Articles | Volume 16, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7943-2016
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-7943-2016
Research article
 | 
30 Jun 2016
Research article |  | 30 Jun 2016

Role of OH variability in the stalling of the global atmospheric CH4 growth rate from 1999 to 2006

Joe McNorton, Martyn P. Chipperfield, Manuel Gloor, Chris Wilson, Wuhu Feng, Garry D. Hayman, Matt Rigby, Paul B. Krummel, Simon O'Doherty, Ronald G. Prinn, Ray F. Weiss, Dickon Young, Ed Dlugokencky, and Steve A. Montzka

Data sets

NOAA CH4 and CH3CCL3 E. J. Dlugokencky, E. G. Nisbet, R. Fisher, and D. Lowry http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/dv/data/

AGAGE CH4 and CH3CCL3 R. G. Prinn, R. F. Weiss, P. J. Fraser, P. G. Simmonds, D. O'Doherty, P. Salameh, L. Porter, P. Krummel, R. J. Wang, B. Miller, C. Harth, B. Greally, F. A. Van Woy, L. P. Steele, J. Mühle, G. Sturrock, F. N. Alyea, J. Huang, and D. E. Hartley http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/ndps/alegage.html

Download
Short summary
Methane (CH4) is an important greenhouse gas. The growth of atmospheric CH4 stalled from 1999 to 2006, with current explanations focussed mainly on changing surface fluxes. We combine models with observations and meteorological data to assess the atmospheric contribution to CH4 changes. We find that variations in mean atmospheric hydroxyl concentration can explain part of the stall in growth. Our study highlights the role of multi-annual variability in atmospheric chemistry in global CH4 trends.
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint