"Investigation of the Correlation between Atmospheric Climatic Elements Affecting the Temporal Dispersion of Methane (CH4) Pollution in Mazandaran Province"

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 "University of Tabriz, Faculty of Planning and Environmental Sciences"

2 University of Tabriz: Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, IR

10.22034/gp.2025.67467.3409

Abstract

Mazandaran Province, due to its unique climatic conditions and extensive agricultural and industrial activities, is considered one of the potential hotspots for methane (CH₄) emissions in Iran. This study aims to examine the correlation between various atmospheric climatic elements—including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation, and air pressure—and the temporal distribution of methane pollution in the province. To achieve this, Sentinel-5P satellite data and meteorological observations from regional stations were collected and analyzed over the period from 2018 to 2024. Pearson correlation and multiple regression methods were employed to assess the relationships among variables. The linear trend analysis of methane concentrations from 2019 to 2024 across different cities in Mazandaran revealed a general upward trend in methane levels, indicating a gradual increase over time. The findings highlight that climatic factors such as aerosols, temperature, and solar radiation play a central role in the variation of atmospheric methane concentrations, whereas parameters like wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and heat flux exert relatively minor influences. Moreover, results from the multivariate regression analysis identified aerosols, longwave radiation, and wind as significant predictors of methane concentrations in the province. These insights can contribute to identifying spatial and temporal patterns of methane distribution and support the development of strategic management approaches aimed at reducing methane emissions in Mazandaran Province.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Journal of Geography and Planning

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 14 September 2025

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics