posted 2 years ago
From my basic understanding, methane in the atmosphere reacts with hydroxyl radicals to break it down into water vapour and CO2. Because methane has risen, without hydroxyl radicals also rising, there is a shortage of them in the atmosphere.
Hydroxyl radicals are created when waves of light interact with water and terpenes. Or, when terpenes interacts with ozone. Terpenes is mostly produced by plants- its what's responsible for the smell of herbs etc. Conifer trees produce them in particular (cedar, pine, etc)
Forests "eat the wind" literally. They eat methane. The air they clean carries the bacteria and other organisms that break down methane. This can be seen when water vapour rises from forests.
Beware, I could have some of this completely wrong as I'm still researching this. Just makes me wonder if methane sequestration is a thing? Like people making big pine forests or something? I'm trying to find info on this but can't find examples. Or maybe my understanding is wrong?
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