. , Atlas E. L. and co-authors. 2014 . Observational evidence for interhemispheric hydroxyl-radical parity . Nature 513 , 219 – 223 . DOI: 10.1038/nature13721 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rice , A. L. , Butenhoff , C. L. , Teama , D. G. , Röger , F. H. , Khalil , M. A. K. and co-authors. 2016 . Atmospheric methane isotopic record favors fossil sources flat in 1980s and 1990s with recent increase . PNAS 113 , 10791 – 10796 . DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1522923113 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rigby , M. , Prinn , R. G. , Fraser , P. J. , Simmonds , P. G. , Langenfelds , R. L. and co-authors. 2008 . Renewed growth of atmospheric methane . Geophys. Res. Lett. 35 , L22805 . DOI: 10.1029/2008GL036037 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rigby , M. , Montzka , S. A. , Prinn , R. G. , White , J. W. C. , Young , D. and co-authors. 2017 . Role of atmospheric oxidation in recent methane growth . PNAS 114 , 5373 – 5377 . DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1616426114 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Saunois , M. , Bousquet , P. , Poulter , B. , Peregon , A. , Ciais , P. and co-authors. 2016 . The Global Methane Budget 2000–2012 . Earth Syst. Sci. Data 8 , 697 – 751 . DOI: 10.5194/essd-8-697-2016 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schaefer , H. , Mikaloff Fletcher , S. E. , Veidt , C. , Lassey , K. R. , Brailsford , G. W. and co-authors. 2016 . A 21st-century shift from fossil-fuel to biogenic methane emissions indicated by ¹³CH₄ . Science 352 , 80 – 84 . DOI: 10.1126/science.aad2705 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Schwietzke , S. , Sherwood , O. A. , Bruhwiler , L. M. P. , Miller , J. B. , Etiope , G. and co-authors. 2016 . Upward revision of global fossil fuel methane emissions based on isotope database . Nature 538 , 88 – 91 . DOI: 10.1038/nature19797 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Spivakovsky , C. M. , Logan , J. A. , Montzka , S. A. , Balkanski , Y. J. , Foreman-Fowler , M. and co-authors. 2000 . Three-dimensional climatological distribution of tropospheric OH: update and evaluation . J. Geophys. Res. 105 , 8931 – 8980 . 10.1029/1999JD901006
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Turner , A. J. , Frankenberg , C. , Wennberg , P. O. and Jacob , D. J. 2017 . Ambiguity in the cause for dacadal trends in atmospheric methane and hydroxyl . PNAS 114 , 5367 – 5372 . DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1616020114 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
van der Werf , G. R. , Randerson , J. T. , Giglio , L. , Collatz , G. J. , Mu , M. and co-authors. 2010 . Global fire emissions and the contribution of deforestation, savanna, forest, agricultural, and peat fires (1997–2009) . Atmos. Chem. Phys. 10 , 11707 – 11735 . DOI: 10.5194/acp-10-11707-2010 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Voulgarakis , A. , Naik , V. , Lamarque , J. F. , Shindell , D. T. , Young , P. J. and co-authors. 2013 . Analysis of present day and future OH and methane lifetime in the ACCMIP simulations . Atmos. Chem. Phys. 13 , 2563 – 2587 . DOI: 10.5194/acp-13-2563-2013 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Wania , R. , Melton , J. R. , Hodson , E. L. , Poulter , B. , Ringeval , B. and co-authors. 2013 . Present state of global wetland extent and wetland methane modelling: methodology of a model inter-comparison project (WETCHIMP) . Geosci. Model Dev. 6 , 617 – 641 . DOI: 10.5194/gmd-6-617-2013 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
White , J. W. C. , Vaughn , B. H. and Michel , S. E. 2015 . University of Colorado, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), Stable Isotopic Composition of Atmospheric Methane (13C) from the NOAA ESRL Carbon Cycle Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network, 1998-2014, Version: 2016–04–26 , Online at: ftp://aftp.cmdl.noaa.gov/data/trace_gases/ch4c13/flask/
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Whiticar , M. and Schaefer , H. 2007 . Constraining past global tropospheric methane budgets with carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios in ice . Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 365 , 1793 – 1828 . DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2007.2048 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Zhu , Q. , Peng , C. , Chen , H. , Fang , X. , Liu , J. and co-authors. 2015 . Estimating global natural wetland methane emissions using process modelling: spatio-temporal patterns and contributions to atmospheric methane fluctuations . Global Ecol. Biogeogr. 24 , 959 – 972 . DOI: 10.1111/geb.12307 .
Open DOI Search in Google Scholar Back to article

Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/16000889.2017.1380497 | Journal eISSN: 1600-0889

Journal RSS Feed

Language: English

Page range: 1380497 - 1380497

Submitted on: Apr 13, 2017

Accepted on: Sep 12, 2017

Published on: Jan 1, 2017

Published by: Stockholm University Press

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

atmospheric methane,

stable carbon isotope,

greenhouse gas,

Arctic

© 2017 Shinji Morimoto, Ryo Fujita, Shuji Aoki, Daisuke Goto, Takakiyo Nakazawa, published by Stockholm University Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 69 (2017): Issue 1