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NASA Finds a Delaware-Sized Methane "Hot Spot" In the Southwest

Posted by samzenpus on from the it's-getting-hot-in-here dept.

merbs writes According to new satellite research from scientists at NASA and the University of Michigan this "hot spot" is "responsible for producing the largest concentration of the greenhouse gas methane seen over the United States—more than triple the standard ground-based estimate." It covers 2,500 square miles, about the size of Delaware. It is so big that scientists initially thought it was a mistake in their instruments. "We didn't focus on it because we weren't sure if it was a true signal or an instrument error," NASA's Christian Frankenberg said in a statement.

7 of 213 comments (clear)

  1. Proper link by bruce_the_loon · · Score: 5, Informative

    Link to a proper article about it. http://news.agu.org/press-release/satellite-data-shows-u-s-methane-hot-spot-bigger-than-expected/

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    1. Re:Proper link by Xyrus · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's actually a generating station. The PNM San Juan Generating Station is a very large plant located in Waterflow, NM. In GE, you can see all the massive piles of coal all around the area, along with all the smoke stacks and some rather questionable looking ponds of water.

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    2. Re:Proper link by Allasard · · Score: 4, Informative
      Yeah, I agree. That's your problem there: google map location

      Someone needs to go tell that plant to go clean up their act. At the very least, it's wasting methane.

  2. Re:yes, let's "zoom out" by knightghost · · Score: 4, Informative

    Less CO2 (half compared to coal for electrical generation) but much, much more methane, which is a much worse (if shorter 20 year) greenhouse gas.

  3. Re:yes, let's "zoom out" by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 4, Informative

    Of course, the "hot spot" mentioned in the article is NOT the result of fracking, since according to the article it pre-dates fracking. The article tells us that the methane in this "hot spot" is the result of old, leaky fossil fuel infrastructure (I am going to guess that this is primarily old pipelines and storage tanks, that have developed leaks over time, or were not particularly well-sealed when first built at a time when it was not worth the extra effort and cost to prevent such leakage).

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  4. Re:yes, let's "zoom out" by plopez · · Score: 4, Informative

    but requires huge amounts of water. As does tar sands.

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  5. Re:Size vs resolution by timeOday · · Score: 5, Informative
    Confirmed by independent sensors over a period of 10 years:

    SCIAMACHY measured greenhouse gases from 2002 to 2012. The atmospheric hot spot persisted throughout the study period. A ground station in the Total Carbon Column Observing Network, operated by the Department of Energyâ(TM)s Los Alamos National Laboratory, provided independent validation of the measurement.