Temporal Constraints on Hydrate-Controlled Methane Seepage off Svalbard

Berndt, C.; Feseker, T.; Treude, T.; Krastel, S.; Liebetrau, V.; Niemann, H.; Bertics, V. J.; Dumke, I.; Dunnbier, K.; Ferre, B.; Graves, C.; Gross, F.; Hissmann, K.; Huhnerbach, V.; Krause, S.; Lieser, K.; Schauer, J.; Steinle, L.. 2014 Temporal Constraints on Hydrate-Controlled Methane Seepage off Svalbard. Science, 343 (6168). 284-287. 10.1126/science.1246298

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1246298

Abstract/Summary

Methane hydrate is an icelike substance that is stable at high pressure and low temperature in continental margin sediments. Since the discovery of a large number of gas flares at the landward termination of the gas hydrate stability zone off Svalbard, there has been concern that warming bottom waters have started to dissociate large amounts of gas hydrate and that the resulting methane release may possibly accelerate global warming. Here, we corroborate that hydrates play a role in the observed seepage of gas, but we present evidence that seepage off Svalbard has been ongoing for at least 3000 years and that seasonal fluctuations of 1° to 2°C in the bottom-water temperature cause periodic gas hydrate formation and dissociation, which focus seepage at the observed sites.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1126/science.1246298
ISSN:	0036-8075
Date made live:	03 Feb 2014 14:37 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/504757

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1126/science.1246298

ISSN:

0036-8075

Date made live:

03 Feb 2014 14:37 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/504757