Methane Transport Research Articles

Quantifying lower tropospheric methane concentrations using GOSAT near-IR and TES thermal IR measurements

Abstract. Evaluating surface fluxes of CH4 using total column data requires models to accurately account for the transport and chemistry of methane in the free troposphere and stratosphere, thus reducing sensitivity to the underlying fluxes. Vertical profiles of methane have increased sensitivity to surface fluxes because lower tropospheric methane is more sensitive to surface fluxes than a total column, and quantifying free-tropospheric CH4 concentrations helps to evaluate the impact of transport and chemistry uncertainties on estimated surface fluxes. Here we demonstrate the potential for estimating lower tropospheric CH4 concentrations through the combination of free-tropospheric methane measurements from the Aura Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) and XCH4 (dry-mole air fraction of methane) from the Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite – Thermal And Near-infrared for carbon Observation (GOSAT TANSO, herein GOSAT for brevity). The calculated precision of these estimates ranges from 10 to 30 ppb for a monthly average on a 4° × 5° latitude/longitude grid making these data suitable for evaluating lower-tropospheric methane concentrations. Smoothing error is approximately 10 ppb or less. Comparisons between these data and the GEOS-Chem model demonstrate that these lower-tropospheric CH4 estimates can resolve enhanced concentrations over flux regions that are challenging to resolve with total column measurements. We also use the GEOS-Chem model and surface measurements in background regions across a range of latitudes to determine that these lower-tropospheric estimates are biased low by approximately 65 ppb, with an accuracy of approximately 6 ppb (after removal of the bias) and an actual precision of approximately 30 ppb. This 6 ppb accuracy is consistent with the accuracy of TES and GOSAT methane retrievals.

Modeling of Methane Migration in Shallow Aquifers from Shale Gas Well Drilling.

The vertical portion of a shale gas well, known as the "tophole" is often drilled using an air-hammer bit that may introduce pressures as high as 2400 kPa (350 psi) into groundwater while penetrating shallow aquifers. A 3-D TOUGH2 model was used to simulate the flow of groundwater under the high hydraulic heads that may be imposed by such trapped compressed air, based on an observed case in West Virginia (USA) in 2012. The model realizations show that high-pressure air trapped in aquifers may cause groundwater to surge away from the drill site at observable velocities. If dissolved methane is present within the aquifer, the methane can be entrained and transported to a maximum distance of 10.6 m per day. Results from this study suggest that one cause of the reported increase in methane concentrations in groundwater near shale gas production wells may be the transport of pre-existing methane via groundwater surges induced by air drilling, not necessarily direct natural gas leakage from the unconventional gas reservoir. The primary transport mechanisms are advective transport of dissolved methane with water flow, and diffusive transport of dissolved methane.

Titan's asymmetric lake distribution mediated by methane transport due to atmospheric eddies

AbstractThe hemispheric asymmetry of Titan's surface methane has been proposed to be a consequence of orbital forcing affecting Titan's hydrologic cycle, but the mechanism behind asymmetrical transport of moisture remains to be examined. Using general circulation model simulations of Titan's atmosphere, we show that atmospheric moisture transport by three‐dimensional tropospheric eddies is critical in generating Titan's surface liquid asymmetry. Comparison of axisymmetric and three‐dimensional simulations demonstrates that a significant asymmetry only develops in the latter case. Analysis of the components of the three‐dimensional moisture transport reveals that nonaxisymmetric eddies transport methane away from the poles and into the midlatitudes, where they transfer moisture into the cross‐equatorial transport by the mean meridional circulation, producing an atmospheric “bucket brigade.” Because these high‐latitude, baroclinic eddies are more intense in the south than in the north, the net transport is preferentially northward, with the northern hemisphere gaining surface liquid at the expense of the southern hemisphere.

Quantification of methane emissions at abandoned gas wells in the Central North Sea

As a result of extensive hydrocarbon exploration, the North Sea hosts several thousand abandoned wells; many believed to be leaking methane. However, how much of this greenhouse gas is emitted into the water column and ultimately reaches the atmosphere is not known. Here, we investigate three abandoned wells at 81–93 m water depth in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, all of which show gas seepage into the bottom water. The isotopic signature of the emanating gas points towards a biogenic origin and hence to gas pockets in the sedimentary overburden above the gas reservoirs that the wells were drilled into. Video-analysis of the seeping gas bubbles and direct gas flow measurements resolved initial bubble sizes ranging between 3.2 and 7.4 mm in diameter with a total seabed gas flow between 1 and 19 tons of CH4 per year per well. Estimated total annual seabed emissions from all three wells of ∼24 tons are similar to the natural seepage rates at Tommeliten, suggesting that leaky abandoned wells represent a significant source of methane into North Sea bottom waters. However, the bubble-driven direct methane transport into the atmosphere was found to be negligible (<2%) due to the small bubble sizes and the water depth at which they are released.

Effect of adsorption-induced matrix deformation on coalbed methane transport analyzed using fractal theory

It is well-known that adsorption-induced deformation of coal matrices influences the prediction of the estimated coalbed methane (CBM) yield. Additionally, changes in porosity contribute to changes in matrix permeability. In this paper, changes in porosity and absolute permeability are studied on the basis of fractal theory, and the reliability of equations are verified by experimental data from coal samples from the San Juan Basin. Furthermore, two permeability-affecting stages (i.e., rapid and slow deformation stages) are identified, and the result also illustrates that its applicability varies with different gas pressures that arise from the decay of the Klinkenberg effect when the gas pressure is increasing. However, its applicability is limited when the gas pressure remains high because of the same decay effect; therefore, using a reasonable value for the Klinkenberg constant plays a crucial role in formulating a sound permeability-change model for high pressure environments. Fractal theory can clearly explain permeability change patterns due to the adsorption-induced matrix deformation, which can be applied to understand the mechanism underlying methane seepage during CBM production.

Approximate Estimation of Landfill Emissions Considering Methane Oxidation

An approximate analytical scheme is presented to estimate landfill methane emissions taking into account the oxidation that occurs in the soil cover. To facilitate the solution of the methane transport equation we introduce a region dependent coefficient to account for the methane oxidation. Expressions for the distribution of methane concentration and methane flux inside the landfill and cover regions are obtained. The approach was applied to the CTVA-Caieiras landfill which was modeled as a vertical one-dimensional landfill with homogenous solid waste and soil cover regions. The methane emission obtained for the landfill was 2x10-5 mol m-2s-1 for a 4 year old deposited waste with a 0.5 m soil cover. The calculation compared well with the median of 11 field measurements conducted at the CTVA-Caieiras. The emission rates were strongly dependent on the oxidation coefficient utilized, which varies with the cover material and microclimate conditions of the site. The oxidation coefficient can be interpreted as the probability per unit of time of methane oxidation in the medium. The scheme provides a qualitative description of the methane transport and oxidation phenomena in landfills.

Seasonal and interannual variability in wetland methane emissions simulated by CLM4Me' and CAM-chem and comparisons to observations of concentrations

Abstract. Understanding the temporal and spatial variation of wetland methane emissions is essential to the estimation of the global methane budget. Our goal for this study is three-fold: (i) to evaluate the wetland methane fluxes simulated in two versions of the Community Land Model, the Carbon-Nitrogen (CN; i.e., CLM4.0) and the Biogeochemistry (BGC; i.e., CLM4.5) versions using the methane emission model CLM4Me' so as to determine the sensitivity of the emissions to the underlying carbon model; (ii) to compare the simulated atmospheric methane concentrations to observations, including latitudinal gradients and interannual variability so as to determine the extent to which the atmospheric observations constrain the emissions; (iii) to understand the drivers of seasonal and interannual variability in atmospheric methane concentrations. Simulations of the transport and removal of methane use the Community Atmosphere Model with chemistry (CAM-chem) model in conjunction with CLM4Me' methane emissions from both CN and BGC simulations and other methane emission sources from literature. In each case we compare model-simulated atmospheric methane concentration with observations. In addition, we simulate the atmospheric concentrations based on the TransCom wetland and rice paddy emissions derived from a different terrestrial ecosystem model, Vegetation Integrative Simulator for Trace gases (VISIT). Our analysis indicates CN wetland methane emissions are higher in the tropics and lower at high latitudes than emissions from BGC. In CN, methane emissions decrease from 1993 to 2004 while this trend does not appear in the BGC version. In the CN version, methane emission variations follow satellite-derived inundation wetlands closely. However, they are dissimilar in BGC due to its different carbon cycle. CAM-chem simulations with CLM4Me' methane emissions suggest that both prescribed anthropogenic and predicted wetlands methane emissions contribute substantially to seasonal and interannual variability in atmospheric methane concentration. Simulated atmospheric CH4 concentrations in CAM-chem are highly correlated with observations at most of the 14 measurement stations evaluated with an average correlation between 0.71 and 0.80 depending on the simulation (for the period of 1993–2004 for most stations based on data availability). Our results suggest that different spatial patterns of wetland emissions can have significant impacts on Northern and Southern hemisphere (N–S) atmospheric CH4 concentration gradients and growth rates. This study suggests that both anthropogenic and wetland emissions have significant contributions to seasonal and interannual variations in atmospheric CH4 concentrations. However, our analysis also indicates the existence of large uncertainties in terms of spatial patterns and magnitude of global wetland methane budgets, and that substantial uncertainty comes from the carbon model underlying the methane flux modules.

Methane transport through submarine groundwater discharge to the North Pacific and Arctic Ocean at two Alaskan sites

AbstractHere, we quantify the flux of methane to the coastal Arctic and North Pacific Oceans via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD), by use of naturally occurring radium isotopes as groundwater tracers, combined with methane concentration measurements of coastal groundwater. Our findings indicate the flux of methane through this process is much greater in the coastal North Pacific (35 ± 27 mg m−1 d−1) than the Arctic Ocean (4.1 ± 0.6 to 11.8 ± 3.9 mg m−1 d−1). The dominant controls on methane flux through SGD were not methane concentrations in the aquifer but rather the hydrologic characteristics of each site that mitigated or intensified the SGD water volume flux (120 ± 50 m3 m−1 d−1 in the North Pacific compared to 12 ± 4 m3 m−1 d−1 in the Arctic). Tidal pumping was observed to be an especially important control on SGD flux at the North Pacific site.

Adsorption and transport of methane in landfill cover soil amended with waste-wood biochars

The natural presence of methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB) in landfill soils can stimulate the bio-chemical oxidation of CH4 to CO2 and H2O under suitable environmental conditions. This mechanism can be enhanced by amending the landfill cover soil with organic materials such as biochars that are recalcitrant to biological degradation and are capable of adsorbing CH4 while facilitating the growth and activity of MOB within their porous structure. Several series of batch and small-scale column tests were conducted to quantify the CH4 sorption and transport properties of landfill cover soil amended with four types of waste hardwood biochars under different levels of amendment percentages (2, 5 and 10% by weight), exposed CH4 concentrations (0–1 kPa), moisture content (dry, 25% and 75% water holding capacity), and temperature (25, 35 and 45 °C). The linear forms of the pseudo second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model were used to determine the kinetics and the maximum CH4 adsorption capacity of cover materials. The maximum CH4 sorption capacity of dry biochar-amended soils ranged from 1.03 × 10−2 to 7.97 × 10−2 mol kg−1 and exhibited a ten-fold increase compared to that of soil with 1.9 × 10−3 mol kg−1. The isosteric heat of adsorption for soil was negative and ranged from −30 to −118 kJ/mol, while that of the biochar-amended soils was positive and ranged from 24 to 440 kJ/mol. The CH4 dispersion coefficients for biochar-amended soils obtained through predictive transport modeling indicated that amending the soil with biochar enhanced the methane transport rates by two orders of magnitude, thereby increasing their potential for enhanced exchange of gases within the cover system. Overall, the use of hardwood biochars as a cover soil amendment to reduce methane emissions from landfills appears to be a promising alternative to conventional soil covers.

Adsorption and transport of methane in biochars derived from waste wood

Mitigation of landfill gas (LFG) is among the critical aspects considered in the design of a landfill cover in order to prevent atmospheric pollution and control global warming. In general, landfill cover soils can partially remove methane (CH4) through microbial oxidation carried out by methanotrophic bacteria present within them. The oxidizing capacity of these landfill cover soils may be improved by adding organic materials, such as biochar, which increase adsorption and promote subsequent or simultaneous oxidation of CH4. In this study, seven wood-derived biochars and granular activated carbon (GAC) were characterized for their CH4 adsorption capacity by conducting batch and small-scale column studies. The effects of influential factors, such as exposed CH4 concentration, moisture content and temperature on CH4 adsorption onto biochars, were determined. The CH4 transport was modeled using a 1-D advection–dispersion equation that accounted for sorption. The effects of LFG inflow rates and moisture content on the combined adsorption and transport properties of biochars were determined. The maximum CH4 adsorption capacity of GAC (3.21mol/kg) was significantly higher than that of the biochars (0.05–0.9mol/kg). The CH4 gas dispersion coefficients for all of the biochars ranged from 1×10−3 to 3×10−3m2s−1. The presence of moisture significantly suppressed the extent of methane adsorption onto the biochars and caused the methane to break through within shorter periods of time. Overall, certain biochar types have a high potential to enhance CH4 adsorption and transport properties when used as a cover material in landfills. However, field-scale studies need to be conducted in order to evaluate the performance of biochar-based cover system under a more dynamic field condition that captures the effect of seasonal and temporal changes.

Physical simulation of temperature influence on methane sorption and kinetics in coal: Benefits of temperature under 273.15K

Abstract To decrease the lost gas content in the core sampling process and make the lost gas content estimation more accurate in CBM (coalbed methane) gas-in-place estimation, the freezing core sampling technique (FCST) is proposed for coal core sampling and physical simulation of the technique is conducted. The low temperature influence on methane adsorption capacity and kinetic properties in crushed coal are investigated. Isothermal adsorption tests under low temperatures (from 243.15 K to 303.15 K) were conducted. Test results support that the low temperature (under 273.15 K) greatly inhibits methane transport in coal while enhancing methane adsorption capacity in coal. Due to its unique temperature independence the mean isosteric heat of adsorption is used to evaluate adsorptivity of coal, and the mean isosteric heat of adsorption of the tested anthracite is 23.31 kJ/mol. The low temperature (under 273.15 K) decreases kinetic parameters, such as diffusion content and the diffusion coefficient, in the isothermal diffusion process. The diffusion content is controlled by both temperature and pressure, and high pressure weakens the temperature effect on diffusion content in coal. Diffusion coefficients decrease from 5.13 × 10−12 cm2/s to 3.34 × 10−12 cm2/s when temperature decreases from 303.15 K to 233.15 K. Therefore, this study suggests that using the freezing core sampling technique can be implemented in future underground coal core sampling.

Testing short-range migration of microbial methane as a hydrate formation mechanism: Results from Andaman Sea and Kumano Basin drill sites and global implications

Methane gas hydrates in marine sediments often concentrate in coarse-grained layers surrounded by fine-grained marine muds that are hydrate-free. Methane in these hydrate deposits is typically microbial, and must have migrated from its source as the coarse-grained sediments contain little or no organic matter. In “long-range” migration, fluid flow through permeable layers transports methane from deeper sources into the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ). In “short-range” migration, microbial methane is generated within the GHSZ in fine-grained sediments, where small pore sizes inhibit hydrate formation. Dissolved methane can then diffuse into adjacent sand layers, where pore size does not restrict hydrate formation and hydrates can accumulate. Short-range migration has been used to explain hydrate accumulations in sand layers observed in drill sites on the northern Cascadia margin and in the Gulf of Mexico. Here we test the feasibility of short-range migration in two additional locations, where gas hydrates have been found in coarse-grained volcanic ash layers (Site NGHP-01-17, Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean) and turbidite sand beds (Site IODP-C0002, Kumano forearc basin, Nankai Trough, western Pacific). We apply reaction–transport modeling to calculate dissolved methane concentration and gas hydrate amounts resulting from microbial methane generated within the GHSZ. Model results show that short-range migration of microbial methane can explain the overall amounts of methane hydrate observed at the two sites. Short-range migration has been shown to be feasible in diverse margin environments and is likely to be a widespread methane transport mechanism in gas hydrate systems. It only requires a small amount of organic carbon and sediment sequences consisting of thin coarse-grained layers that can concentrate microbial methane generated within thick fine-grained sediment beds; these conditions are common along continental margins around the globe.

Analysing the consistency of martian methane observations by investigation of global methane transport

Reports of methane on Mars at different times imply varying spatial distributions. This study examines whether different observations are mutually consistent by using a global circulation model to investigate the time evolution of methane in the atmosphere. Starting from an observed plume of methane, consistent with that reported in 2003 from ground-based telescopes, multiple simulations are analysed to investigate what is required for consistency with an inferred methane signal from the Thermal Emission Spectrometer made 60 sols later.The best agreement between the existing observations is found using continued release from a solitary source over Nili Fossae. While the peaks in methane over the Tharsis Montes, Elysium Mons and Nili Fossae regions are well aligned with the retrievals, an extra peak on the south flank of the Isidis basin is apparent in the model due to the prevailing eastward transport of methane. The absence of this feature could indicate the presence of a fast-acting localised sink of methane.These results show that the spatial and temporal variability of methane on Mars implied by observations could be explained by advection from localised time-dependent sources alongside a currently unknown methane sink. Evidence is presented that a fast trapping mechanism for methane is required. Trapping by a zeolite structure in dust particles is a suggested candidate warranting further investigation; this could provide a fast acting sink as required by this reconstruction.

Modeling methane emissions from arctic lakes: Model development and site‐level study

AbstractTo date, methane emissions from lakes in the pan‐arctic region are poorly quantified. In order to investigate the response of methane emissions from this region to global warming, a process‐based climate‐sensitive lake biogeochemical model was developed. The processes of methane production, oxidation, and transport were modeled within a one‐dimensional sediment and water column. The sizes of 14C‐enriched and 14C‐depleted carbon pools were explicitly parameterized. The model was validated using observational data from five lakes located in Siberia and Alaska, representing a large variety of environmental conditions in the arctic. The model simulations agreed well with the measured water temperature and dissolved CH4 concentration (mean error less than 1°C and 0.2 μM, respectively). The modeled CH4 fluxes were consistent with observations in these lakes. We found that bubbling‐rate‐controlling nitrogen (N2) stripping was the most important factor in determining CH4 fraction in bubbles. Lake depth and ice cover thickness in shallow waters were also controlling factors. This study demonstrated that the thawing of Pleistocene‐aged organic‐rich yedoma can fuel sediment methanogenesis by supplying a large quantity of labile organic carbon. Observations and modeling results both confirmed that methane emission rate at thermokarst margins of yedoma lakes was much larger (up to 538 mg CH4 m−2 d−1) than that at nonthermokarst zones in the same lakes and a nonyedoma, nonthermokarst lake (less than 42 mg CH4 m−2 d−1). The seasonal variability of methane emissions can be explained primarily by energy input and organic carbon availability.

Methane transport from the active layer to lakes in the Arctic using Toolik Lake, Alaska, as a case study

Methane emissions in the Arctic are important, and may be contributing to global warming. While methane emission rates from Arctic lakes are well documented, methods are needed to quantify the relative contribution of active layer groundwater to the overall lake methane budget. Here we report measurements of natural tracers of soil/groundwater, radon, and radium, along with methane concentration in Toolik Lake, Alaska, to evaluate the role active layer water plays as an exogenous source for lake methane. Average concentrations of methane, radium, and radon were all elevated in the active layer compared with lake water (1.6 × 10(4) nM, 61.6 dpm⋅m(-3), and 4.5 × 10(5) dpm⋅m(-3) compared with 1.3 × 10(2) nM, 5.7 dpm⋅m(-3), and 4.4 × 10(3) dpm⋅m(-3), respectively). Methane transport from the active layer to Toolik Lake based on the geochemical tracer radon (up to 2.9 g⋅m(-2)⋅y(-1)) can account for a large fraction of methane emissions from this lake. Strong but spatially and temporally variable correlations between radon activity and methane concentrations (r(2) > 0.69) in lake water suggest that the parameters that control methane discharge from the active layer also vary. Warming in the Arctic may expand the active layer and increase the discharge, thereby increasing the methane flux to lakes and from lakes to the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming. More work is needed to quantify and elucidate the processes that control methane fluxes from the active layer to predict how this flux might change in the future and to evaluate the regional and global contribution of active layer water associated methane inputs.

Adsorption isotherms and kinetic characteristics of methane on block anthracite over a wide pressure range

It is important to quantitatively understand the methane adsorption and transport mechanism in coal for an evaluation of the reserves and for its production forecast. In this work, a block coal sample was chosen to perform the CH4 adsorption experiments using the gravimetric method at temperatures of 293.60 K, 311.26 K, 332.98 K and 352.55 K and pressures up to 19 MPa. The excess adsorption capacity of CH4 in dry block anthracite increased, followed by a sequence decrease with the increasing pressure. High temperature restrained the growth of the excess adsorption due to that the adsorption is an intrinsically physical and exothermic process. The excess adsorption peak decreased slowly with the increase of temperature and intersected at a pressure of more than 18 MPa; meanwhile, the pressure at the excess adsorption peak increased. The existing correlations were examined in terms of density rather than pressure. The DR+k correlation, with an average relative deviation of ±0.51%, fitted our data better than the others, with an average relative deviation of up to 2.29%. The transportation characteristics of CH4 adsorption was also investigated in this study, including the adsorption rate and diffusion in block coal. The kinetic data could be described by a modified unipore model. The adsorption rates were found to exhibit dependence on pressure and temperature at low pressures, while the calculated diffusivities exhibited little temperature dependence. In addition, the kinetic characteristics were compared between CH4 and CO2 adsorption on the block coal. The excess adsorption ratios of CO2 to CH4 obtained from the DR+k model decreased with the increasing pressure.

Thermodynamics of fluid conduction through hydrophobic channel of carbon nanotubes: the exciting force for filling of nanotubes with polar and nonpolar fluids.

Thermodynamic properties of the fluid in the hydrophobic pores of nanotubes are known to be different not only from the bulk phase but also from other conventional confinements. Here, we use a recently developed theoretical scheme of "two phase thermodynamic (2PT)" model to understand the driving forces inclined to spontaneous filling of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with polar (water) and nonpolar (methane) fluids. The CNT confinement is found to be energetically favorable for both water and methane, leading to their spontaneous filling inside CNT(6,6). For both the systems, the free energy of transfer from bulk to CNT confinement is favored by the increased entropy (TΔS), i.e., increased translational entropy and increased rotational entropy, which were found to be sufficiently high to conquer the unfavorable increase in enthalpy (ΔE) when they are transferred inside CNT. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time when it has been established that the increase in translational entropy during confinement in CNT(6,6) is not unique to water-like H bonding fluid but is also observed in case of nonpolar fluids such as methane. The thermodynamic results are explained in terms of density, structural rigidity, and transport of fluid molecules inside CNT. The faster diffusion of methane over water in bulk phase is found to be reversed during the confinement in CNT(6,6). Studies reveal that though hydrogen bonding plays an important role in transport of water through CNT, but it is not the solitary driving factor, as the nonpolar fluids, which do not have any hydrogen bond formation capacity can go inside CNT and also can flow through it. The associated driving force for filling and transport of water and methane is enhanced translational and rotational entropies, which are attributed mainly by the strong correlation between confined fluid molecules and availability of more free space for rotation of molecule, i.e., lower density of fluid inside CNT due to their single file-like arrangement. To the best of our information, this is perhaps the first study of nonpolar fluid within CNT using 2PT method. Furthermore, the fast flow of polar fluid (water) over nonpolar fluid (methane) has been captured for the first time using molecular dynamic simulations.

Advection of methane in the hydrate zone: model, analysis and examples

A two‐phase two‐component model is formulated for the advective–diffusive transport of methane in liquid phase through sediment with the accompanying formation and dissolution of methane hydrate. This free‐boundary problem has a unique generalized solution in L1; the proof combines analysis of the stationary semilinear elliptic Dirichlet problem with the nonlinear semigroup theory in Banach space for an m‐accretive multi‐valued operator. Additional estimates of maximum principle type are obtained, and these permit appropriate maximal extensions of the phase‐change relations. An example with pure advection indicates the limitations of these estimates and of the model developed here. We also consider and analyze the coupled pressure equation that determines the advective flux in the transport model. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Size does matter: importance of large bubbles and small-scale hot spots for methane transport.

Ebullition (bubbling) is an important mechanism for the transfer of methane (CH4) from shallow waters to the atmosphere. Because of their stochastic nature, however, ebullition fluxes are difficult to accurately resolve. Hydroacoustic surveys have the potential to significantly improve the spatiotemporal observation of emission fluxes, but knowledge of bubble size distribution is also necessary to accurately assess local, regional, and global water body CH4 emission estimates. Therefore, we explore the importance of bubble size and small-scale flux variability on CH4 transport in and emissions from a reservoir with a bubble-size-calibrated echosounder that can efficiently and economically survey greater areas while still resolving individual bubbles. Using a postprocessing method that resolves bubble density, we found that the largest 10% of the >6700 observed bubbles were responsible for more than 65% of the total CH4 transport. Furthermore, the asymmetry of CH4 ebullition flux distribution and the high spatial heterogeneity of those fluxes suggests that inadvertently omitting emission hot spots (i.e., areas of high flux) could lead to significant underestimations of CH4 emissions from localized areas and potentially from entire water bodies. While the bubble sizes resolved by the hydroacoustic method may provide insight into the factors controlling ebullition (e.g., sediment type, carbon sedimentation), the better resolution of small-scale CH4 emission hot spots afforded by hydroacoustics will bring us closer to the true CH4 emission estimates from all shallow waters, be them lakes, reservoirs, or coastal oceans and seas.

Physiological and anatomical variations in three rice (Oryza sativaL.) genotypes for transport and emission of methane

Plant-mediated transport is the major pathway of methane (CH4) emission from wetland paddy fields. The present experiment was conducted to understand the mechanism of CH4 transport through rice paddies. A field measurement of CH4 emission was done with three rice genotypes Ranjit, Piolee and Swarna Mahsuri to identify plant physiological and anatomical characteristics influencing gas emission, which could provide insight to the mechanism of CH4 transport. CH4 emission estimation by a closed chamber technique revealed significant variations in emission of CH4 among the varieties. Variety Ranjit was identified as a low emitting variety compared to the others. The leaf area index, tiller number, leaf and root dry weight were closely associated with CH4 emission. The rate of leaf transpiration, stomatal conductance, leaf stomatal frequency and size of the xylem vessels were identified to be strong determinants of CH4 emission suggesting a transport pathway of CH4 along with the transpirational xylem water flow and subsequently through open stomata of leaf blade. Low emitting variety Ranjit exhibited superior yield and yield attributing characteristics in terms of panicle dry weight and high density grain (%) highlighting the role of source–sink carbohydrate partitioning in regulating CH4 emissions. Cultivation of low emitting varieties with higher grain productivity can be an effective environmentally-friendly biological mitigation strategy for CH4 emission from rice paddies.