Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The degradation of peatlands through anthropogenic activities recently has contributed to low carbon uptake from the air. Peatlands are one of the largest sources of CH 4 (methane) emissions in terrestrial ecosystems, but during the COVID-19 pandemic with restriction policy was applied, it can affect the atmospheric CH4 concentration and change the atmospheric greenhouse gases. In Indonesia, the lockdown policy was known as the Large-Scale Social Restriction (LSSR) that was implemented in high COVID-19 case areas. In this study, the atmospheric CH4 concentration over the tropical peatlands in the South Sumatera Province of Indonesia was examined at three different periods such as before the COVID-19 pandemic (March and May 2019), before LSSR (March 2020), and during LSSR (May 2020). The CH4 concentration was measured using Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on NASA's Aqua Satellite, while the Gross Primary Production (GPP) was measured by the NASA's Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra Satellite. The results of the study revealed the average atmospheric CH4 concentration over the South Sumatera Peatland was about 1.73 ppm, which decreased by 5.5% during the LSSR period. Furthermore, GPP values were observed ranging from 53.3 to 63.9 g C m -2 day -1 during the LSSR which indicated high carbon uptake from the atmosphere. In conclusion, the LSSR application has significantly influenced the atmospheric CH4 over the peatlands through restriction of human activities such as land-use conversion, biomass burning, forest fire and etc.

Downward Trend in Methane Detected in a Northern Colorado Oil and Gas Production Region Using AIRS Satellite Data

“…They conclude that AIRS CH 4 concentrations were consistent with ground measurements of surface CH 4 concentration from the World Data Center for Greenhouse Gases (WDCGG) (R 2 = 0.83, p < 0.01) and that the AIRS CH 4 reflected the spatial and temporal variations of surface CH 4 concentrations. Rendana et al (2021) also found good agreement between AIRS and surface CH 4 measurements with an R 2 of 0.86.…”

“…Rendana et al. (2021) also found good agreement between AIRS and surface CH 4 measurements with an R 2 of 0.86.…”

“…They demonstrated that AIRS CH 4 data are closer to surface concentrations than CH 4 data from the SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CartograpHY (SCIAMACHY) satellite instrument or the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT). AIRS has been used by researchers to quantify regional and national CH 4 changes and trends over both short and reasonably long-time scales (Rendana et al, 2021;Ribeiro et al, 2016;Yang & Wang, 2020). Wu et al (2019) recently completed a comprehensive, long-term, analysis of CH 4 trends across China using AIRS data from 2002 to 2016.…”

Then and Now: COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown Misfire Atmospheric Methane over India

“…Page 11 of 20 Rendana et al, 2021;Stevenson et al, 2021), our analysis indicates that XCH4 concentration 233 was progressively increasing with reduced intensity over India, which might be to the reduction 234 in carbon emissions. Before the lockdown face (March 1 -March 23), the initial phase of pre-235 monsoon season, the XCH4 concentrations remain to follow the year 2019 with an increment 236 of +11 ppbv year -1 , which can be inferred from Fig.…”

“…Page 5 of 20 during the COVID-19 lockdown. However, localized studies across the globe portrayed contradicting results during the lockdown (Rendana et al, 2021;You et al, 2021).…”