A high-speed methane analyzer to quantify atmospheric concentrations and net ecosystem exchange of methane in the Canadian high Arctic

高速甲烷分析仪，用于量化加拿大高北极地区大气浓度和甲烷净生态系统交换

• 批准号: 458789-2014
• 负责人: StLouis, Vincent
• 金额: $ 2.78万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2014-01-01 至 2015-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=555413
• 关键词: speed; methane; analyzer; quantify; atmospheric

Concentrations of the powerful greenhouse gas (GHG) methane (CH4) have been steadily increasing in the atmosphere over the past 2.5 centuries due to human activities. CH4 has a global warming potential 25 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2), and is considered the second most important anthropogenic GHG after CO2. Ironically, human-induced climate change is warming Canadian polar ecosystems at unprecedented rates, further accelerating emissions of CH4 to the atmosphere from thermokarst lakes, peatlands, lake sediments, thawing permafrost, and CH4 hydrates in Arctic marine sediments, to name a few. However, there are also numerous "sinks" of CH4 in polar regions, such as the oxidation of CH4 in the oxic regions of peatlands, in oxygenated water columns of lakes and oceans, and in dry desert tundra soils that make up a significant portion of the Canadian high Arctic landscape. These sinks are equally important to understand because they both prevent CH4 from ever entering the atmosphere, or actually consume atmospheric CH4. As a result, it has become imperative that we accurately and continuously quantify these sinks and sources of CH4 in the high Arctic because it has important implications for Canada's GHG budgeting. I am requesting funds to purchase a LI-COR 7700 Open Path CH4 Analyzer to: 1) quantify the net ecosystem exchange of CH4 with high-Arctic landscapes, and 2) monitor concentrations of CH4 in the high-Arctic atmosphere to rapidly detect aberrant releases from sources such as CH4 hydrates. This analyzer will be deployed in Quttinirpaaq National Park (northern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut), the most northerly site ever studied for these measurements. The LI-COR 7700 will be used for postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate student training in my laboratory, as well as contribute to Northern outreach and training. Furthermore, the data will be archived in open-access databases, and collaboratively shared with colleagues for regional modeling exercises. Unfortunately, without the LI-COR 7700, we will be forced to end our novel research program on CH4 sinks and sources in the high Arctic because current techniques to make these measurements are no longer scientifically worthwhile.

在过去的2.5个世纪里，由于人类活动，大气中强大的温室气体（GHG）甲烷（CH 4）的浓度一直在稳步增加。甲烷的全球升温潜能值是二氧化碳（CO2）的25倍，被认为是仅次于CO2的第二大人为温室气体。具有讽刺意味的是，人类引起的气候变化正在以前所未有的速度使加拿大极地生态系统变暖，进一步加速从热喀斯特湖泊、泥炭地、湖泊沉积物、融化的永久冻土和北极海洋沉积物中的甲烷水合物向大气排放甲烷。然而，在极地地区也有许多CH 4的“汇”，例如在泥炭地的含氧区域、湖泊和海洋的含氧水柱以及构成加拿大北极高地景观重要部分的干燥沙漠冻原土壤中的CH 4氧化。理解这些汇同样重要，因为它们都阻止CH 4进入大气，或者实际上消耗大气CH 4。因此，它已成为当务之急，我们准确和不断量化这些汇和源的甲烷在北极高，因为它有重要的影响，加拿大的温室气体预算。我正在申请资金购买LI-COR 7700开路甲烷分析仪，以：1）量化高北极景观的甲烷净生态系统交换，2）监测高北极大气中的甲烷浓度，以快速检测甲烷水合物等来源的异常释放。该分析仪将部署在Quttinirpaaq国家公园（努纳武特的北方埃尔斯米尔岛），这是有史以来进行这些测量研究的最北端的地点。LI-COR 7700将用于我实验室的博士后、研究生和本科生培训，并有助于北方的推广和培训。此外，这些数据将存档在开放访问的数据库中，并与同事协作共享，用于区域建模工作。不幸的是，如果没有LI-COR 7700，我们将被迫结束我们对北极高纬度地区甲烷汇和源的新研究计划，因为目前进行这些测量的技术不再具有科学价值。