Popis: |
It is estimated that about 60 percent of total global methane emissions are thought to be from anthropogenic sources and about 40 percent from natural sources. Anthropogenic sources encompass a wide range of human activities, including food and energy production and waste disposal. Livestock (through fermentation processes in their digestive system that generates methane and manure management), rice cultivation, landfills, and sewage account for 55-57 percent of global anthropogenic emissions. This paper investigates methane emissions from agricultural land-use and livestock (e.g., poultry and cattle) farming practices in Delaware. Laser-based point sensing can provide a higher spatial and temporal resolution that can complement satellite observations to identify individual sources and broader geographical areas. A detailed understanding of their sources and sinks is necessary to model emissions profile accurately. This paper shows field measurements of methane using mid-IR laser-based sensors and validation with satellite data. We conducted our field deployment locally in the Delaware, Kent, and Sussex county regions focusing on high methane emitting areas. We used the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) methane satellite data to get a unified emissions map of methane production in Delaware by comparing our ground-based measurements with the satellite data. Furthermore, we examined the satellite data for long-term methane emissions trends to quantify 2020 average methane emissions. |