Articles | Volume 24, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2951-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-2951-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
07 Mar 2024
Research article |
| 07 Mar 2024
| 07 Mar 2024
Six years of continuous carbon isotope composition measurements of methane in Heidelberg (Germany) – a study of source contributions and comparison to emission inventories
Antje Hoheisel
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Environmental Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Martina Schmidt
Institute of Environmental Physics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
Related authors
Antje Hoheisel, Cedric Couret, Bryan Hellack, and Martina Schmidt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2399–2413, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2399-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
High-precision CO2, CH4 and CO measurements have been carried out at Zugspitze for decades. New technologies make it possible to analyse these gases with high temporal resolution. This allows the detection of local pollution. To this end, measurements have been performed on the mountain ridge (ZGR) and are compared to routine measurements at the Schneefernerhaus (ZSF). Careful manual flagging of pollution events in the ZSF data leads to consistency with the little influenced ZGR time series.
Thomas Röckmann, Malika Menoud, Jacoline van Es, Carina van der Veen, Hossein Maazallahi, Pawel Jagoda, Jaroslav M. Necki, Jakub Bartyzel, Piotr Korben, Sara Defratyka, Martina Schmidt, Marius Corbu, Sebastian Iancu, Andreea Calcan, Magdalena Ardelean, Sorin Ghemulet, Cristian Pop, Andrei Radovici, Alexandru Mereuta, Horatiu Stefanie, and Calin Baciu
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4461, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-4461, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics (ACP).
Short summary
Short summary
We report the isotopic composition of CH4 emitted from 48 installations in the gas production region of Transylvania, Romania which confirm the biogenic origin of the Transylvanian gas, produced by hydrogenotrophic CO2 reduction. This is similar to values reported previously from natural seeps and natural gas in a major city in the region. However, is more depleted in heavy isotopes than the oil-associated gas emitted in the Southern Romanian Plain, and gas leakages in the city of Bucharest.
Julia Beate Wietzel, Piotr Korben, Antje Hoheisel, and Martina Schmidt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 4631–4645, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4631-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-4631-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Long-term measurements of CH4 emission rates at a biogas plant in Germany were performed for eight years using mobile measurements combined with a Gaussian plume model. The average CH4 emission rate of the biogas plant was 5.9 ± 0.5 kg CH4 h-1. To increase the accuracy of the emission rate calculations and harmonize the dataset, the methodology was evaluated through six controlled methane release experiments demonstrating an uncertainty lower than 30 %, following several recommendations.
Alina Fiehn, Maximilian Eckl, Julian Kostinek, Michał Gałkowski, Christoph Gerbig, Michael Rothe, Thomas Röckmann, Malika Menoud, Hossein Maazallahi, Martina Schmidt, Piotr Korbeń, Jarosław Neçki, Mila Stanisavljević, Justyna Swolkień, Andreas Fix, and Anke Roiger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 15749–15765, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15749-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-15749-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
During the CoMet mission in the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB) ground-based and airborne air samples were taken and analyzed for the isotopic composition of CH4 to derive the mean signature of the USCB and source signatures of individual coal mines. Using δ2H signatures, the biogenic emissions from the USCB account for 15 %–50 % of total emissions, which is underestimated in common emission inventories. This demonstrates the importance of δ2H-CH4 observations for methane source apportionment.
Tobias D. Schmitt, Jonas Kuhn, Ralph Kleinschek, Benedikt A. Löw, Stefan Schmitt, William Cranton, Martina Schmidt, Sanam N. Vardag, Frank Hase, David W. T. Griffith, and André Butz
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 6097–6110, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-6097-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-6097-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our new observatory measures greenhouse gas concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) along a 1.55 km long light path over the city of Heidelberg, Germany. We compared our measurements with measurements that were taken at a single point at one end of our path. The two mostly agreed but show a significant difference for CO2 with certain wind directions. This is important when using greenhouse gas concentration measurements to observe greenhouse gas emissions of cities.
Douglas E. J. Worthy, Michele K. Rauh, Lin Huang, Felix R. Vogel, Alina Chivulescu, Kenneth A. Masarie, Ray L. Langenfelds, Paul B. Krummel, Colin E. Allison, Andrew M. Crotwell, Monica Madronich, Gabrielle Pétron, Ingeborg Levin, Samuel Hammer, Sylvia Michel, Michel Ramonet, Martina Schmidt, Armin Jordan, Heiko Moossen, Michael Rothe, Ralph Keeling, and Eric J. Morgan
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 5909–5935, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5909-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-5909-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Network compatibility is important for inferring greenhouse gas fluxes at global or regional scales. This study is the first assessment of the measurement agreement among seven individual programs within the World Meteorological Organization community. It compares co-located flask air measurements at the Alert Observatory in Canada over a 17-year period. The results provide stronger confidence in the uncertainty estimation while using those datasets in various data interpretation applications.
Foteini Stavropoulou, Katarina Vinković, Bert Kers, Marcel de Vries, Steven van Heuven, Piotr Korbeń, Martina Schmidt, Julia Wietzel, Pawel Jagoda, Jaroslav M. Necki, Jakub Bartyzel, Hossein Maazallahi, Malika Menoud, Carina van der Veen, Sylvia Walter, Béla Tuzson, Jonas Ravelid, Randulph Paulo Morales, Lukas Emmenegger, Dominik Brunner, Michael Steiner, Arjan Hensen, Ilona Velzeboer, Pim van den Bulk, Hugo Denier van der Gon, Antonio Delre, Maklawe Essonanawe Edjabou, Charlotte Scheutz, Marius Corbu, Sebastian Iancu, Denisa Moaca, Alin Scarlat, Alexandru Tudor, Ioana Vizireanu, Andreea Calcan, Magdalena Ardelean, Sorin Ghemulet, Alexandru Pana, Aurel Constantinescu, Lucian Cusa, Alexandru Nica, Calin Baciu, Cristian Pop, Andrei Radovici, Alexandru Mereuta, Horatiu Stefanie, Alexandru Dandocsi, Bas Hermans, Stefan Schwietzke, Daniel Zavala-Araiza, Huilin Chen, and Thomas Röckmann
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 10399–10412, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-10399-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this study, we quantify CH4 emissions from onshore oil production sites in Romania at source and facility level using a combination of ground- and drone-based measurement techniques. We show that the total CH4 emissions in our studied areas are much higher than the emissions reported to UNFCCC, and up to three-quarters of the detected emissions are related to operational venting. Our results suggest that oil and gas production infrastructure in Romania holds a massive mitigation potential.
Antje Hoheisel, Cedric Couret, Bryan Hellack, and Martina Schmidt
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 2399–2413, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-2399-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
High-precision CO2, CH4 and CO measurements have been carried out at Zugspitze for decades. New technologies make it possible to analyse these gases with high temporal resolution. This allows the detection of local pollution. To this end, measurements have been performed on the mountain ridge (ZGR) and are compared to routine measurements at the Schneefernerhaus (ZSF). Careful manual flagging of pollution events in the ZSF data leads to consistency with the little influenced ZGR time series.
Malika Menoud, Carina van der Veen, Dave Lowry, Julianne M. Fernandez, Semra Bakkaloglu, James L. France, Rebecca E. Fisher, Hossein Maazallahi, Mila Stanisavljević, Jarosław Nęcki, Katarina Vinkovic, Patryk Łakomiec, Janne Rinne, Piotr Korbeń, Martina Schmidt, Sara Defratyka, Camille Yver-Kwok, Truls Andersen, Huilin Chen, and Thomas Röckmann
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 4365–4386, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4365-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4365-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Emission sources of methane (CH4) can be distinguished with measurements of CH4 stable isotopes. We present new measurements of isotope signatures of various CH4 sources in Europe, mainly anthropogenic, sampled from 2017 to 2020. The present database also contains the most recent update of the global signature dataset from the literature. The dataset improves CH4 source attribution and the understanding of the global CH4 budget.
Randulph Morales, Jonas Ravelid, Katarina Vinkovic, Piotr Korbeń, Béla Tuzson, Lukas Emmenegger, Huilin Chen, Martina Schmidt, Sebastian Humbel, and Dominik Brunner
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 15, 2177–2198, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2177-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-15-2177-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Mapping trace gas emission plumes using in situ measurements from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is an emerging and attractive possibility to quantify emissions from localized sources. We performed an extensive controlled-release experiment to develop an optimal quantification method and to determine the related uncertainties under various environmental and sampling conditions. Our approach was successful in quantifying local methane sources from drone-based measurements.
Sophie F. Warken, Therese Weißbach, Tobias Kluge, Hubert Vonhof, Denis Scholz, Rolf Vieten, Martina Schmidt, Amos Winter, and Norbert Frank
Clim. Past, 18, 167–181, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-18-167-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-18-167-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The analysis of fluid inclusions from a Puerto Rican speleothem provides quantitative information about past rainfall conditions and temperatures during the Last Glacial Period, when the climate was extremely variable. Our data show that the region experienced a climate that was generally colder and drier. However, we also reconstruct intervals when temperatures reached nearly modern values, and convective activity was comparable to or only slightly weaker than the present day.
Alina Fiehn, Julian Kostinek, Maximilian Eckl, Theresa Klausner, Michał Gałkowski, Jinxuan Chen, Christoph Gerbig, Thomas Röckmann, Hossein Maazallahi, Martina Schmidt, Piotr Korbeń, Jarosław Neçki, Pawel Jagoda, Norman Wildmann, Christian Mallaun, Rostyslav Bun, Anna-Leah Nickl, Patrick Jöckel, Andreas Fix, and Anke Roiger
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 12675–12695, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-12675-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-12675-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
A severe reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is necessary to fulfill the Paris Agreement. We use aircraft- and ground-based in situ observations of trace gases and wind speed from two flights over the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland, for independent emission estimation. The derived methane emission estimates are within the range of emission inventories, carbon dioxide estimates are in the lower range and carbon monoxide emission estimates are slightly higher than emission inventory values.
Cited articles
Assan, S., Vogel, F. R., Gros, V., Baudic, A., Staufer, J., and Ciais, P.: Can we separate industrial CH4 emission sources from atmospheric observations? – A test case for carbon isotopes, PMF and enhanced APCA, Atmos. Environ., 187, 317–327, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2018.05.004, 2018. a, b
Bergamaschi, P., Karstens, U., Manning, A. J., Saunois, M., Tsuruta, A., Berchet, A., Vermeulen, A. T., Arnold, T., Janssens-Maenhout, G., Hammer, S., Levin, I., Schmidt, M., Ramonet, M., Lopez, M., Lavric, J., Aalto, T., Chen, H., Feist, D. G., Gerbig, C., Haszpra, L., Hermansen, O., Manca, G., Moncrieff, J., Meinhardt, F., Necki, J., Galkowski, M., O'Doherty, S., Paramonova, N., Scheeren, H. A., Steinbacher, M., and Dlugokencky, E.: Inverse modelling of European CH4 emissions during 2006–2012 using different inverse models and reassessed atmospheric observations, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 901–920, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-901-2018, 2018. a, b
Crippa, M., Guizzardi, D., Muntean, M., Schaaf, E., Lo Vullo, E., Solazzo, E., Monforti-Ferrario, F., Olivier, J., and Vignati, E.: EDGAR v6.0 Greenhouse Gas Emissions, European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) [data set], http://data.europa.eu/89h/97a67d67-c62e-4826-b873-9d972c4f670b, 2021. a, b, c, d
Dlugokencky, E. J., Myers, R. C., Lang, P. M., Masarie, K. A., Crotwell, A. M., Thoning, K. W., Hall, B. D., Elkins, J. W., and Steele, L. P.: Conversion of NOAA atmospheric dry air CH4 mole fractions to a gravimetrically prepared standard scale, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 110, D18306, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005jd006035, 2005. a, b
Eyer, S., Tuzson, B., Popa, M. E., van der Veen, C., Röckmann, T., Rothe, M., Brand, W. A., Fisher, R., Lowry, D., Nisbet, E. G., Brennwald, M. S., Harris, E., Zellweger, C., Emmenegger, L., Fischer, H., and Mohn, J.: Real-time analysis of δ13C- and δD-CH4 in ambient air with laser spectroscopy: method development and first intercomparison results, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 263–280, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-263-2016, 2016. a
Fisher, R., Lowry, D., Wilkin, O., Sriskantharajah, S., and Nisbet, E. G.: High-precision, automated stable isotope analysis of atmospheric methane and carbon dioxide using continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometry, Rapid Commun. Mass Sp. 20, 200e208, https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.2300, 2006. a
IPCC: IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Prepared by the National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme, edited by: Eggleston, H. S., Buendia, L., Miwa, K., Ngara, T., and Tanabe, K., Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan, https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/index.html (last access: 25 February 2024), 2006. a
IPCC: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by: Stocker, T. F., D. Qin, G.-K., Plattner, M., Tignor, S. K., Allen, J., Boschung, A., Nauels, Y., Xia, V. B., and Midgley, P. M., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, 1535 pp., ISBN 978-1-107-05799-1, 2013. a, b, c
IPCC: Climate Change 2021 – The Physical Science Basis: Working Group I Contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009157896, 2023. a
Keeling, C. D.: The concentration and isotopic abundances of atmospheric carbon dioxide in rural areas, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 13, 322–334, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(58)90033-4, 1958. a
Keeling, C. D.: The concentration and isotopic abundances of carbon dioxide in rural and marine air, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 24, 277–298, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(61)90023-0, 1961. a
Kountouris, P., Gerbig, C., Rödenbeck, C., Karstens, U., Koch, T. F., and Heimann, M.: Technical Note: Atmospheric CO2 inversions on the mesoscale using data-driven prior uncertainties: methodology and system evaluation, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 18, 3027–3045, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-18-3027-2018, 2018. a
Lan, X., Basu, S., Schwietzke, S., Bruhwiler, L. M. P., Dlugokencky, E. J., Michel, S. E., Sherwood, O. A., Tans, P. P., Thoning, K., Etiope, G., Zhuang, Q., Liu, L., Oh, Y., Miller, J. B., Pétron, G., Vaughn, B. H., and Crippa, M.: Improved Constraints on Global Methane Emissions and Sinks Using δ13C-CH4, Global Biogeochem. Cy., 35, 007000, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB007000, 2021. a
Lan, X., Dlugokencky, E. J., Mund, J. W., Crotwell, A. M., Crotwell, M. J., Moglia, E., Madronich, M., Neff, D., and Thoning, K. W.: Atmospheric Methane Dry Air Mole Fractions from the NOAA GML Carbon Cycle Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network, 1983–2021, Version: 2022-11-21, https://doi.org/10.15138/VNCZ-M766, 2022. a, b
Levin, I., Bergamaschi, P., Dörr, H., and Trapp, D.: Stable isotopic signature of methane from major sources in Germany, Chemosphere, 26, 161–177, https://doi.org/10.1016/0045-6535(93)90419-6, 1993. a, b
Levin, I., Glatzel-Mattheier, H., Marik, T., Cuntz, M., Schmidt, M., and Worthy, D. E.: Verification of German methane emission inventories and their recent changes based on atmospheric observations, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 104, 3447–3456, https://doi.org/10.1029/1998jd100064, 1999. a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j
Levin, I., Hammer, S., Eichelmann, E., and Vogel F. R.: Verification of greenhouse gas emission reductions: the prospect of atmospheric monitoring in polluted areas, Philos. T. R. Soc. A., 369, 1906–1924, https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2010.0249, 2011. a
Levin, I., Karstens, U., Hammer, S., DellaColetta, J., Maier, F., and Gachkivskyi, M.: Limitations of the radon tracer method (RTM) to estimate regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – a case study for methane in Heidelberg, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17907–17926, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17907-2021, 2021. a
Lin, J. C., Gerbig, C., Wofsy, S. C., Andrews, A. E., Daube, B. C., Davis, K. J., and Grainger, C. A.: A near-field tool for simulating the upstream influence of atmospheric observations: The Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) model, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 108, 4493, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002JD003161, 2003. a
Menoud, M., van der Veen, C., Scheeren, B., Chen, H., Szénási, B., Morales, R. P., Pison, I., Bousquet, P., Brunner, D., and Röckmann, T.: Characterisation of methane sources in Lutjewad, The Netherlands, using quasi-continuous isotopic composition measurements, Tellus B, 72, 1–20, https://doi.org/10.1080/16000889.2020.1823733, 2020. a, b, c, d
Menoud, M., van der Veen, C., Necki, J., Bartyzel, J., Szénási, B., Stanisavljević, M., Pison, I., Bousquet, P., and Röckmann, T.: Methane (CH4) sources in Krakow, Poland: insights from isotope analysis, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 13167–13185, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-13167-2021, 2021. a, b, c, d, e, f
Menoud, M., van der Veen, C., Lowry, D., Fernandez, J. M., Bakkaloglu, S., France, J. L., Fisher, R. E., Maazallahi, H., Stanisavljević, M., Nęcki, J., Vinkovic, K., Łakomiec, P., Rinne, J., Korbeń, P., Schmidt, M., Defratyka, S., Yver-Kwok, C., Andersen, T., Chen, H., and Röckmann, T.: New contributions of measurements in Europe to the global inventory of the stable isotopic composition of methane, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 4365–4386, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4365-2022, 2022. a, b
Michel, S. E., Clark, J. R., Vaughn, B. H., Crotwell, M., Madronich, M., Moglia, E., Neff, D., and Mund, J.: Stable Isotopic Composition of Atmospheric Methane (13C) from the NOAA GML Carbon Cycle Cooperative Global Air Sampling Network, 1998–2021, University of Colorado, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), Version: 2022-12-15, https://doi.org/10.15138/9p89-1x02, 2022. a, b
Miller, J. B., Mack, K. A., Dissly, R., White, J. W., Dlugokencky, E. J., and Tans, P. P.: Development of analytical methods and measurements of
Miller, J. B., and Tans, P. P.: Calculating isotopic fractionation from atmospheric measurements at various scales, Tellus B, 55, 207–214, https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0889.2003.00020.x, 2003. a, b
Nisbet, E. G., Dlugokencky, E. J., Manning, M. R., Lowry, D., Fisher, R. E., France, J. L., Michel, S. E., Miller, J. B., White, J. W. C., Vaughn, B., Bousquet, P., Pyle, J. A., Warwick, N. J., Cain, M., Brownlow, R., Zazzeri, G., Lanoiselle, M., Manning, A. C., Gloor, E., Worthy, D. E. J., Brunke, E. G., Labuschagne, C., Wolff, E. W., and Ganesan, A. L.: Rising atmospheric methane: 2007–2014 growth and isotopic shift, Glob. Biogeochem. Cy., 30, 1356–1370, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016gb005406, 2016. a
Nisbet, E. G., Manning, M. R., Dlugokencky, E. J., Fisher, R. E., Lowry, D., Michel, S. E., Myhre, C. L., Platt, M., Allen, G., Bousquet, P., Brownlow, R., Cain, M., France, J. L., Hermansen, O., Hossaini, R., Jones, A. E., Levin, I., Manning, A. C., Myhre, G., Pyle, J. A., Vaughn, B. H., Warwick, N. J., and White, J. W. C.: Very Strong. Atmospheric Methane Growth in the 4 Years 2014–2017: Implications for the paris Agreement, Glob. Biogeochem. Cy., 33, 318–342, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018gb006009, 2019. a
Rella, C. W., Hoffnagle, J., He, Y., and Tajima, S.: Local- and regional-scale measurements of CH4, δ13CH4, and C2H6 in the Uintah Basin using a mobile stable isotope analyzer, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 8, 4539–4559, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-8-4539-2015, 2015. a
Rennick, C., Arnold, T., Safi, E., Drinkwater, A., Dylag, C., Webber, E. M., Hill-Pearce, R., Worton, D.R., Bausi, F. and Lowry, D.: Boreas: A sample preparation-coupled laser spectrometer system for simultaneous high-precision in situ analysis of δ13C and δ2H from ambient air methane. Anal. Chem., 93, 10141–10151, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.analchem.1c01103, 2021. a
Röckmann, T., Eyer, S., van der Veen, C., Popa, M. E., Tuzson, B., Monteil, G., Houweling, S., Harris, E., Brunner, D., Fischer, H., Zazzeri, G., Lowry, D., Nisbet, E. G., Brand, W. A., Necki, J. M., Emmenegger, L., and Mohn, J.: In situ observations of the isotopic composition of methane at the Cabauw tall tower site, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 10469–10487, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-10469-2016, 2016. a, b, c, d, e, f
Schaefer, H., Fletcher, S. E. M., Veidt, C., Lassey, K. R., Brailsford, G. W., Bromley, T. M., Dlugokencky, E. J., Michel, S. E., Miller, J. B., Levin, I., Lowe, D. C., Martin, R. J., Vaughn, B. H., and White, J. W. C.: A 21st-century shift from fossil-fuel to biogenic methane emissions indicated by (CH4)-C13, Science, 352, 80–84, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aad2705, 2016. a
Schaefer, H.: On the Causes and Consequences of Recent Trends in Atmospheric Methane, Curr. Clim. Chang. Rep., 5, 259–274, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40641-019-00140-z, 2019. a
Schmidt, M. and Hoheisel, A.: Six years of continuous CH4 mole fraction and δ13C-CH4 measurements in Heidelberg (Germany), heiDATA [data set], https://doi.org/10.11588/data/OXKVW2, 2024.
Sherwood, O. A., Schwietzke, S., Arling, V. A., and Etiope, G.: Global Inventory of Gas Geochemistry Data from Fossil Fuel, Microbial and Burning Sources, version 2017, Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 9, 639–656, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-9-639-2017, 2017. a, b
Sherwood, O. A., Schwietzke, S., and Lan, X.: Global δ13C-CH4 Source Signature Inventory 2020, Earth System Research Laboratories, https://doi.org/10.15138/qn55-e011, 2021. a, b
Solazzo, E., Crippa, M., Guizzardi, D., Muntean, M., Choulga, M., and Janssens-Maenhout, G.: Uncertainties in the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) emission inventory of greenhouse gases, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 5655–5683, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-5655-2021, 2021. a
Sperlich, P., Uitslag, N. A. M., Richter, J. M., Rothe, M., Geilmann, H., van der Veen, C., Röckmann, T., Blunier, T., and Brand, W. A.: Development and evaluation of a suite of isotope reference gases for methane in air, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 9, 3717–3737, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-3717-2016, 2016. a
Spokas, K., Bogner, J., and Chanton, J.: A process-based inventory model for landfill CH4 emissions inclusive of seasonal soil microclimate and CH4 oxidation, J. Geophys. Res.-Biogeo., 116, G04017, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011jg001741, 2011. a
Thoning, K. W., Tans, P. P., and Komhyr, W. D.: Atmospheric carbon-dioxide at Mauna Ioa observatory, 2. Analysis of the NOAA GMCC Data, 1974–1985, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 94, 8549–8565, https://doi.org/10.1029/JD094iD06p08549, 1989. a
Ulyatt, M. J., Lassey, K. R., Shelton, I. D., and Walker, C. F.: Seasonal variation in methane emission from dairy cows and breeding ewes grazing ryegrass/white clover pasture in New Zealand, New Zeal. J. Agr. Res., 45, 217–226, https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.2002.9513512, 2010. a
Umezawa, T., Brenninkmeijer, C. A. M., Röckmann, T., van der Veen, C., Tyler, S. C., Fujita, R., Morimoto, S., Aoki, S., Sowers, T., Schmitt, J., Bock, M., Beck, J., Fischer, H., Michel, S. E., Vaughn, B. H., Miller, J. B., White, J. W. C., Brailsford, G., Schaefer, H., Sperlich, P., Brand, W. A., Rothe, M., Blunier, T., Lowry, D., Fisher, R. E., Nisbet, E. G., Rice, A. L., Bergamaschi, P., Veidt, C., and Levin, I.: Interlaboratory comparison of δ13C and δD measurements of atmospheric CH4 for combined use of data sets from different laboratories, Atmos. Meas. Tech., 11, 1207–1231, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-11-1207-2018, 2018. a, b, c
UNFCCC: The Paris Agreement. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement (last access: 25 February 2024), 2015. a
VanderZaag, A. C., Flesch, T. K., Desjardins, R. L., Balde, H., and Wright, T.: Measuring methane emissions from two dairy farms: Seasonal and manure-management effects, Agr. Forest Meteorol., 194, 259–267, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2014.02.003, 2014. a
Werner, R. A. and Brand, W. A.: Referencing strategies and techniques in stable isotope ratio analysis, Rapid Commun. Mass Sp., 15, 501–519, https://doi.org/10.1002/rcm.258, 2001. a
Widory, D.: Combustibles, fuels and their combustion products: A view through carbon isotopes, Combust. Theor Model., 10, 831–841, https://doi.org/10.1080/13647830600720264, 2006. a, b
Wietzel, J. B., and Schmidt, M.: Methane emission mapping and quantification in two medium-sized cities in Germany: Heidelberg and Schwetzingen, Atmos. Environ. X, 20, 100228, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aeaoa.2023.100228, 2023. a
York, D., Evensen, N. M., Martinez, M. L., and Delgado, J. D.: Unified equations for the slope, intercept, and standard errors of the best straight line, Am. J. Phys., 72, 367–375, https://doi.org/10.1119/1.1632486, 2004. a
Zazzeri, G., Lowry, D., Fisher, R. E., France, J. L., Lanoisellé, M., and Nisbet, E. G.: Plume mapping and isotopic characterisation of anthropogenic methane sources, Atmos. Environ., 110, 151–162, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2015.03.029, 2015. a
Zazzeri, G., Lowry, D., Fisher, R. E., France, J. L., Lanoisellé, M., Grimmond, C. S. B., and Nisbet, E. G.: Evaluating methane inventories by isotopic analysis in the London region, Sci. Rep., 7, 4854, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-04802-6, 2017. a, b
Zobitz, J., Keener, J., Schnyder, H., and Bowling, D.: Sensitivity analysis and quantification of uncertainty for isotopic mixing relationships in carbon cycle research, Agr. Forest Meteorol., 136, 56–75, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2006.01.003, 2006. a
Short summary
In Heidelberg, Germany, methane and its stable carbon isotope composition have been measured continuously with a cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) analyser since April 2014. These 6-year time series are analysed with the Keeling plot method for the isotopic composition of the sources, as well as seasonal variations and trends in methane emissions. The source contributions derived from atmospheric measurements were used to evaluate global and regional emission inventories of methane.
In Heidelberg, Germany, methane and its stable carbon isotope composition have been measured...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint