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Satellite observes spatiotemporal variations in mid-upper tropospheric methane over ChinaPublic release date: 20-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Zhang Xingying zxy@cma.gov.cn 86-106-840-7020 Science in China Press
Atmospheric methane (CH4), one of the main greenhouse gases, has increased dramatically worldwide since the pre-industrial era. However, much work is needed to build on intermittent and scattered observations since the 1960s and systematic study since the 1980s. Since 1983, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has coordinated global in-situ measurement of methane. Quantification of methane emissions still has large uncertainties, mainly because of undersampling over most regions of the globe by surface observation networks. In particular, spatiotemporal variations of mid-upper tropospheric methane in China are not well understood, because of limited in-situ measurements.
Dr. ZHANG Xingying and his group at the National Satellite Meteorological Center of the China Meteorological Administration tackled this problem using satellite observations. Using Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) methane data from 2003 to 2008, they revealed spatiotemporal variations of mid-upper tropospheric methane in China.
Their study shows that in the mid troposphere, a center of low CH4 concentration is located over western China, attributable to minimal industrial and agricultural activity. The lowest CH4 mixing ratio in the upper troposphere is over southern China, related to atmospheric transport from the ocean.
A seasonal cycle of methane has been discovered. One peak in summer and the other in winter over eastern, northeastern and northwestern China. Only one peak (in summer) occurs over southern and western China.
Before 2007, CH4 mixing ratio was nearly stable. The average mixing ratio during the last 6 years over major northern hemispheric countries is similar. However, there has been a significant increase in tropospheric CH4 concentrations after 2007 in most northern hemispheric areas, with slightly larger increases over China.
Dr. ZHANG Xingying has stated that the trend of CH4 based on satellite observation is still somewhat uncertain, because of the short, 6-year dataset. More satellite data of higher quality are needed for further trend analysis.
To understand the profile of methane in China and provide data for validation of satellite products, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements were made at a ground-based hyperspectral remote sensing laboratory at the National Satellite Meteorological Center. A Bruker FTIR instrument (IFS 120 M, made in Ettlingen, Germany) with 0.008 cm-1 spectral resolution, was used for observations. Several years of data have been collected.
Implementation and promotion of this work will publicize methane spatiotemporal variations and their potential sources. In so doing, informed efforts may be mounted to reduce methane emission and resulting global climate change.
The National Satellite Meteorological Center manages satellite climate products in China. Two payloads for greenhouse gas monitoring are in development for the next satellite. One of the payloads is similar to AIRS for mid-upper tropospheric greenhouse gases. The other is for low tropospheric greenhouse gases, and uses a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. Meanwhile, more in-situ measurements have been carried out in China for more detailed investigation of greenhouse gases.
Dr. XIONG Xiaozhen, an expert from NOAA, is in charge of AIRS methane product retrieval. He believes that this study is the first to use satellite data for analyzing mid-upper tropospheric methane over China, and represents important step in the study of climate change.
###
See the article: Xingying Zhang, Wenguang Bai, Peng Zhang, 2011, Study on three-dimensional structure of tropospheric methane over China based on satellite observations, Chinese Science Bulletin?56(31): 3321-3327
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Satellite observes spatiotemporal variations in mid-upper tropospheric methane over ChinaPublic release date: 20-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Zhang Xingying zxy@cma.gov.cn 86-106-840-7020 Science in China Press
Atmospheric methane (CH4), one of the main greenhouse gases, has increased dramatically worldwide since the pre-industrial era. However, much work is needed to build on intermittent and scattered observations since the 1960s and systematic study since the 1980s. Since 1983, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has coordinated global in-situ measurement of methane. Quantification of methane emissions still has large uncertainties, mainly because of undersampling over most regions of the globe by surface observation networks. In particular, spatiotemporal variations of mid-upper tropospheric methane in China are not well understood, because of limited in-situ measurements.
Dr. ZHANG Xingying and his group at the National Satellite Meteorological Center of the China Meteorological Administration tackled this problem using satellite observations. Using Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) methane data from 2003 to 2008, they revealed spatiotemporal variations of mid-upper tropospheric methane in China.
Their study shows that in the mid troposphere, a center of low CH4 concentration is located over western China, attributable to minimal industrial and agricultural activity. The lowest CH4 mixing ratio in the upper troposphere is over southern China, related to atmospheric transport from the ocean.
A seasonal cycle of methane has been discovered. One peak in summer and the other in winter over eastern, northeastern and northwestern China. Only one peak (in summer) occurs over southern and western China.
Before 2007, CH4 mixing ratio was nearly stable. The average mixing ratio during the last 6 years over major northern hemispheric countries is similar. However, there has been a significant increase in tropospheric CH4 concentrations after 2007 in most northern hemispheric areas, with slightly larger increases over China.
Dr. ZHANG Xingying has stated that the trend of CH4 based on satellite observation is still somewhat uncertain, because of the short, 6-year dataset. More satellite data of higher quality are needed for further trend analysis.
To understand the profile of methane in China and provide data for validation of satellite products, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements were made at a ground-based hyperspectral remote sensing laboratory at the National Satellite Meteorological Center. A Bruker FTIR instrument (IFS 120 M, made in Ettlingen, Germany) with 0.008 cm-1 spectral resolution, was used for observations. Several years of data have been collected.
Implementation and promotion of this work will publicize methane spatiotemporal variations and their potential sources. In so doing, informed efforts may be mounted to reduce methane emission and resulting global climate change.
The National Satellite Meteorological Center manages satellite climate products in China. Two payloads for greenhouse gas monitoring are in development for the next satellite. One of the payloads is similar to AIRS for mid-upper tropospheric greenhouse gases. The other is for low tropospheric greenhouse gases, and uses a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. Meanwhile, more in-situ measurements have been carried out in China for more detailed investigation of greenhouse gases.
Dr. XIONG Xiaozhen, an expert from NOAA, is in charge of AIRS methane product retrieval. He believes that this study is the first to use satellite data for analyzing mid-upper tropospheric methane over China, and represents important step in the study of climate change.
###
See the article: Xingying Zhang, Wenguang Bai, Peng Zhang, 2011, Study on three-dimensional structure of tropospheric methane over China based on satellite observations, Chinese Science Bulletin?56(31): 3321-3327
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
COMMENTARY | President Barack Obama raised more than $200 million for his re-election campaign in 2011 and plans to raise more than the $750 million he spent in 2008 for his fall campaign against the Republican nominee. At some point, Americans have to step back and say "That's just crazy."
Every modern president seems to raise the bar on fundraising by trumping whatever record held up until that point. Reuters reported the Obama campaign is attempting to spread a campaign contributor program that has been very successful in attracting maximum contributors. A major incentive to becoming a maximum contributor (by donating $5,000 to the campaign) is the access it gives to the president and his advisers.
Obama certainly changed that game with a record amount in 2008. I'm not sure what the answer to this new level of campaign spending insanity is, but most intelligent people would agree that spending close to $1 billion on a presidential race is ridiculous, even for a country as large as the U.S.
Maybe the answer is to shorten the campaign period, but that tends to empower the incumbent. Requiring each campaign to spend the same amount further empowers an incumbent, as they have ready access to media -- something a challenger may not possess. Public financing of presidential campaigns just seems un-American. And mandatory media access would never work in a country where television markets widely differ from region to region.
It's for those very reasons that the fundraising process becomes more ingenious with every electoral cycle and the money raised skyrockets as well. Obama's staffers have proven themselves to be very proficient at fundraising for the president. In fact, they are the best ever. So until we devise a new system, expect every candidate to challenge the record fundraising of the previous election. If Mitt Romney is the GOP nominee -- and that appears more likely every day -- he will be able to give Obama's fundraising a better challenge than John McCain did in the last contest.
MIAMI?? Nicole Gamble is the sort of person cruise ship companies must be dreading after the grounding and weekend capsizing of the Costa Concordia ocean liner off the coast of Italy.
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If they operate in accordance with industry safety standards, the companies probably have little to fear - except fear itself.
Potential fuel leak a concern for Costa Concordia
But that is where people like Gamble come in. Gut reactions and worries among people considering a vacation at sea, after the disaster off Italy, pose a big potential hit to the annual earnings of cruise ship operators, analysts say.
"I'm scared," Gamble told Reuters.
"I'm taking a gamble," she added," laughing nervously as she joked about her name.
Monday marked her 40th birthday as well, she said, as her maiden voyage on a cruise ship where gambling at sea is one of the main attractions.
Gamble was the only passenger interviewed to use the "s" word - scared - as she and hundreds of others prepared to set off on Monday on a ship operated by Miami-based Carnival Corp.
But fear seemed to resonate among other travelers, as they fidgeted nervously with passports and baggage while preparing to set off on a four-day, round-trip voyage to Key West, Florida, and Cozumel, Mexico.
Story: Carnival and cruise sector count cost of disaster
All said they were aware of the cruise that ended in tragedy on Friday when the Costa Concordia foundered after striking a rock. And most said they also knew about the relationship between Costa Crociere, operator of the doomed Italian ship, and Carnival, its U.S. parent.
"It's my first time and I don't like it," Gamble said.
An office manager for an Atlanta-based construction company, she was traveling with three companions. But she was alone in openly admitting to a sense of fear after the weekend accident involving one of the biggest passenger vessels ever to be wrecked.
"This is some birthday, huh?" she asked with a wince.
"Just to see something like that," she said. "That hasn't happened since the Titanic."
'Not the same driver'
Shares in Carnival plunged 18 percent in European trading on Monday, after the company said its full-year earnings would take a $90 million hit from the accident and added that it anticipated further costs to the business.
But the accident could have a bigger impact if cut-rate cruises like Carnival's three-night jaunt down to Cozumel lose some of their allure due to safety concerns.
Story: Cruise tragedy conjures memories of doomed Titanic
The going rate for the trip is about $200 before taxes.
Many passengers at dockside were putting on a brave face on Monday as they prepared to board the 10-deck, 855-foot-long (260 meter) Imagination for their sea cruise, even as some talked about fate and risks to their own longevity.
Built in Helsinki, Finland, in 1995, the ship has a capacity for 2,052 passengers and 920 crew members.
"As long as it's not the same driver, we'll be alright," said Travis Denning, a 35-year-old police officer from Westchester County, New York.
"I figure if my number's up, my number's up," said Kevin Fogarty, 54, a self-employed Virginia businessman. "But I'm a good swimmer," he added.
"Carnival ain't got nothing to do with it. If it's time to go, it's time to go," said Vickie Battle, 59, a secretary at Atlanta's Emory University Hospital.
"It was a bad maneuver by the captain," said Dennis Delgado, a 47-year-old commercial airline pilot from Peru who said he had no misgivings about clambering aboard the Imagination with 18 family members for a cruise they had been planning for months.
"It was human error, not an error of the cruise ships," he added.
Dawn Marshman, 37, marketing director for a music industry magazine in Cleveland, was somewhat less gung-ho, however.
"I might have been hesitant to book if I had been planning it right now," she said, noting she had bought the cruise tickets for herself and a friend's birthday several months ago.
"A friend kept saying before I left that 'You'd better wear your life-jacket the entire time,'" she added.
"It was a joke ... But when you book far in advance, what are you going to do?"
(Reporting by Tom Brown; Editing by Philip Barbara)
Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
At Thursday’s education event, Apple is expected to announce textbooks in partnerships with publishers such as Pearson, McGraw-Hill, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, that are optimized for the iPad and
A new poll shows an 84% disapproval rating of the job Congress is doing, so is it time to throw all of them out of office? Discussing whether to expect more bipartisanship on Capitol Hill in 2012, with Rep. Peter Welch, (D-VT), and Nan Hayworth, (R-NY)...
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Public release date: 20-Jan-2012
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