Biomass burning and the production of methane. Draft report
Biomass burning and its environmental implications have also become important research elements of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program and the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Project. The production of atmospheric methane (CH4) by biomass burning will be assessed. The production of methane and other gaseous and particle carbon species resulting from biomass burning will be outlined. Field measurements and laboratory studies to quantify the emission ratio of methane and other carbon species will be reviewed. The historic database suggests that global biomass burning is increasing with time and is controlled by human activities. Present estimates indicate that biomass burning contributes between about 20 to about 60 Teragrams per year of carbon in the form of methane to the atmosphere. This represents only 5 to 15% of the global annual emissions of methane. Measurements do indicate that biomass burning is the overwhelming source of CH4 in tropical Africa. However, if the rate of global biomass burning increases at the rate that it has been over the last few decades, then the production of methane from biomass burning may become much more important on a global scale in the future.
- Research Organization:
- Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Atmospheric Research and Exposure Assessment Lab.
- OSTI ID:
- 6834605
- Report Number(s):
- PB-93-119824/XAB; EPA-600/A-92/221
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
FORECASTING
BIOMASS
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
METHANE
PRODUCTION
POLLUTION SOURCES
GLOBAL ASPECTS
AFRICA
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
CARBON
CARBON MONOXIDE
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
PARTICLES
ALKANES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ENERGY SOURCES
HYDROCARBONS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
095000* - Biomass Fuels- Environmental Aspects- (1990-)
092000 - Biomass Fuels- Combustion- (1990-)
099000 - Biomass Fuels- Products & By-Products- (1990-)
090900 - Biomass Fuels- Processing- (1990-)
540150 - Environment
Atmospheric- Site Resources & Use Studies- (1990-)