Kolb Lecture – Steven C. Wofsy (Harvard)

“The Rise of Atmospheric Methane, and Prospects for Bending the Curve”

Atmospheric methane has nearly tripled since the 18th century. Methane is a strong absorber of infrared radiation, and the higher concentrations make it the second most important human-influenced greenhouse gas (after CO2). Since the residence time for CH4 in the atmosphere is much shorter than the residence time for CO2, reducing emissions provides an effective pathway to reducing human-caused climate change. This lecture reviews the history of atmospheric methane concentrations in the distant past and in recent times, and examines what we know about the factors driving atmospheric increases. We assess new ways of observing, quantifying and understanding the causes of methane emissions, and we explore how new knowledge may be applied to reduce emissions.

3:30 pm talk with a reception to follow.

Questions? Contact Madelyn Musick: mmusick@mit.edu

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER
Steven C. Wofsy is the Abbott Lawrence Rotch Professor of Atmospheric and Environmental Chemistry of the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPS) at Harvard University. Professor Wofsy’s work focuses on measuring, modeling, and mitigating the vast impacts that human beings have on the atmosphere. Combustion of fossil fuel, clearing of forests, agriculture, and chemical industry have caused concentrations of the most important atmospheric trace gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) to increase over the past 200 years, with accelerating change in the last 50 years. Emissions of industrial halocarbons (CFCs, such as CF2Cl2, “CFC-12”) caused stratospheric ozone declines and formation of the Antarctic ozone “hole”. These changes have serious impacts on the environment of the earth and on society, such as climatic warming and global, regional and urban air pollution. Professor Wofsy’s research over many years has been motivated by the need for scientific information and analysis to make wise decisions on the future development and conservation of the world’s resources.

The Charles E. Kolb ’67 Lecture Series

Aerodyne Research and the family of the late Dr. Kolb (1945-2020) established this lecture series on current topics in atmospheric and environmental chemistry with the aim of encouraging participation from academic departments across MIT, in honor of his collegial personality and multidisciplinary approach to science.