NOAA Hot on Methane’s Trail

Cows put it out there. So do mines and landfills. On a molecular level, methane gas is elegantly simple, just four tiny hydrogen atoms surrounding a single carbon atom.

Zoom out, however, and the picture is more complex, particularly when it comes to climate change. Methane, the main component in natural gas, is both a rich source of energy and a powerful greenhouse gas.

Our atmosphere allows solar energy to reach and warm the Earth’s surface. However, greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap the heat emitted from the Earth’s surface and prevent it from escaping to space. To a point, the greenhouse effect is beneficial to life on Earth. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere keep surface temperatures warm enough for life on Earth to flourish. Without them, Earth would be an inhospitable ice ball.