Methane emissions from hydroelectric reservoirs
Hydropower reservoirs are used throughout the world to generate renewable energy, yet these reservoirs are capable of generating significant quantities of methane through methanogenesis in anoxic sediments. Given the increasing global demand for renewable energy sources, it is critical to understand both the factors driving methane emissions from these reservoirs, and potential mitigation strategies to reduce these emissions.
I am currently developing a global, mechanistic model to estimate methane emissions from existing and proposed hydropower facilities. The model couples global data for parameters such as soil carbon, biomass carbon, and temperature with mechanistic equations for methane production and transport within each reservoir. Ultimately I hope to propose reservoir construction and operation guidelines to limit methane emissions.
Methane bubble size sensor
Previously I developed an optical sensor to measure methane bubble sizes in-situ. This sensor can be deployed for long periods of time, is battery-operated, rugged, and relatively inexpensive to build. I used these sensors to study the spatial and temporal distribution of methane bubble sizes in Upper Mystic Lake, MA, as well as the role of bubble dissolution in dissolved methane accumulation.