Articles | Volume 24, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5659-2024
© 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-24-5659-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Opinion: A research roadmap for exploring atmospheric methane removal via iron salt aerosol
Katrine A. Gorham
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Spark Climate Solutions, Covina, CA 91723, USA
Sam Abernethy
Spark Climate Solutions, Covina, CA 91723, USA
Tyler R. Jones
Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303, USA
Peter Hess
Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Natalie M. Mahowald
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Daphne Meidan
Department of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate, Institute of Physical Chemistry Blas Cabrera, Spanish National Research Council, 28006 Madrid, Spain
Matthew S. Johnson
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
Maarten M. J. W. van Herpen
Acacia Impact Innovation, 5384 BB Bernheze, the Netherlands
Yangyang Xu
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
Alfonso Saiz-Lopez
Department of Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate, Institute of Physical Chemistry Blas Cabrera, Spanish National Research Council, 28006 Madrid, Spain
Thomas Röckmann
Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
Chloe A. Brashear
Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, the Netherlands
Erika Reinhardt
Spark Climate Solutions, Covina, CA 91723, USA
David Mann
Spark Climate Solutions, Covina, CA 91723, USA
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Total article views: 4,261 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
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Cited
11 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Intended and unintended consequences of atmospheric methane oxidation enhancement H. Horowitz https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-9471-2026
- High Resolution UAV-Based Monitoring of Ambient Methane: Field Deployment and Intercomparison with Reference Standards D. Elum et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18040549
- Ten new insights in climate science 2024 R. Schaeffer et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101285
- Photochemical Generation of Cl Radicals from Iron Chloride/Sodium Chloride Salt Pans M. Polat et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.5c01981
- Can Saharan Dust Intrusions Alter the Isotopic Composition of Atmospheric Methane and Carbon Dioxide? I. Zaccardo et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments13030145
- Physical and practical constraints on atmospheric methane removal technologies L. Pennacchio et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad7041
- Biotechnology in direct air capture, enhanced weathering, and methane removal: emerging opportunities and gaps P. Reginato https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2024.1440833
- Numerical sensitivity analysis of methane mitigation and carbon-reduction performance in a solar chimney power plant coupled with a solar pond system H. Xiong et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2026.112321
- Development of iron-mediated molecular chlorine chemistry in GEOS-Chem: model description, evaluation and global atmospheric implication J. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-9809-2026
- Methane mitigation for climate goals: A life-cycle review of source control, recovery, destruction and removal from the atmosphere H. Xiong et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2026.117610
- Catalytic Efficiencies for Methane Removal: Impact of HOx, NOx, and Chemistry in the High-Chlorine Regime L. Pennacchio et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.4c00283
11 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Intended and unintended consequences of atmospheric methane oxidation enhancement H. Horowitz https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-9471-2026
- High Resolution UAV-Based Monitoring of Ambient Methane: Field Deployment and Intercomparison with Reference Standards D. Elum et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18040549
- Ten new insights in climate science 2024 R. Schaeffer et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101285
- Photochemical Generation of Cl Radicals from Iron Chloride/Sodium Chloride Salt Pans M. Polat et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpca.5c01981
- Can Saharan Dust Intrusions Alter the Isotopic Composition of Atmospheric Methane and Carbon Dioxide? I. Zaccardo et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/environments13030145
- Physical and practical constraints on atmospheric methane removal technologies L. Pennacchio et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad7041
- Biotechnology in direct air capture, enhanced weathering, and methane removal: emerging opportunities and gaps P. Reginato https://doi.org/10.3389/fclim.2024.1440833
- Numerical sensitivity analysis of methane mitigation and carbon-reduction performance in a solar chimney power plant coupled with a solar pond system H. Xiong et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2026.112321
- Development of iron-mediated molecular chlorine chemistry in GEOS-Chem: model description, evaluation and global atmospheric implication J. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-26-9809-2026
- Methane mitigation for climate goals: A life-cycle review of source control, recovery, destruction and removal from the atmosphere H. Xiong et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2026.117610
- Catalytic Efficiencies for Methane Removal: Impact of HOx, NOx, and Chemistry in the High-Chlorine Regime L. Pennacchio et al. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsearthspacechem.4c00283
Saved (final revised paper)
Discussed (final revised paper)
Latest update: 30 Oct 2026
Editorial statement
The article is an interesting and provocative paper that derives its ideas from recently published research results and discoveries about the ambivalent role of atmospheric halogens (chlorine) in controlling the global abundance of tropospheric O3, OH and CH4. It discusses and proposes a possible roadmap to explore how artificially released iron chloride aerosols could reduce the atmospheric CH4 burden to mitigate its climate impact. The authors call for interdisciplinary efforts while keeping in mind ethical concerns and social impacts due to the proposed method.
The article is an interesting and provocative paper that derives its ideas from recently...
Short summary
Rapid reduction in atmospheric methane is needed to slow the rate of global warming. Reducing anthropogenic methane emissions is a top priority. However, atmospheric methane is also impacted by rising natural emissions and changing sinks. Studies of possible atmospheric methane removal approaches, such as iron salt aerosols to increase the chlorine radical sink, benefit from a roadmapped approach to understand if there may be viable and socially acceptable ways to decrease future risk.
Rapid reduction in atmospheric methane is needed to slow the rate of global warming. Reducing...
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