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  • Identifying Methane Emission Sources in The San Joaquin Valley

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    Kate Vann, University of Colorado at Boulder - Abstract: Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and its emission sources need to be evaluated. During the 2016 NASA Student Airborne Research Program, whole air samples were collected throughout the San Joaquin Valley aboard the NASA DC-8. The area southeast of Fresno was found to have elevated methane concentrations (2320 ± 2 ppbv). Samples from 2009-2015 SARP flights also exhibited elevated methane in this region. To determine the source of methane in this area, thermogenic and biogenic tracers were analyzed. This area exhibited elevated acetonitrile (399 ± 12 pptv) indicating a small contribution from thermogenic methane. Enhanced methanol (8727 ± 2618 pptv), ethanol (1981 ± 594 pptv), dimethyl sulfide (3.3 ± 0.3 pptv), and isoprene (193 ± 6 pptv) were observed and indicate a large contribution from biogenic sources. Methane to ethane ratios were used to determine two distinct sources of methane in this region. It is difficult to define a single source as the cause of the enhancement as it is most likely from a mixture of sources. Research in this region should be continued, as a more thorough analysis using isotopic and radiocarbon signatures could confirm and quantify individual methane contributions from each potential source.

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    Kate Vann, University of Colorado at Boulder - Abstract: Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and its emission sources need to be evaluated. During the 2016 NASA Student Airborne Research Program, whole air samples were collected throughout the San Joaquin Valley aboard the NASA DC-8. The area southeast of Fresno was found to have elevated methane concentrations (2320 ± 2 ppbv). Samples from 2009-2015 SARP flights also exhibited elevated methane in this region. To determine the source of methane in this area, thermogenic and biogenic tracers were analyzed. This area exhibited elevated acetonitrile (399 ± 12 pptv) indicating a small contribution from thermogenic methane. Enhanced methanol (8727 ± 2618 pptv), ethanol (1981 ± 594 pptv), dimethyl sulfide (3.3 ± 0.3 pptv), and isoprene (193 ± 6 pptv) were observed and indicate a large contribution from biogenic sources. Methane to ethane ratios were used to determine two distinct sources of methane in this region. It is difficult to define a single source as the cause of the enhancement as it is most likely from a mixture of sources. Research in this region should be continued, as a more thorough analysis using isotopic and radiocarbon signatures could confirm and quantify individual methane contributions from each potential source.

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    249 views48 pages

    Identifying Methane Emission Sources in The San Joaquin Valley

    Uploaded by

    jpeterson1
    Kate Vann, University of Colorado at Boulder - Abstract: Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and its emission sources need to be evaluated. During the 2016 NASA Student Airborne Research Program, whole air samples were collected throughout the San Joaquin Valley aboard the NASA DC-8. The area southeast of Fresno was found to have elevated methane concentrations (2320 ± 2 ppbv). Samples from 2009-2015 SARP flights also exhibited elevated methane in this region. To determine the source of methane in this area, thermogenic and biogenic tracers were analyzed. This area exhibited elevated acetonitrile (399 ± 12 pptv) indicating a small contribution from thermogenic methane. Enhanced methanol (8727 ± 2618 pptv), ethanol (1981 ± 594 pptv), dimethyl sulfide (3.3 ± 0.3 pptv), and isoprene (193 ± 6 pptv) were observed and indicate a large contribution from biogenic sources. Methane to ethane ratios were used to determine two distinct sources of methane in this region. It is difficult to define a single source as the cause of the enhancement as it is most likely from a mixture of sources. Research in this region should be continued, as a more thorough analysis using isotopic and radiocarbon signatures could confirm and quantify individual methane contributions from each potential source.

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    Identifying Methane Emission

    Sources in the San Joaquin Valley


    Kate E. Vann1, Stacey C. Hughes2, Don R. Blake2
    1University

    of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO
    2University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA

    What is methane?
    Chemical formula: CH4
    Second most abundant
    greenhouse gas emitted
    from anthropogenic
    activities
    ~30 times stronger than
    carbon dioxide as an
    absorber of infrared
    radiation
    very powerful greenhouse gas

    Where does methane come from?


    Methane predominantly
    comes from industry,
    agriculture and waste
    management practices

    All emission estimates from theInventory


    of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and
    Sinks: 1990-2014.

    Methane Concentration
    Relatively constant with altitude
    Background concentration: ~1.85ppmv

    Methane Sources
    Thermogenic

    Emitted with thermogenic


    methane:
    Butane
    Pentane
    Hexane
    Ethane
    Acetonitrile (biomass burning)

    Biogenic

    Emitted with biogenic methane:


    Ethanol
    Methanol
    Dimethyl sulfide (DMS)
    Isoprene

    Gas Chromatography
    FID: Flame Ionization
    Detector
    C2 C10 hydrocarbons

    ECD: Electron Capture


    Detector
    Halocarbons
    Alkyl Nitrates

    MS: Mass
    Spectrometer
    Unambiguous detection

    What is happening
    here?

    Dinuba

    WAS vs. DACOM

    Dinuba

    HYSPLIT Trajectories:
    Dinuba Data Point

    backwards trajectory

    forward trajectory

    (100-3,000 ft)

    Sized by CH4
    concentration

    (100-3,000 ft)

    Sized by CH4
    concentration

    (100-3,000 ft)

    Sized by CH4
    concentration

    (100-3,000 ft)

    Sized by CH4
    concentration

    (100-3,000 ft)

    Sized by CH4
    concentration

    Sized by CH4
    concentration

    Sized by CH4
    concentration

    Sized by CH4
    concentration

    Why are we
    seeing a spike
    in methane
    here?

    Methane Sources in Dinuba Area


    Natural Gas Fired Power
    Plant

    thermogenic

    Reedley Municipal Airport


    Energy Biomass
    Burning
    Solid Waste Disposal Site
    (closed)
    biogenic

    Waste Water Treatment


    Plant
    Dinuba

    Thermogenic Methane?
    Butane
    Pentane
    Hexane
    Ethane
    Acetonitrile

    Methane and Butane

    Thermogenic Methane?
    Butane
    Pentane
    Hexane
    Ethane
    Acetonitrile

    Methane and Pentane

    Thermogenic Methane?
    Butane
    Pentane
    Hexane
    Ethane
    Acetonitrile

    Methane and Hexane

    Thermogenic Methane?
    Butane
    Pentane
    Hexane
    Ethane
    Acetonitrile

    Methane and Ethane

    Thermogenic Methane?
    Butane
    Pentane
    Hexane
    Ethane
    Acetonitrile

    Methane and Acetonitrile


    (PTRMS data)

    thermogenic

    biogenic

    wild fire

    Wennberg et al. On the Sources of Methane to the Los Angeles Atmosphere. Environmental
    Science and Technology 2012

    Energy Biomass
    Burning

    Thermogenic Methane?
    Butane
    Pentane
    Hexane
    Ethane
    Acetonitrile
    Some evidence of thermogenic
    methane

    Biogenic Methane?
    Ethanol
    Methanol
    DMS
    Isoprene

    Methane and Ethanol

    Biogenic Methane?
    Ethanol
    Methanol
    DMS
    Isoprene

    Methane and Methanol

    Biogenic Methane?
    Ethanol
    Methanol
    DMS
    Isoprene

    Methane and DMS

    Biogenic Methane?
    Ethanol
    Methanol
    DMS
    Isoprene

    Methane and Isoprene

    Biogenic Methane?
    Ethanol
    Methanol
    DMS
    Isoprene

    Strong evidence for biogenic


    methane!

    Dairy Farms in Central Valley

    Dinuba

    Dinuba

    Compound

    Biogenic or
    Thermogenic

    Background
    Dinuba Region % Increase
    Concentration Concentration in Dinuba
    (pptv)
    (pptv)
    Region

    Isoprene

    Biogenic

    4.0

    193

    4687

    DMS

    Biogenic

    0.9

    3.3

    258

    Acetonitrile

    Thermogenic

    125

    399

    219

    Ethanol

    Biogenic

    651

    1981

    204

    Methanol

    Biogenic

    4637

    8727

    88

    Hexane

    Thermogenic

    14

    21

    50

    Pentane

    Thermogenic

    39

    51

    30

    Butane

    Thermogenic

    85

    97

    14

    Ethane

    Thermogenic

    1215

    1297

    Ethane vs. Methane


    (CAMS and DACOM data)

    thermogenic

    biogenic

    Conclusion
    Methane enhancement in Dinuba region is
    most likely from biogenic sources.
    There is evidence of some enhancement
    from thermogenic sources.

    Future Research
    We need more data!
    Future SARPs need to fly over and take
    ground samples in the Dinuba region.
    Future researchers can use isotopic and
    radiocarbon signatures of methane to
    confirm and quantify emission sources.

    Acknowledgements

    Dr. Don Blake


    Stacey Hughes, Ph.D. candidate
    WAS Research Group and Rafe Day
    Rowland-Blake Lab
    Dr. Emily Schaller
    Dr. Glen Diskin (DACOM data)
    Dr. Armin Wisthaler (PTRMS data)
    Dr. Alan Fried (CAMS data)
    Dr. Nick Heath and Dr. Henry Fuelberg (HYSPLIT)
    KORUS-AQ scientists
    DC-8 Flight Crew
    NSERC

    Thank You!

    Questions?

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