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A dramatic decrease in the growth rate of atmospheric methane in the northern hemisphere during 1992
Author(s) -
Dlugokencky E. J.,
Masaire K. A.,
Lang P. M.,
Tans P. P.,
Steele L. P.,
Nisbet E. G.
Publication year - 1994
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 - 10.1029/93gl03070
Subject(s) - northern hemisphere , southern hemisphere , atmospheric methane , methane , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , climatology , western hemisphere , troposphere , climate change , geology , oceanography , chemistry , geography , organic chemistry , economic geography
Global measurements of atmospheric methane have revealed a sharp decrease in the growth rate in the Northern Hemisphere during 1992. The average trend for the Northern Hemisphere during 1983–1991 was (11.6±0.2) ppbv yr −1 , but the increase in 1992 was only (1.8±1.6) ppbv. In the Southern Hemisphere, the average increase (1983–1991) was (11.1±0.2) ppbv yr −1 , and the 1992 increase was (7.7±1.0) ppbv. Various possibilities for a change in methane sources or sinks are discussed, but the most likely explanation is a change in an anthropogenic source such as fossil fuel exploitation, which can be rapidly and easily affected by man's activities.