Through roving and drilling, Mars Curiosity Rover may be breaking up the ground’s salty, hardened soils that seal methane, possibly causing a temporal, local methane spike.
methane
Posted inNews
Dwarf Planets Show Evidence of Recent Geologic Activity
Large bodies in the Kuiper Belt and beyond could have hosted subsurface oceans.
Posted inNews
Planting Trees May Not Be as Good for the Climate as Previously Believed
The climate benefits of trees storing carbon dioxide is partially offset by dark forests’ absorption of more heat from the Sun, and compounds they release that slow the destruction of methane in the atmosphere.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Using Satellite Observations for Attribution of Radiation Changes
Analysis of infrared satellite measurements identifies the climate response to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Researchers Compare Observations Versus Modeling of Coastal Carbon Cycle
While storing carbon dioxide, the coastal ocean also releases methane and nitrous oxide. New research shows that understanding the impact of coastal oceans on climate requires more research into these fluxes and how they counteract each other.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Measuring and Modeling Methane Emissions in Wetlands
Scientists zero in on a Delaware salt marsh to study what shapes methane emissions in wetland environments.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Measuring Methane Stemming from Tree Stems
Wetland tree stem emissions have emerged as a significant contributor to the global methane budget. A new study tracks how they vary by season, location, and hydrological conditions.
Posted inOpinions
A Transformative Carbon Sink in the Ocean?
Water-rock reactions in some hydrothermal systems produce both hydrogen, which could be tapped for clean energy, and alkaline solutions that could help draw down atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Adding Oxygen to a Lake to Explore Methane Emissions
A rare whole-lake experiment suggests that in some cases, low-oxygen conditions may have a smaller impact on methane release to the atmosphere than previously thought.