The atmospheric cycle of methane

D. H. Ehhalt

doi:10.3402/tellusa.v26i1-2.9737

The atmospheric cycle of methane

Tellus

Volume 26 (1974): Issue 1-2

By: D. H. Ehhalt

Open Access

|Jan 1974

Abstract

The atmospheric distribution of CH₄ is rather uniform zonally and vertically but exhibits a slight gradient with latitude in the troposphere; in the stratosphere it shows a definite decrease with altitude. The average volume mixing ratio in the troposphere is 1.4 ppm which corresponds to a total amount of 4 × 10¹⁵ g of CH₄ present in the atmosphere. Most is of recent biologic origin. C¹⁴ analyses show that no more than 20% is released by fossil sources. The various ecosystems producing CH₄ are discussed and the total annual production is estimated to lie between 5.5 × 1014 g/yr and 11 × 10¹⁴ g/yr. The corresponding turnover times for atmospheric CH₄ range from 4 to 7 yr. The destruction of CH₄ takes place mainly in the troposphere, most probably through the reaction CH₄ + OH → CH₃ + H₂O. About 10% of the CH₄ is destroyed in the stratosphere. The CH₄ cycle is strongly coupled to the H₂ and CO cycles and contributes also on the order of 1% to the atmospheric carbon cycle.

References

Ackerman , M. and Muller , C . 1972 . Stratospheric methane from infrared spectra. In Proc. Sym. Sources, Sinks and Concentrations of Carbon Mo-noxide and Methane in the Earth's Environment, St. Petersburg Beach, Fla. August 15-17, pp. 12.1-12.11.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bainbridge , A. E. , Suess , H. E. and Friedman , I . 1961 . Isotopic composition of atmospheric hydrogen and methane. Nature 192 , 648 – 649 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bainbridge , A. E. and Heidt , L. E . 1966 . Measure-ments of methane in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. Telha 18 , 221 – 225 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Begemann , F. and Friedman , I . 1968 . Tritium and deuterium in atmospheric methane. J. Geophys. Res . 73 , 1149 – 1153 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Benoit , R . 1973 . Private communicati o n .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Bishop , K. F. , Delafield , H. I. , Eggleton , A. E. J. , Peabody , C. O. and Taylor , B. T . 1962 . The tritium content of atmospheric methane, Proc. Sym. Trit-ium Phys. Biol. Sci., Vienna, Austria, May 3-10, 1961, Vol. 1, p. 55.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Broecker , W. S. and Peng , T. H . 1973 . Gas exchange rates between the ocean and atmosphere as deter-mined by the radon method. In Proc. Sym. on Atmospheric Trace Gases, Mainz, Germany, April 2-6.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Cavanagh , L. A. , Schadt , C. F. and Robinson , E . 1969 . Atmospheric hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide measurements at Point Barrow, Alaska. Environ. Sci. Tech . 3 , 251 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Conger , P. S . 1943 . Ebullition of gases from marsh and lake waters. Pub. 59, Cheasapeake Biol. Lab. 42.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Cumming , C. and Lowe , R. P . 1972 . Balloon borne spectroscopic measurement of stratospheric me-thane. In Proc. Sym. Sources, Sinks and Concentrations of Carbon Monoxide in the Earth's En-vironment, St. Petersburg Beach, Fla., August 15-17, pp. 13.1-13.11.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Crutzen , P . 1972 . Gas phase nitrogen and methane chemistry in the atmosphere. Rept. AP-10, In-stitute of Meteorology, Univ. Stockholm.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ehhalt , D. H. and Heidt , L. E . 1972 . Vertical profiles of CH, in the troposphere and stratosphere. In Proc. Sym. Sources, Sinks, and Concentrations of Carbon Monoxide in the Earth's Environment, St. Petersburg Beach, Fla., August 15-17, pp. 11.1-11.11.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ehhalt , D. H. and Heidt , L. E . 1973 . The concentra-tion of molecular H2 and CH, in the stratosphere . In Proc. Sym. on Atmospheric Ozone , Pure and Appl. Geophys. 106-108 , 1353, 1973 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ehhalt , D. H. , Heidt , L. E. and Martell , E. A . 1972 . The concentration of atmospheric methane be-tween 44 and 62 kilometers altitude. J. Geophys. Res . 77 , 2193 – 3296 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Fink , U. , Rank , D. H. and Wiggins , T. Q . 1965 . Abundance of methane in the earth's atmosphere. Tech. Rept. on ONR contract NONR-656 (12), NR014-401.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Greiner , N. R . 1970 . Hydroxyl radical kinetics by kinetic spectroscopy, VI. Reactions with alkanes in the range 300-500°K. J. Chem. Phys . 53 , 1070 – 1076 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hitchcock , D. R. and Wechsler , A. E . 1972 . Biological cycling of atmospheric trace gases. Final rept. NASW- 2128 , 117 – 154 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Howard , D. L ., Frza, J. I. and Pfister, P. M. . 1971 . The potential for methanecarbon cycling in Lake Erie. In Proc. 14th Con/. Great Lakes Res. Int. Assoc., Great Lakes Res., pp. 236-240.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hutchinson , G. E . 1948 . Circular casual systems in ecology. Ann. New York Acad. Sci . 50 , 221 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hutchinson , G. E . 1954 . The biochemistry of the terrestrial atmosphere. In The solar system. II. The Earth as a planet (ed. G. P. Kuiper ), pp. 371 - 433 . Chicago Press .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Hutchinson , G. E . 1957 . A treatise on limnology, pp. 631-632. Wiley, New York.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Ingersoll , R. B. and Inman , R. E . 1973 . Soil's potential as a sink for atmospheric carbon monoxide. In Proc. Sym. on Atmospheric Trace Gases, Mainz, Germany, April 2-6.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Junge , C. E . 1963 . Air chemistry and radioactivity . Academic Press , New York .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Koyama , T . 1963 . Gaseous metabolism in lake sedi-ments and paddy soils and the production of atmospheric methane and hydrogen. J. Geophys. Res . 68 , 3971 – 3973 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Koyama , T . 1964 . Biogeochemical studies on lake sediments and paddy soils and the production of atmospheric methane and hydrogen. In Recent Researches in the Field of Hydrosphere, Atmosphere and Nuclear Geochemistry (ed. Y. Miyake and T. Koyama ), pp. 143 - 177 . Murucen , Tokyo .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Lamontagne , R. A. , Swinnerton , J. W. and Linnen-born , V. J . 1973 . Methane distribution in the world oceans. In Proc. Sym. on Atmospheric Trace Gases, Mainz, Germany, April 2-6.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Larson , R. E. , Lamontagne , R. A. , Wilkniss , P. E. and Wittmann , W. I . 1972 . Radon-222, CO, CH, and continental dust over the Greenland and Nor-wegian Seas. Nature 240 , 345 – 347 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Levy , H . 1971 . Normal atmosphere: large radical and formaldehyde concentrations predicted. Sci-ence 173 , 141 – 143 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Libby , W. F . Private communication.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
McConnell , J. C. , McElroy , M. B. and Wofsy , S. C . 1971 . Natural sources of atmospheric CO. Nature 223 , 187 – 188 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Migeotte , M. V . 1948 . Spectroscopic evidence of methane in the earth's atmosphere. Phys. Rev . 73 , 519 – 520 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Musgrave , B. C. 1966. Progress Report , Contract AEC AT (40-1) 3192 , - Univ. of Arkansas .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Newell , R. E . 1970 . Water vapour collection in the stratosphere by the supersonic transporter? Na-ture 226 , 70 – 71 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Robinson , E. and Robbins , R. C . 1968 . Sources, abundance, and fate of gaseous atmospheric pol-lutants. Final Report, PR-6755, Stanford Re-search Institute.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Rossolimo , L . 1935 . Die Bodengasausscheidung und das Sauerstoffregime der Seen, Verh. Int. Ver. Limnol . 7 , 539 – 561 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Shearer , E. C . 1969 . Relationships among atmos-pheric formaldehyde, methane and krypton . Thesis , -Univ. of Arkansas .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Stephens , E. R. and Burkson , F. R . 1969 . Distribu-tion of light hydrocarbons in ambient air. J. Air. Poll. Control. Assoc . 19 , 929 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Sverdrup , H. U. , Johnson , M. W. and Fleming , R. H . 1961 . The oceans, their physics, chemistry and general biology, p. 21 . Prentice Hall , Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Swinnerton , J. W. and Linnenbom , V. J . 1967 . Gas-eous hydrocarbons in sea water: determination. Science 156 , 119 – 120 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Swinnerton , J. W. , Linnenbom , V. J. and Check , C. H . 1969 . Distribution of methane and carbon monoxide between the atmosphere and natural waters. En,viron. Sci. Tech . 3 , 836 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Twenhofel , W. H . 1951. Principles of Sedimenta-tion, p. 78 . McGraw-Hill , New York .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization , 1971 , Monthly bulletin of agricultural eco-nomics and statistics 20, No. 6 , p. 18 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
United Nations Food Agricultural Organization , 1971 , Monthly bulletin of agricultural economics and statistics 20, No. 9 , p. 20 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
United Nations Food and Agricultural Organiza-tion , 1970 , Production Yearbook , p. 335 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
United States Department of Agriculture , 1971 , Agricultural statistics . Government Printing Of-fice , Washington , D.C .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Weinstock , B. and Niki , H . 1972 . Carbon monoxide balance in nature. Science 176 , 290 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Whittaker , R. H . 1971 . Communities and ecosystems, p. 84. Macmillan, New York.
Search in Google Scholar Back to article
Woodwell , G. M . 1970 . The energy cycle of the bio-sphere. Sci. Am . 223 , 64 – 74 .
Search in Google Scholar Back to article