NASA Finds More Than 50 Super-Emitters of Methane
Recently, NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) has identified methane ‘super-emitters’.
- The EMIT mission has helped identify more than 50 super emitters of methane gas in Central Asia, West Asia and the southwestern United States.
- Super-emitters are stations, equipment and other infrastructure that have very high methane emission rates. These centers etc. are usually related to the fossil fuel, waste or agricultural sectors.
- Detection of super-emitters will help in accurate identification of methane leak sites. This can determine ways to quickly tackle the problem of methane emissions. This is necessary because reducing methane emissions is vital to limiting global warming.
- Methane is the second greenhouse gas (GHG) after carbon dioxide (CO2), with the most human-caused emissions. Over a period of 20 years, its warming potential is 80 times greater than that of CO
- Currently, about 30% of global warming can be attributed to methane. Agricultural activities are a major source of methane emissions.
Source – The Hindu
