Global Methane Emissions and Its Isotopic Source Signatures - Year 2019-2021

Dataset
Data: Global_monthly_emissions_CH4_isotopes_ethane_2019_2021_best_case.nc
Contact: Xueying Yu (xyu2@albany.edu); Rob Jackson

Description
Global monthly emissions of methane and its isotopic source signatures (d13C-CH4 and dD-CH4) for the year 2019-2021. Estimates are derived using a four-dimensional variational (4D‑Var) data assimilation in the GEOS-Chem Adjoint Model that integrates space‑based observations of methane from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), along with in situ NOAA measurements of methane isotopes.

Spatial resolution: 4° × 5°
Temporal resolution: monthly
Time period: Jan-Dec, 2019–2021

Variables
EMIS_CH4_OPT: Global methane emissions from methane isotopic-enabled assimilation
EMIS_CH4_OPT_UNC: Uncertainties of the global methane optimized emissions
EMIS_CH4_OPT_ANTH: Global anthropogenic methane emissions from methane isotopic-enabled assimilation
EMIS_CH4_OPT_NAT: Global nature methane emissions from methane isotopic-enabled assimilation
EMIS_CH4_PRIOR: Prior methane emissions from inventories
SIG_d13C_CH4_OPT: Global methane d13C-CH4 source signatures from methane isotopic-enabled assimilation
SIG_dD_CH4_OPT: Global methane dD-CH4 source signatures from methane isotopic-enabled assimilation

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Citation
Yu, X.& Jackson, R. (2026). Global Monthly Emissions of Methane and Its Isotopic Source Signatures for the Year 2019-2021 [Dataset]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21364156

Yu, X., Canadell, J. G., Henze, D. K., Patra, P. K., Saunois, M., Cen, X., Lan, X., Riddell-Young, B., Röckmann, T., and Jackson, R. B. (2026). Incorporating methane isotopologues alters tropical and subtropical methane emission estimates. Nature Communications, 17, 6002, 10.1038/s41467-026-72668-2.