Methane Earth
Explanation:
Can you help in reducing this blanket of
methane gas that is warming up our
Earth?
Recent
evidence holds that methane (CH
4) is second only to carbon dioxide
(CO
2) in creating a warming
greenhouse effect but is easier to control.
Atmospheric methane has doubled over the past 200 years,
and its
smothering potency is over 20 times that of CO
2.
Methane may even be responsible for a
sudden warming of the
Earth by seven
degrees Celsius about 55 million years ago.
As most
methane is produced biologically,
the gas is sometimes associated with
bathroom humor.
The largest abundance released by the US, however, is created when
anaerobic bacteria break down carbon-based garbage in
landfills.
Therefore, a more effective way to help our planet
than trying to restrict your own
methane emissions would be to encourage
efficient landfill gas management.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
