Methane Modeling: From Process Modeling to Global Climate Models

Abstract

Methane is a long-lived greenhouse gas playing an important role in global climate change. Since preindustrial times atmospheric CH4 concentrations have more than doubled. The global CH4 budget is determined by the balance between surface emissions and different sink processes. Model projections of future atmospheric CH4 concentrations are complicated by uncertainties not only in the strength of individual CH4 sources, but also by uncertainties in other trace species affecting the major CH4 loss reaction.