U.S. study finds surprise within greenhouse gases

By William Atkins
Wednesday, 18 November 2009 19:01

Science - Climate

Researchers from NASA and Purdue University found that carbon dioxide and methane are not as important as fluorine (F) compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and nitrogen fluoride when it comes to producing greenhouse gases (GHGs).


The authors of the study are Partha P. Bara, Joseph S. Francisco, and Timothy J. Lee (NASA Ames Research Center, Space Science and Astrobiology Division, Moffett Field, California, and Department of Chemistry and Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana).

Their article “Identifying the Molecular Origin of Global Warming,” appears in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Physical Chemistry A, which was released on November 12, 2009. [J. Phys. Chem. A, 2009, 113 (45), pp 12694–12699, DOI: 10.1021/jp905097g]

The researchers looked into which chemical and physical properties of certain molecules are most likely to produce greenhouse gases (GHGs) and, thus, are important for the study of global warming and climate change.

They researched numerous chemicals that are often included as greenhouse gases by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which is an international body that is monitoring global warming.

The researchers used experimental observations and computer modeling for their study.

They discovered that chemical compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and nitrogen fluorides, along with the element sulfur (S), had properties that were much more likely to warm the global climate than other compounds that are often associated with global warming, such as carbon dioxide and methane.

Each of these compounds contains fluorine (F) atoms, which were found to be very efficient at blocking radiation.

For instance, perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sometimes referred to as fluorocarbons, are organofluorine compounds that contain only carbon and fluorine bonded together in strong carbon–fluorine bonds.

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