Arctic tundra emits methane even in winter

Reuters ^ | Dec. 3, 2008 | Michael Kahn Michael Kahn

[decimon]

LONDON (Reuters) – The arctic tundra emits the same amount of methane in winter as in the warmer months, a surprising finding that bolsters understanding of how greenhouse gases interact with nature, researchers said on Wednesday.

Scientists have long known that wetlands produce large amounts of methane and had thought it unlikely that greenhouse gases escaped from beneath frozen tundra, said Torben Christensen, a biogeochemist at Lund University in Sweden.

"Mother Nature is showing us something that is really surprising," Christensen, who led the study published in the journal Nature, said in a telephone interview.

"Nobody would expect to have loads of gas seeping out from a frozen environment."

[decimon]

Inuit husbands absolved of blame.

[decimon]

Torrid tundra ping.

[MeanWestTexan]

We must drill in ANWR tundra to stop global warming.

[PzLdr]

Probably because reports of drilling are scaring the crap out of the caribou.

[BOBTHENAILER]

NUKE THE TUNDRA

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

“Mother Nature is showing us something that is really surprising,”

If mother nature showed you that you’re a flaming idiot, we wouldn’t be surprised either.

[Badeye]

Subtle....(chuckle)

[zerosix]

Geez, I thought it was only cows, pigs and D.C. tourists in the summer. Now they tell us its "wetland tundra!!!!"

Seriously, my friends and I were discussing the proposed cow flatulence tax and had a brainstorm to invent "methane-free grass" for cows, thereby eliminating the "flatulence tax."

This will of course force the EPA to place the proposed tax on beans, garlic, broccoli and other methane that produce noxious substances in humans.

Mexicans here in this country are in serious danger of being forced to change their diets from frejoles to tofu.

[savedbygrace]

Tax the tundra!

[TomGuy]

Arctic tundra emits methane even in winter

Tax it!

[decimon]

Just try it!

[gathersnomoss]

No, just Tax the Tundra. Nice.

[CrazyIvan]

Polar cows?

[lilylangtree]

So we find out decades later what the real cause of the expanding Artic ozone layer. It turns out NOT to be the aerosal cans. Imagine that!

[decimon]

Polar cows?

Great milkshakes.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Oh no, not Sgt. Preston? ?
He’s an Obamabot?

[RichInOC]

There’s something down there...and it’s farting.

[RightWhale]

This makes total sense. The ground under the tundra is frozen year round, so whatever it is doing would be done year round. Snow cover would tend to keep the underground climate the same temperature, protecting it from winter cooling so the reaction would continue at the same pace.

[BOBTHENAILER]

Taxing the Tundra, I like it.

[decimon]

This makes total sense. The ground under the tundra is frozen year round, so whatever it is doing would be done year round. Snow cover would tend to keep the underground climate the same temperature, protecting it from winter cooling so the reaction would continue at the same pace.

A recent claim has been that a thawing of the tundra areas would increase methane emissions to the atmosphere. This would seem to put the kibosh on that notion.