Global distribution of methane emissions, emission trends, and OH concentrations and trends inferred from an inversion of GOSAT satellite data for 2010–2015

Maasakkers, Joannes D.; Jacob, Daniel J.; Sulprizio, Melissa P.; Scarpelli, Tia R.; Nesser, Hannah; Sheng, Jian-Xiong; Zhang, Yuzhong; Hersher, Monica; Bloom, A. Anthony; Bowman, Kevin W.; Worden, John R.; Janssens-Maenhout, Greet; Parker, Robert J.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7859-2019

Articles | Volume 19, issue 11

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7859-2019

© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-19-7859-2019

© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 19, issue 11

Research article

| Highlight paper

|

12 Jun 2019

Research article | Highlight paper |

| 12 Jun 2019

Global distribution of methane emissions, emission trends, and OH concentrations and trends inferred from an inversion of GOSAT satellite data for 2010–2015

Joannes D. Maasakkers, Daniel J. Jacob, Melissa P. Sulprizio, Tia R. Scarpelli, Hannah Nesser, Jian-Xiong Sheng, Yuzhong Zhang, Monica Hersher, A. Anthony Bloom, Kevin W. Bowman, John R. Worden, Greet Janssens-Maenhout, and Robert J. Parker

Data sets

TCCON data from Eureka (CA), Release GGG2014R1 K. Strong et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.eureka01.R1/1325515

The Total Carbon Column Observing Network's GGG2014 Data Version D. Wunch https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.documentation.R0/1221662

TCCON data from Tsukuba (JP), 125HR, Release GGG2014R1 I. Morino et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.tsukuba02.R1/1241486

TCCON data from Rikubetsu (JP), Release GGG2014R1 I. Morino et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.rikubetsu01.R1/1242265

TCCON data from Park Falls (US), Release GGG2014R0 P. O. Wennberg et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.parkfalls01.R0/1149161

TCCON data from Caltech (US), Release GGG2014R1 P. O. Wennberg et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.pasadena01.R1/1182415

TCCON data from Jet Propulsion Laboratory (US), 2011, Release GGG2014R1 P. O. Wennberg et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.jpl02.R1/1330096

TCCON data from Lamont (US), Release GGG2014R1 P. O. Wennberg et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.lamont01.R1/1255070

TCCON data from Edwards (US), Release GGG2014R1 L. T. Iraci et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.edwards01.R1/1255068

TCCON data from Indianapolis (US), Release GGG2014R1 L. T. Iraci et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.indianapolis01.R1/1330094

TCCON data from Sodankyla (FI), Release GGG2014R0 R. Kivi et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.sodankyla01.R0/1149280

TCCON data from Izana (ES), Release GGG2014R0 T. Blumenstock https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.izana01.R0/114929

TCCON data from Reunion Island (RE), Release GGG2014R0 M. De Mazière et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.reunion01.R0/1149288

TCCON data from Manaus (BR), Release GGG2014R0 M. Dubey et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.manaus01.R0/1149274

TCCON data from Four Corners (US), Release GGG2014R0 M. Dubey et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.fourcorners01.R0/1149272

TCCON data from Paris (FR), Release GGG2014R0 Y. Te et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.paris01.R0/1149279

TCCON data from Saga (JP), Release GGG2014R0 S. Kawakami et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.saga01.R0/1149283

TCCON data from Karlsruhe (DE), Release GGG2014R1 F. Hase et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.karlsruhe01.R1/1182416

TCCON data from Darwin (AU), Release GGG2014R0 D. W. Griffith et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.darwin01.R0/1149290

TCCON data from Wollongong (AU), Release GGG2014R0 D. W. Griffith et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.wollongong01.R0/1149291

TCCON data from Lauder (NZ), 120HR, Release GGG2014R0 V. Sherlock et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.lauder01.R0/1149293

TCCON data from Garmisch (DE), Release GGG2014R0 R. Sussmann and M. Rettinger https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.garmisch01.R0/1149299

TCCON data from Bialystok (PL), Release GGG2014R N. M. Deutscher et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.bialystok01.R1/1183984

TCCON data from Bremen (DE), Release GGG2014R0 J. Notholt et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.bremen01.R0/1149275

TCCON data from Orléans (FR), Release GGG2014R0 T. Warneke et al. https://doi.org/10.14291/tccon.ggg2014.orleans01.R0/1149276

Short summary

We use 2010–2015 satellite observations of atmospheric methane to improve estimates of methane emissions and their trends, as well as the concentration and trend of tropospheric OH (hydroxyl radical, methane's main sink). We find overestimates of Chinese coal and Middle East oil/gas emissions in the prior estimate. The 2010–2015 growth in methane is attributed to an increase in emissions from India, China, and areas with large tropical wetlands. The contribution from OH is small in comparison.