The atmospheric oxidizing capacity and the methane budget
Brasseur, G., Gaubert, B.. (2025). The atmospheric oxidizing capacity and the methane budget. National Science Review, doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaf347
| Title | The atmospheric oxidizing capacity and the methane budget |
|---|---|
| Genre | Article |
| Author(s) | Guy Brasseur, Benjamin Gaubert |
| Abstract | Atmospheric methane has risen rapidly since 2007, with record growth in 2020–2022 largely attributed to increased microbial emissions from tropical wetlands and human activities. In 2020, Chen et al. show that a small global decrease in hydroxyl radicals (OH)—the main sink for methane—also played a major role, driven by wildfire-related CO increases in the Southern Hemisphere and pandemic-related NOx reductions in the Northern Hemisphere. Their inversion of satellite CO and methane data indicates that the 2020 methane burden increase reflects both higher emissions and reduced OH-driven loss, underscoring how changes in air pollutants (CO, NOx, ozone) and atmospheric chemistry must be represented in climate models to better constrain the methane budget. |
| Publication Title | National Science Review |
| Publication Date | Sep 1, 2025 |
| Publisher's Version of Record | https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwaf347 |
| OpenSky Citable URL | https://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7t43zmr |
| OpenSky Listing | View on OpenSky |
| ACOM Affiliations | MODELING, ACRESP |