Emission of Methane and Carbon Dioxide during Soil Freezing without Permafrost

Abstract

Research on methane and carbon dioxide emissions mainly focuses on industrial emissions, cultivated land, and wetlands, while few studies have studied freezing-related emissions. This paper presents field experiments conducted during soil freezing to measure carbon dioxide and methane concentrations in the air, near the soil surface, and in the soil. In addition, the influence of precipitation, snowfall, air temperature, and depth of freezing on gas emissions was analyzed. We observed increased concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide in soil and air at soil freezing and snow cover growth. For the first time, an increase in gas flux during soil freezing was found in the absence of permafrost.

Keywords

• methane
• carbon dioxide
• gas release
• freezing process
• permafrost table