During the initial COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, a remarkable sight greeted us: clearer skies. Satellite data revealed a significant drop in nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant primarily from burning fossil fuels in vehicles and industry. This reduction in airborne nasties was a temporary boon for air quality worldwide.
However, this cleaner air inadvertently created a "clean air paradox." The same nitrogen oxides that were cleared from the atmosphere play a crucial role in breaking down methane, the second most potent gree nhouse gas. Without sufficient nitrogen oxides, the hydroxyl radical, the atmospheric cleaner, was produced at a much slower rate. This meant that methane, which would normally be scrubbed from the air, lingered for longer periods, significantly contributing to its highest recorded growth rate in 2020.
The study, published in the journal Science, also uncovered the source of this excess methane. While the weakened atmospheric sink accounted for approximately 80% of the 2020 spike, the remaining emissions, and an even larger portion in subsequent years, came from natural, biogenic sources. Analysis of methane's isotopic signature revealed it was becoming 'lighter,' indicating a microbial origin rather than fossil fuel leaks. This surge was primarily driven by a rare, extended La Niña event that led to exceptionally wet conditions in tropical regions. Vast wetland areas in Africa and Southeast Asia, like the Sudd and the Congo Basin, became waterlogged and oxygen-poor, creating ideal conditions for methane-producing microbes to thrive and release unprecedented amounts of this greenhouse gas. The research highlights a complex interplay between pollution reduction and natural climate systems, suggesting that as we strive for cleaner air, we may need even more aggressive methane emission reductions to counteract the reduced natural methane breakdown.
Fuente Original: https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/covid-19-cleared-the-skies-but-also-supercharged-methane-emissions/
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