Quantifying fossil fuel methane emissions using observations of atmospheric ethane and an uncertain emission ratio

Ramsden, Alice E.; Ganesan, Anita L.; Western, Luke M.; Rigby, Matthew; Manning, Alistair J.; Foulds, Amy; France, James L.; Barker, Patrick; Levy, Peter; Say, Daniel; Wisher, Adam; Arnold, Tim; Rennick, Chris; Stanley, Kieran M.; Young, Dickon; O'Doherty, Simon

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3911-2022

Articles | Volume 22, issue 6

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https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-3911-2022

Articles | Volume 22, issue 6

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Research article

25 Mar 2022

Research article |

| 25 Mar 2022

Quantifying fossil fuel methane emissions using observations of atmospheric ethane and an uncertain emission ratio

Alice E. Ramsden, Anita L. Ganesan, Luke M. Western, Matthew Rigby, Alistair J. Manning, Amy Foulds, James L. France, Patrick Barker, Peter Levy, Daniel Say, Adam Wisher, Tim Arnold, Chris Rennick, Kieran M. Stanley, Dickon Young, and Simon O'Doherty

Alice E. Ramsden

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR

alice.ramsden@bristol.ac.uk

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3937-8556

School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Anita L. Ganesan

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5715-8923

School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Luke M. Western

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0043-711X

School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Matthew Rigby

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2020-9253

School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Alistair J. Manning

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1431-7514

Met Office Hadley Centre, Exeter, UK

Amy Foulds

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9398-3154

School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

James L. France

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8785-1240

Department of Earth Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, UK

British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

Patrick Barker

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0242-1090

School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

Peter Levy

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8505-1901

UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Edinburgh, UK

Daniel Say

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3615-7926

School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Adam Wisher

School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Tim Arnold

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9097-8907

National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK

School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

Chris Rennick

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4993-0156

National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK

Kieran M. Stanley

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3388-0932

Institute for Atmospheric and Environmental Science, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Dickon Young

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6723-3138

School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

Simon O'Doherty

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4051-6760

School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

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XML: 74
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BibTeX: 55
EndNote: 89

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Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 15 Sep 2021)

Total article views: 3,007 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)

HTML	PDF	XML	Total	Supplement	BibTeX	EndNote
2,336	623	48	3,007	97	45	69

HTML: 2,336
PDF: 623
XML: 48
Total: 3,007
Supplement: 97
BibTeX: 45
EndNote: 69

Views and downloads (calculated since 25 Mar 2022)

Month	HTML	PDF	XML	Total
Mar 2022	269	62	4	335
Apr 2022	199	39	3	241
May 2022	95	20	2	117
Jun 2022	71	10	0	81
Jul 2022	79	24	0	103
Aug 2022	114	24	1	139
Sep 2022	80	13	0	93
Oct 2022	71	19	0	90
Nov 2022	98	12	1	111
Dec 2022	74	9	2	85
Jan 2023	35	16	2	53
Feb 2023	46	11	1	58
Mar 2023	41	18	0	59
Apr 2023	33	16	1	50
May 2023	25	6	0	31
Jun 2023	47	9	1	57
Jul 2023	24	12	1	37
Aug 2023	29	18	1	48
Sep 2023	36	13	0	49
Oct 2023	65	21	1	87
Nov 2023	34	8	0	42
Dec 2023	39	18	1	58
Jan 2024	34	15	0	49
Feb 2024	73	12	0	85
Mar 2024	53	27	2	82
Apr 2024	42	10	1	53
May 2024	37	13	5	55
Jun 2024	84	15	1	100
Jul 2024	47	13	2	62
Aug 2024	65	14	4	83
Sep 2024	44	14	1	59
Oct 2024	52	15	1	68
Nov 2024	50	19	3	72
Dec 2024	36	10	0	46
Jan 2025	39	18	2	59
Feb 2025	39	15	2	56
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Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 25 Mar 2022)

Month	HTML	PDF	XML	Total
Mar 2022	269	62	4	335
Apr 2022	199	39	3	241
May 2022	95	20	2	117
Jun 2022	71	10	0	81
Jul 2022	79	24	0	103
Aug 2022	114	24	1	139
Sep 2022	80	13	0	93
Oct 2022	71	19	0	90
Nov 2022	98	12	1	111
Dec 2022	74	9	2	85
Jan 2023	35	16	2	53
Feb 2023	46	11	1	58
Mar 2023	41	18	0	59
Apr 2023	33	16	1	50
May 2023	25	6	0	31
Jun 2023	47	9	1	57
Jul 2023	24	12	1	37
Aug 2023	29	18	1	48
Sep 2023	36	13	0	49
Oct 2023	65	21	1	87
Nov 2023	34	8	0	42
Dec 2023	39	18	1	58
Jan 2024	34	15	0	49
Feb 2024	73	12	0	85
Mar 2024	53	27	2	82
Apr 2024	42	10	1	53
May 2024	37	13	5	55
Jun 2024	84	15	1	100
Jul 2024	47	13	2	62
Aug 2024	65	14	4	83
Sep 2024	44	14	1	59
Oct 2024	52	15	1	68
Nov 2024	50	19	3	72
Dec 2024	36	10	0	46
Jan 2025	39	18	2	59
Feb 2025	39	15	2	56
Mar 2025	37	15	2	54

Total article views: 1,352 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)

HTML	PDF	XML	Total	Supplement	BibTeX	EndNote
899	427	26	1,352	484	10	20

HTML: 899
PDF: 427
XML: 26
Total: 1,352
Supplement: 484
BibTeX: 10
EndNote: 20

Views and downloads (calculated since 15 Sep 2021)

Month	HTML	PDF	XML	Total
Mar 2022	269	62	4	335
Apr 2022	199	39	3	241
May 2022	95	20	2	117
Jun 2022	71	10	0	81
Jul 2022	79	24	0	103
Aug 2022	114	24	1	139
Sep 2022	80	13	0	93
Oct 2022	71	19	0	90
Nov 2022	98	12	1	111
Dec 2022	74	9	2	85
Jan 2023	35	16	2	53
Feb 2023	46	11	1	58
Mar 2023	41	18	0	59
Apr 2023	33	16	1	50
May 2023	25	6	0	31
Jun 2023	47	9	1	57
Jul 2023	24	12	1	37
Aug 2023	29	18	1	48
Sep 2023	36	13	0	49
Oct 2023	65	21	1	87
Nov 2023	34	8	0	42
Dec 2023	39	18	1	58
Jan 2024	34	15	0	49
Feb 2024	73	12	0	85
Mar 2024	53	27	2	82
Apr 2024	42	10	1	53
May 2024	37	13	5	55
Jun 2024	84	15	1	100
Jul 2024	47	13	2	62
Aug 2024	65	14	4	83
Sep 2024	44	14	1	59
Oct 2024	52	15	1	68
Nov 2024	50	19	3	72
Dec 2024	36	10	0	46
Jan 2025	39	18	2	59
Feb 2025	39	15	2	56
Mar 2025	37	15	2	54

Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 15 Sep 2021)

Month	HTML	PDF	XML	Total
Mar 2022	269	62	4	335
Apr 2022	199	39	3	241
May 2022	95	20	2	117
Jun 2022	71	10	0	81
Jul 2022	79	24	0	103
Aug 2022	114	24	1	139
Sep 2022	80	13	0	93
Oct 2022	71	19	0	90
Nov 2022	98	12	1	111
Dec 2022	74	9	2	85
Jan 2023	35	16	2	53
Feb 2023	46	11	1	58
Mar 2023	41	18	0	59
Apr 2023	33	16	1	50
May 2023	25	6	0	31
Jun 2023	47	9	1	57
Jul 2023	24	12	1	37
Aug 2023	29	18	1	48
Sep 2023	36	13	0	49
Oct 2023	65	21	1	87
Nov 2023	34	8	0	42
Dec 2023	39	18	1	58
Jan 2024	34	15	0	49
Feb 2024	73	12	0	85
Mar 2024	53	27	2	82
Apr 2024	42	10	1	53
May 2024	37	13	5	55
Jun 2024	84	15	1	100
Jul 2024	47	13	2	62
Aug 2024	65	14	4	83
Sep 2024	44	14	1	59
Oct 2024	52	15	1	68
Nov 2024	50	19	3	72
Dec 2024	36	10	0	46
Jan 2025	39	18	2	59
Feb 2025	39	15	2	56
Mar 2025	37	15	2	54

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Show all Final revised paper only Preprint only

Total article views: 4,359 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 4,359 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.

Total article views: 3,007 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 3,007 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.

Total article views: 1,352 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 1,352 with geography defined and 0 with unknown origin.

Country	#	Views	%
United States of America	1	1523	34
China	2	742	17
United Kingdom	3	565	12
Germany	4	249	5
France	5	207	4

Country	#	Views	%
United States of America	1	1170	38
China	2	402	13
United Kingdom	3	331	11
France	4	160	5
Germany	5	150	4

Country	#	Views	%
United States of America	1	353	26
China	2	340	25
United Kingdom	3	234	17
Germany	4	99	7
undefined	5	50	3


Total:	0
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1523


Total:	0
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1170

1170


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Cited

Show all Final revised paper only Preprint only

7 citations as recorded by crossref.

The Effect of Loading W&V:TiO2 Nanoparticles with Noble Metals for CH4 Detection M. Scarisoreanu et al. 10.3390/chemosensors12080160
Partitioning anthropogenic and natural methane emissions in Finland during 2000–2021 by combining bottom-up and top-down estimates M. Tenkanen et al. 10.5194/acp-25-2181-2025
Methane and volatile organic compounds and their influence on air quality in Boulder, Colorado D. Helmig et al. 10.1525/elementa.2023.00117
Storage Tank Target Detection for Large-Scale Remote Sensing Images Based on YOLOv7-OT Y. Wan et al. 10.3390/rs16234510
Space-based observations of tropospheric ethane map emissions from fossil fuel extraction J. Brewer et al. 10.1038/s41467-024-52247-z
Identifying emission sources of CH4 in East Asia based on in-situ observations of atmospheric δ13C-CH4 and C2H6 S. Geum et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168433
Trends in atmospheric ethane F. Maddanu & T. Proietti 10.1007/s10584-023-03508-1

7 citations as recorded by crossref.

The Effect of Loading W&V:TiO2 Nanoparticles with Noble Metals for CH4 Detection M. Scarisoreanu et al. 10.3390/chemosensors12080160
Partitioning anthropogenic and natural methane emissions in Finland during 2000–2021 by combining bottom-up and top-down estimates M. Tenkanen et al. 10.5194/acp-25-2181-2025
Methane and volatile organic compounds and their influence on air quality in Boulder, Colorado D. Helmig et al. 10.1525/elementa.2023.00117
Storage Tank Target Detection for Large-Scale Remote Sensing Images Based on YOLOv7-OT Y. Wan et al. 10.3390/rs16234510
Space-based observations of tropospheric ethane map emissions from fossil fuel extraction J. Brewer et al. 10.1038/s41467-024-52247-z
Identifying emission sources of CH4 in East Asia based on in-situ observations of atmospheric δ13C-CH4 and C2H6 S. Geum et al. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168433
Trends in atmospheric ethane F. Maddanu & T. Proietti 10.1007/s10584-023-03508-1

Latest update: 30 Mar 2025

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Short summary

Quantifying methane emissions from different sources is a key focus of current research. We present a method for estimating sectoral methane emissions that uses ethane as a tracer for fossil fuel methane. By incorporating variable ethane : methane emission ratios into this model, we produce emissions estimates with improved uncertainty characterisation. This method will be particularly useful for studying methane emissions in areas with complex distributions of sources.

Quantifying methane emissions from different sources is a key focus of current research. We...

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