On the origin and timing of rapid changes in atmospheric methane during the last glacial period

We present high resolution records of atmospheric methane from the GISP2 (G reenland Ice Sheet Project 2) ice core for four rapid climate transitions t hat occurred during the past 50 ka: the end of the Younger Dryas at 11.8 ka , the beginning of the Bolling-Allerod period at 14.8 ka, the beginning of interstadial 8 at 38.2 ka, and the beginning of interstadial 12 at 45.5 ka. During these events, atmospheric methane concentrations increased by 200-3 00 ppb over time periods of 100-300 years, significantly more slowly than a ssociated temperature and snow accumulation changes recorded in the ice cor e record. We suggest that the slower rise in methane concentration may refl ect the timescale of terrestrial ecosystem response to rapid climate change . We find no evidence for rapid, massive methane emissions that might be as sociated with large-scale decomposition of methane hydrates in sediments. W ith additional results from the Taylor Dome Ice Core (Antarctica) we also r econstruct changes in the interpolar methane gradient tan indicator of the geographical distribution of methane sources) associated with some of the r apid changes in atmospheric methane. The results indicate that the rise in methane at the beginning of the Bolling-Allerod period and the later rise a t the end of the Younger Dryas were driven by increases in both tropical an d boreal methane sources. During the Younger Dryas (a 1.3 ka cold period du ring the last deglaciation) the relative contribution from boreal sources w as reduced relative to the early and middle Holocene periods.