Westbrook, Graham K., Thatcher, Kate E., Rohling, Eelco J., Piotrowski, Alexander M., Pälike, Heiko, Osborne, Anne H., Nisbet, Euan G., Minshull, Tim A., Lanoisellé, Mathias, James, Rachael H., Huhnerbach, Veit, Green, Darryl, Fisher, Rebecca E., Crocker, Anya J., Chabert, Anne, Bolton, Clara, Beszczynska-Möller, Agnieszka, Berndt, Christian and Aquilina, Alfred (2009) Escape of methane gas from the seabed along the West Spitsbergen continental margin. Geophysical Research Letters, 36, L15608. (doi:10.1029/2009GL039191).
Abstract
More than 250 plumes of gas bubbles have been discovered emanating from the seabed of the West Spitsbergen continental margin, in a depth range of 150-400 m, at and above the present upper limit of the gas hydrate stability zone (GHSZ). Some of the plumes extend upward to within 50 m of the sea surface. The gas is predominantly methane. Warming of the northward-flowing West Spitsbergen current by 1°C over the last thirty years is likely to have increased the release of methane from the seabed by reducing the extent of the GHSZ, causing the liberation of methane from decomposing hydrate. If this process becomes widespread along Arctic continental margins, tens of Teragrams of methane per year could be released into the ocean.
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- Faculties (pre 2011 reorg) > Faculty of Engineering Science & Maths (pre 2011 reorg) > National Oceanography Centre,Southampton (pre 2011 reorg)
- Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2018 reorg) > Paleooceanography & Palaeoclimate (pre 2018 reorg)
Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Ocean and Earth Science > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2018 reorg) > Paleooceanography & Palaeoclimate (pre 2018 reorg)
School of Ocean and Earth Science > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2018 reorg) > Paleooceanography & Palaeoclimate (pre 2018 reorg) - Faculties (pre 2018 reorg) > Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences (pre 2018 reorg) > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2018 reorg)
Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Ocean and Earth Science > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2018 reorg)
School of Ocean and Earth Science > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2018 reorg) - Faculties (pre 2011 reorg) > Faculty of Engineering Science & Maths (pre 2011 reorg) > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2011 reorg)
Current Faculties > Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences > School of Ocean and Earth Science > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2011 reorg)
School of Ocean and Earth Science > Ocean and Earth Science (pre 2011 reorg)
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