Identification

Title

Using an inverse model to reconcile differences in simulated and observed global ethane concentrations and trends between 2008 and 2014

Abstract

We use a global model, TOMCAT, and an inverse model, INVICAT, to estimate emissions of ethane (C2H6) between 2008 and 2014 by assimilating surface flask observations. We find that baseline global emissions in 2008 need to increase by a factor of 2.04-2.11 in order for the model to capture C2H6 observations, indicating large biases in current emission inventories. Most of this increase occurs over North America and Eurasia, with temperate North American emissions accounting for 23-26% of the total global emission increase and temperate Eurasian emissions accounting for 35-37%. Further to this, recent peer‐reviewed analysis of long‐term observational records shows an increase in C2H6 in the Northern Hemisphere since ~2009. Our results indicate that annual global emissions of C2H6 have increased at a rate of 0.27 ± 0.54-0.33 ± 0.44 Tg/yr2 between 2008 and 2014. A statistically significant positive trend of 0.20 ± 0.11-0.24 ± 0.13 Tg/yr2 (p ≤ 0.01) is found in temperate North America, resulting in emissions that are 31-32% larger in 2014 than in 2008. Our results corroborate previous studies' conclusions that a rapid increase in oil and natural gas production in United States over this time period is likely a large driver of the change in emissions.

Resource type

document

Resource locator

Unique resource identifier

code

http://n2t.net/ark:/85065/d7pn98js

codeSpace

Dataset language

eng

Spatial reference system

code identifying the spatial reference system

Classification of spatial data and services

Topic category

geoscientificInformation

Keywords

Keyword set

keyword value

Text

originating controlled vocabulary

title

Resource Type

reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2016-01-01T00:00:00Z

Geographic location

West bounding longitude

East bounding longitude

North bounding latitude

South bounding latitude

Temporal reference

Temporal extent

Begin position

End position

Dataset reference date

date type

publication

effective date

2018-10-16T00:00:00Z

Frequency of update

Quality and validity

Lineage

Conformity

Data format

name of format

version of format

Constraints related to access and use

Constraint set

Use constraints

Limitations on public access

None

Responsible organisations

Responsible party

contact position

OpenSky Support

organisation name

UCAR/NCAR - Library

full postal address

PO Box 3000

Boulder

80307-3000

email address

opensky@ucar.edu

web address

http://opensky.ucar.edu/

name: homepage

responsible party role

pointOfContact

Metadata on metadata

Metadata point of contact