The relationship between the methane seasonal cycle and regional sources and sinks at Tae-ahn Peninsula, Korea

Abstract

Methane measurements from weekly air samples collected at Tae-ahn Peninsula, Korea (TAP) present new constraints on the regional methane source strength of eastern Asia. Analysis of atmospheric trajectories shows that the lowest methane values observed at Tae-ahn are associated with southeasterly flow off the tropical Pacific Ocean and are similar to those observed at Cape Kumukahi, Hawaii. During June to August, northwesterly flow from the peat-rich wetlands located in the maritime provinces of the Far East former Soviet Union elevates methane at TAP by ∼80 ppb above the annual mean. Analysis of the Tae-ahn observations using a 3-D atmospheric methane model suggests that methane emission rates from the Far East Soviet wetlands may be ∼2 times those of Alaskan wetlands. Also, the relative maximum in May June at Tae-ahn constraints global CH₄ emissions from rice cultivation to ∼100 Tg yr⁻¹.