This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Farmington, N.M. • Researchers have a plan for trying to pinpoint the source of a giant mass of methane hanging over the Four Corners region.

They outlined their plan to city officials, environmentalists, industry leaders and others Friday during a forum in Farmington.

A study released last fall highlighted the methane hot spot over the area where New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona and Utah meet. Satellite imagery captured between 2003 and 2009 revealed the mass.

Researchers from the universities of Colorado and Michigan, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA are conducting the monthlong study.

The Farmington Daily Times reports they'll use as many as five different aircraft and two vans outfitted with monitors and other equipment to record methane levels in the region, with the goal of getting more detailed data.