温室效应气体 英文版.doc
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Methane
While carbon dioxide is the principal greenhouse gas, methane is second
most important.Methane is derived from sources such as rice paddies,
bovine flatulence, bacteria in bogs and fossil fuel production. Most of the
world’s rice, and all of the rice in the United States, is grown on flooded
fields. When fields are flooded, anaerobic conditions develop and the
organic matter in the soil decomposes, releasing CH4 to the atmosphere,
primarily through the rice plants.
Water Vapor in the Atmosphere Increasing
Water vapor is the most prevalent and most poweful greenhouse gas on
the planet, but its increasing presence is the result of warming caused by
carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases. Water vapor holds
onto two-thirds of the heat trapped by all the greenhouse gases. As the
Earth heats up relative humidity is able to increase, allowing the planet's
atmosphere to hold more water vapor, causing even more
warming.Because the air is warmer, the relative humidity can be higher
(in essence, the air is able to 'hold' more water when its warmer), leading
to more water vapor in the atmosphere. There is much scientific
uncertainty as to the degree this feedback loop causes increased warming,
inasmuch as the water vapor also causes increased cloud formation,
which in turn reflects heat back out into space.
Nitrous oxide
Another greenhouse gas is Nitrous oxide (N2O), a colourless,
non-flammable gas with a sweetish odour, commonly known as "laughing
gas". Nitrous oxide is naturally produced by oceans and rainforests.
Man-made sources of nitrous oxide include nylon and nitric acid
production, the use of fertilisers in agriculture, and the burning of organic
matter.