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Extreme event dynamics in methane ebullition fluxes from tropical reservoirs
Author(s) -
Ramos Fernando M.,
Lima Ivan B. T.,
Rosa Reinaldo R.,
Mazzi Edmar A.,
Carvalho João C.,
Rasera Maria F. F. L.,
Ometto Jean P. H. B.,
Assireu Arcilan T.,
Stech José L.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2006gl027943
Subject(s) - methane , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , tropical cyclone , climatology , event (particle physics) , geology , oceanography , physics , ecology , quantum mechanics , biology
Tropical hydroelectric reservoirs generally constitute an appreciable source of CH 4 (methane), a potent greenhouse gas. In this letter, we investigate the statistical characteristics of methane ebullition fluxes in hydroelectric reservoirs. To this end, we use CH 4 flux measurements obtained in Manso (wet season, 2004) and Corumbá (dry and wet seasons, 2005) reservoirs, located respectively in Mato Grosso and Goiás, Brazil. Methane ebullition fluxes were measured using open dynamic chambers, connected to an infrared photo‐acoustic trace gas analyzer (TGA). Our main result indicates that when properly rescaled, all methane ebullition data collapse into a single statistic well described by a Generalized Pareto distribution, with shape parameter well above zero. The approach presented here, which combines high‐frequency CH 4 ebullition data and Extreme Value theory analytical tools, shows that, although bubbling patterns appear to be highly complex and unpredictable, they may still be described by a rather simple (but non trivial) dynamics.