The atmospheric half life of methaine is just under 10 years. So if you release 1k lbs of methaine in 10 years there will be 500 lbs left 10 years after that ther will be 250 ect.
Comment on Scientists unveil methane munching monster, 100 million times faster than nature
MonkderZweite@feddit.ch 6 months ago
Over a 25-year period, though, methane is 85 times worse for the climate than carbon dioxide.
Doesn’t it get reduced in the athmosphere in about 5 years to mostly CO2?
Xtallll@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 months ago
Rhaedas@kbin.social 6 months ago
It's complicated. The breakdown of methane in the atmosphere depends on hydroxyl radicals that are created at a regular rate. If you have more and more methane released, and/or you have other chemicals that also react with those radicals, the overall average half life will increase. Both those things are happening, so the old half life really isn't as accurate as it used to be. Guess which number the IPCC still uses for its models though.
Lophostemon@aussie.zone 6 months ago
Goddam Hydroxl Radicals keep sending drones to attack US ships! Iran needs an ass-kicking!
MonkderZweite@feddit.ch 6 months ago
uhh, hald of half life. Guess i remembered wrong.
huginn@feddit.it 6 months ago
Yes but the heat it retains in that time is 85x the effect of base CO2, which makes sense: decomposition of the methane releases energy. It does a much better job of reflecting the IR until it breaks down, then in the act of breaking down releases energy.