Using δ13C-CH4 and δD-CH4 to constrain Arctic methane emissions

Warwick, Nicola J.; Cain, Michelle L.; Fisher, Rebecca; France, James L.; Lowry, David; Michel, Sylvia E.; Nisbet, Euan G.; Vaughn, Bruce H.; White, James W. C.; Pyle, John A.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14891-2016

Articles | Volume 16, issue 23

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14891-2016

© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14891-2016

© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Articles | Volume 16, issue 23

Research article

|

01 Dec 2016

Research article |

| 01 Dec 2016

Using δ¹³C-CH₄ and δD-CH₄ to constrain Arctic methane emissions

Nicola J. Warwick, Michelle L. Cain, Rebecca Fisher, James L. France, David Lowry, Sylvia E. Michel, Euan G. Nisbet, Bruce H. Vaughn, James W. C. White, and John A. Pyle

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-14891-2016-supplement

Data sets

Atmospheric Methane Dry Air Mole Fractions from the NOAA ESRL Carbon Cycle Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network, 1983-2012, Version: 2013-08-28 E. J. Dlugokencky, P. M. Lang, A. M. Crotwell, K. A. Masarie, and M. J. Crotwell http://ftp://aftp.cmdl.noaa.gov/data/trace_gases/ch4/flask/surface/

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: 2015-08-03 J.W.C. White, and B. H. Vaughn http://ftp://aftp.cmdl.noaa.gov/data/trace_gases/ch4c13/flask/

University of Colorado, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), Stable Isotopic Composition of Atmospheric Methane (D/H) from the NOAA ESRL Carbon Cycle Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network, 2005-2009, Version: 2016-04-26 J. W. C. White, B. H. Vaughn, and S. E. Michel http://ftp://aftp.cmdl.noaa.gov/data/trace_gases/ch4h2/flask/

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Short summary

Methane is an important greenhouse gas. Methane emissions from Arctic wetlands are poorly quantified and may increase in a warming climate. Using a global atmospheric model and atmospheric observations of methane and its isotopologues, we find that isotopologue data are useful in constraining Arctic wetland emissions. Our results suggest that the seasonal cycle of these emissions may be incorrectly simulated in land process models, with implications for our understanding of future emissions.