REPLY TO A.V. SMAGIN: V. WHAT IS WRONG WITH AN “ABIOTIC PAPER” AND DO WE ALWAYS NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ABIOTIC GAS ABSORPTION BY SOIL?

Abstract

A paper of prof. A.V. Smagin [2007] is analyzed (both from outer scientometric and inner meaningful points of view). In this paper he considers the abiotic absorption of gases by organogenic soils. In this regard, claims of the author of the article to the work of V. M. Stepanenko and his colleagues on the modeling of methane emissions from lakes on the territory of permafrost are also discussed. An idea that (in contrast to the views of A.V. Smagin) a necessity to account for abiotic uptake depends on properties of modeled object is formulated. In particular, if blocks of climate models are developed (like the Stepanenko model), which should work on timescales of 103÷104 hours and more, it makes no sense to take into account the abiotic uptake that occurs within significantly shorter time intervals and concerns an extremely small amount of methane (compared to its total amount, which is released within the indicated 103-104 hours). In addition potential uncertainties of deep soil chamber technique that could be generated by abiotic absorption and biogenic oxidation of methane are discussed.