Major greenhouse gas. What is a greenhouse gas?

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Man's industrial activity entails harmful effects on the atmosphere. This factor has already become a commonplace and only experts in the environmental sphere pay attention to it. Meanwhile, harmful emissions pose ever more acute questions for organizations dealing with global climate change. In the list of the most pressing problems at conferences devoted to ecology, greenhouse gas regularly appears as one of the most dangerous factors influencing the atmosphere and biota. The fact is that gaseous compounds of this type cannot transmit thermal radiation, which contributes to the heating of the atmosphere. There are several sources of formation of such gases, among which are biological phenomena. And now it’s worth taking a closer look at the composition of greenhouse mixtures.

Water vapor as the main greenhouse gas

Gases of this type form about 60% of the total volume of substances due to which the greenhouse effect is created. As the temperature of the Earth rises, evaporation and the total concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere also increase. At the same time, the previous level of humidity is maintained, which contributes to the greenhouse effect. The natural entity possessed by a greenhouse gas in the form of vapor,undoubtedly has positive aspects in the natural regulation of atmospheric composition. But there are also negative consequences of this process. The fact is that against the background of increasing humidity, there is also an increase in cloud mass, which reflects the direct rays of the sun. As a result, there is already an anti-greenhouse effect, in which the intensity of thermal radiation decreases and, accordingly, the heating of the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide

Volcanic eruptions, human activity and biospheric processes are among the main sources of this type of emissions. Anthropogenic sources include the combustion of fuel materials and biomass, industrial processes and other factors that lead to the formation of carbon dioxide. This is the same greenhouse gas that is actively involved in the processes of biocenosis. It is also the most durable in terms of staying in the atmosphere. According to some reports, further accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmospheric layers is limited by the risk of consequences not only for the balance in the biosphere, but also for the existence of human civilization as a whole. It is these views that are the main motivation for developing measures to counteract the greenhouse effect.

Methane

This gas remains in the atmosphere for about 10 years. Previously, it was believed that the effect of methane on the stimulation of the greenhouse effect is 25 times greater than carbon dioxide. But recent scientific studies have given even more pessimistic results - it turned out thatthat the potential for exposure to this gas has been underestimated. However, the situation is softened by a short period during which the atmosphere retains methane. This type of greenhouse gas comes from anthropogenic activities. This may be rice growing, digestive fermentation, deforestation, etc. According to some studies, an intensive increase in methane concentration took place in the first millennium of our era. Such phenomena were associated precisely with the expansion of cattle breeding and agricultural production, as well as with the burning of forests. In the following centuries, the level of methane concentration decreased, although today the trend is reversed.

Ozone

Greenhouse gaseous mixtures contain not only components dangerous from the point of view of climate change, but also beneficial parts. These include ozone, which protects the Earth from ultraviolet light. However, not everything is clear-cut here either. Scientists divide this gas into two categories - tropospheric and stratospheric. As for the former, it can be dangerous due to its toxicity. At the same time, the increased content of tropospheric elements contributes to the growth of the greenhouse effect. At the same time, the stratospheric layer acts as the main protection against the effects of harmful radiation. In regions where this type of greenhouse gas has an increased concentration, strong effects on vegetation are observed, which manifest themselves in the suppression of photosynthetic potential.

Countering the greenhouse effect

There are several directions in which thework on methods of containment of this process. Among the main measures, the use of tools for regulating the interaction between storages and sinks of greenhouse gases stands out. In particular, environmental agreements at the local level contribute to the active development of forestry. It is also worth noting the reforestation measures, which will minimize the greenhouse effect in the future. Gas emitted into the atmosphere from industries is also amenable to reduction in many industries. For this, measures are being introduced to limit emissions in transport, in production areas, at power plants, etc. For this purpose, alternative methods of fuel processing and gas removal systems are being developed. For example, a recovery system has recently been actively introduced, thanks to which enterprises optimize their waste disposal processes.

Conclusion

In the formation of the greenhouse effect, human activity plays a minor role. This can be seen from the proportion of gas volumes that are produced by anthropogenic sources. However, it is these harmful emissions that are the most dangerous for the atmosphere. Therefore, environmental organizations consider greenhouse gas as a factor in negative climate change. As a result, means are used to curb the spread and accumulation of harmful substances that increase the risk of global warming. Moreover, the fight against harmful emissions is carried out in various directions. This applies not only to factories and enterprises, but also to productsintended for individual use.