GHGSat announced that it had measured a “giant methane emission” from an unusual source, a volcano in Ethiopia.
The emission form Mount Fentale, observed on January 31, is estimated at 58 metric tons per hour and was identified through a “tip and cue” approach, where the Sentinel-5P satellite’s TROPOMI instrument detected a methane hotspot and the coordinating agency, SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, investigated the “hot spot” and finally GHGSat used its high-resolution sensors to gather more data. The data is part of the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service for which GHGSat just became a Copernicus Contributing Mission partner.
The discovery is considered unusual, as volcanoes typically emit carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide.
Recent heightened seismic activity and a large crack stretching from Mount Fentale suggest potential magma movement and the existence of a shallow geothermal reservoir. Approximately 80,000 people have been evacuated due to concerns about possible volcanic activity.
at a rate of 58 ± 30 t/hr during the time of measurement. Credit: GHGSat.
In a news release GHGSat said, “Combined with the geological activity in the area, this methane detection can provide clues about what is happening below the Earth’s surface. Prof. John Stix, a scientist with McGill University, assessed that over the past several weeks, magma under the Fentale volcano may have propagated to the northeast through these cracks in the Earth’s crust, explaining the earthquakes in the region. As the magma drained from the reservoir beneath Mount Fentale, the ground surface sank, deflating.”
GHGSat added, “Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a warming potential over 80 times greater than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. While industrial sources comprise the bulk of methane emissions globally, understanding emissions from natural phenomena — including their occurrence and scale — is essential for accurate climate modeling.”
