Terrestrial methane emissions from the Last Glacial Maximum to the preindustrial period
<p>We investigate the changes in terrestrial natural methane emissions between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and preindustrial (PI) periods by performing time-slice experiments with a methane-enabled version of MPI-ESM, the Max Planck Institute Earth System Model. We consider all natural sour...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Climate of the Past |
| Online Access: | https://www.clim-past.net/16/575/2020/cp-16-575-2020.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>We investigate the changes in terrestrial natural methane emissions
between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and preindustrial (PI) periods by performing
time-slice experiments with a methane-enabled version of MPI-ESM,
the Max Planck Institute Earth System Model. We consider
all natural sources of methane except for emissions from wild animals
and geological sources, i.e. emissions from wetlands, fires, and termites.
Changes are dominated by changes in tropical wetland emissions, with
mid-to-high-latitude wetlands playing a secondary role, and all other
natural sources being of minor importance. The emissions are determined
by the interplay of vegetation productivity, a function of <span class="inline-formula">CO<sub>2</sub></span>
and temperature; source area size, affected by sea level and ice sheet
extent; and the state of the West African monsoon, with increased
emissions from northern Africa during strong monsoon phases.</p>
<p>We show that it is possible to explain the difference in atmospheric
methane between LGM and PI purely by changes in emissions. As emissions
more than double between LGM and PI, changes in the atmospheric lifetime
of <span class="inline-formula">CH<sub>4</sub></span>, as proposed in other studies, are not required.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1814-9324 1814-9332 |