Methane flux from the Central Amazonian Floodplain. Final report

Technical Report · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:6050489

Bartlett, K B; Crill, P M; Sebacher, D I; Harriss, R C; Wilson, J O; Melack, J M

A total of 186 methane measurements from the three primary Amazon floodplain environments of open water lakes, flood forests, and floating grass mats were made over the period 18 July through 2 September 1985. These data indicate that emissions were lowest over open water lakes. Flux from flooded forests and grass mats was significantly higher. At least three transport processes contribute to tropospheric emissions: ebullition from sediments, diffusion along the concentration gradient from sediment to overlaying water to air, and transport through the roots and stems of aquatic plants. Measurements indicate that the first two of these processes are most significant. It was estimated that on the average bubbling makes up 49% of the flux from open water, 54% of that from flooded forests, and 64% of that from floating mats. If the measurements were applied to the entire Amazonian floodplain, it is calculated that the region could supply up to 12% of the estimated global natural sources of methane.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA (USA). Langley Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6050489
• Report Number(s): N-87-27338; NASA-TM-89296; NAS-1.15:89296
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

090100* -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- (-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALKANES
AMAZON RIVER
BUBBLES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
DIFFUSION
HYDROCARBONS
INFRARED SPECTRA
METHANE
MONITORING
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RESOURCES
RIVERS
SEDIMENTS
SPECTRA
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS