An interesting post in Science Daily from research at Washington University shows that as the top 700 metres of the ocean warms, it is releasing the large stores of methane hydrates on the ocean floor. Methane hydrates collect at between 700 metres and 2000 metres where the water is 2C or cooler and is held in its frozen form by cold temperature and pressure. It is formed either microbially or where methane was formed by thermal decomposition of organic matter.
There are vast stores of frozen methane on the ocean floor and as the sea warms the methane is unfrozen and the gas is released into the sea, either to bubble to the surface or be absorbed into the water. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and is 20 times stronger than CO2 over 70 years. It is claimed to be one of the main forcing agents that increases the worlds temperature in a natural multiplying action.
There are vast stores of frozen methane on the ocean floor and as the sea warms the methane is unfrozen and the gas is released into the sea, either to bubble to the surface or be absorbed into the water. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and is 20 times stronger than CO2 over 70 years. It is claimed to be one of the main forcing agents that increases the worlds temperature in a natural multiplying action.
The release of methane is a similar process to the raising level of the tree line on mountains. As the atmosphere warms the point of freezing rises and in a mirror event as the sea warms, methane melts at deeper levels.
Oceans all round the world, from Siberia to Antarctica are reporting the release of methane from the continental shelf and such large releases of this very powerful greenhouse gas is of considerable concern to the future of life on the planet.
Oceans all round the world, from Siberia to Antarctica are reporting the release of methane from the continental shelf and such large releases of this very powerful greenhouse gas is of considerable concern to the future of life on the planet.
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