Trends in CH <sub>4</sub> Emission Sources in the Los Angeles Basin from 2010 to 2023 Using Airborne Measurements — Nell B. Schafer (2025) | RDL Network
Trends in CH <sub>4</sub> Emission Sources in the Los Angeles Basin from 2010 to 2023 Using Airborne Measurements
Article 2025 en
Authors
NS
Nell B. Schafer
JP
Jeff Peischl
EA
Eric C. Apel
Abstract
1 min read
California legislation mandates a 40% reduction in CH<sub>4</sub> emissions from 2013 levels by 2030. Achieving this requires an accurate inventory of greenhouse gas sources, including urban CH<sub>4</sub>. This study determined summertime CH<sub>4</sub> and C<sub>2</sub>-C<sub>5</sub> alkane emissions from the Los Angeles (L.A.) Basin using airborne field campaign measurements from 2010, 2019, and 2023. Our analysis combined enhancement ratios of CH<sub>4</sub> and alkanes versus CO from <i>in situ</i> airborne measurements with the California Air Resources Board's CO emissions inventory. By incorporating known alkane abundances from various sectors, we apportioned the emission sources. We found an annual decline in CH<sub>4</sub> emissions from the L.A. Basin at a rate of -7.2 ± 5.8 Gg/year, consistent with literature and ground-site measurements from the Mount Wilson Observatory. The primary CH<sub>4</sub> sources were natural gas (52-57% of total emissions) and CH<sub>4</sub>-dominant sources, like landfills and dairies (41-47%). We also observed an annual increase in ethane emissions of 0.13 ± 0.19 Gg/year, which correlates with increasing ethane abundance in pipeline natural gas and decreasing ethane prices. If this linearly decreasing CH<sub>4</sub> emission trend were to continue, the L.A. Basin would be on track to reach the state's 2030 CH<sub>4</sub> emission reduction goals.
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