Researchers used radiometers to highlight the greenhouse effect of methane. The instruments belong to the group of tools of the Southern Great Plain Observatory.
Scientists for the first time managed to carry out direct measurements of the increase in the greenhouse effect of methane on the surface of our planet. For this, one of the most important greenhouse gases of the Earth’s atmosphere had to be monitored for 10 years in northern Oklahoma. The analysis showed a global pause in the 2000s. and active growth in 2007.
Heat-absorbing gases are called greenhouse gases, as they absorb certain wavelengths of energy emitted by the Earth. As the atmospheric concentrations change, the researchers expected to see how the amount of absorbed energy changes. But outside the laboratory it was not possible to confirm.
The graph shows the time series of the greenhouse effect of methane in watts per m 2, measured on the earth's surface for 10 years. The red line is the trend of the time series, and the gray line is the uncertainty
Researchers analyzed high-calibrated long-term measurements to isolate the changing greenhouse effect of methane. For this, data from the ARM program’s comprehensive measurement of the Earth’s atmosphere were used.
Scientists believe that this type of direct field observation can provide a more accurate and complete picture of the relationship between concentrations of atmospheric greenhouse gas and warming on the earth's surface.
