Active gas seepage in western Spitsbergen fjords, Svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls
This study presents the first systematic observations of active gas seepage from the seafloor in the main fjords of western Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. High-resolution acoustic water column data were acquired throughout two research cruises in August 2015 and June 2021. 883 gas flares h...
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2023
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1173477 https://doaj.org/article/75aea2b90183421eab20145e9f011688 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:75aea2b90183421eab20145e9f011688 2023-07-23T04:17:35+02:00 Active gas seepage in western Spitsbergen fjords, Svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls Nil Rodes Peter Betlem Kim Senger Miriam Römer Andy Hodson Martin Liira Tom Birchall Srikumar Roy Riko Noormets Aleksandra Smyrak-Sikora Snorre Olaussen Gerhard Bohrmann 2023-06-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1173477 https://doaj.org/article/75aea2b90183421eab20145e9f011688 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1173477/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-6463 2296-6463 doi:10.3389/feart.2023.1173477 https://doaj.org/article/75aea2b90183421eab20145e9f011688 Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol 11 (2023) gas seepage gas flares hydrocarbon sources hydroacoustic mapping water column anomalies Arctic fjord systems Science Q article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1173477 2023-07-02T00:39:53Z This study presents the first systematic observations of active gas seepage from the seafloor in the main fjords of western Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. High-resolution acoustic water column data were acquired throughout two research cruises in August 2015 and June 2021. 883 gas flares have been identified and characterized in Isfjorden, and 115 gas flares in Van Mijenfjorden. The hydroacoustic data indicate active fluid migration into the water column. Interpretation of 1943 km of regional offshore 2D seismic profiles supplemented the water column and existing gas geochemical data by providing geological control on the distribution of source rocks and potential migration pathways for fluids. In the study area, bedrock architecture controls the fluid migration from deep source rocks. Faults, high permeability layers, heavily fractured units and igneous intrusions channel the gas seepage into the water column. The observations of gas seepage presented in this study are an important step towards the assessment of how near-shore seepage impacts upon the carbon budget of Svalbard fjords, which constitute a globally recognized early climate change warning system for the High Arctic. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Climate change Isfjord* Isfjord* Isfjorden Isfjorden Svalbard Van Mijenfjorden Spitsbergen Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago Van Mijenfjorden ENVELOPE(14.667,14.667,77.717,77.717) Frontiers in Earth Science 11 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
gas seepage gas flares hydrocarbon sources hydroacoustic mapping water column anomalies Arctic fjord systems Science Q |
spellingShingle |
gas seepage gas flares hydrocarbon sources hydroacoustic mapping water column anomalies Arctic fjord systems Science Q Nil Rodes Peter Betlem Kim Senger Miriam Römer Andy Hodson Martin Liira Tom Birchall Srikumar Roy Riko Noormets Aleksandra Smyrak-Sikora Snorre Olaussen Gerhard Bohrmann Active gas seepage in western Spitsbergen fjords, Svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls |
topic_facet |
gas seepage gas flares hydrocarbon sources hydroacoustic mapping water column anomalies Arctic fjord systems Science Q |
description |
This study presents the first systematic observations of active gas seepage from the seafloor in the main fjords of western Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. High-resolution acoustic water column data were acquired throughout two research cruises in August 2015 and June 2021. 883 gas flares have been identified and characterized in Isfjorden, and 115 gas flares in Van Mijenfjorden. The hydroacoustic data indicate active fluid migration into the water column. Interpretation of 1943 km of regional offshore 2D seismic profiles supplemented the water column and existing gas geochemical data by providing geological control on the distribution of source rocks and potential migration pathways for fluids. In the study area, bedrock architecture controls the fluid migration from deep source rocks. Faults, high permeability layers, heavily fractured units and igneous intrusions channel the gas seepage into the water column. The observations of gas seepage presented in this study are an important step towards the assessment of how near-shore seepage impacts upon the carbon budget of Svalbard fjords, which constitute a globally recognized early climate change warning system for the High Arctic. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nil Rodes Peter Betlem Kim Senger Miriam Römer Andy Hodson Martin Liira Tom Birchall Srikumar Roy Riko Noormets Aleksandra Smyrak-Sikora Snorre Olaussen Gerhard Bohrmann |
author_facet |
Nil Rodes Peter Betlem Kim Senger Miriam Römer Andy Hodson Martin Liira Tom Birchall Srikumar Roy Riko Noormets Aleksandra Smyrak-Sikora Snorre Olaussen Gerhard Bohrmann |
author_sort |
Nil Rodes |
title |
Active gas seepage in western Spitsbergen fjords, Svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls |
title_short |
Active gas seepage in western Spitsbergen fjords, Svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls |
title_full |
Active gas seepage in western Spitsbergen fjords, Svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls |
title_fullStr |
Active gas seepage in western Spitsbergen fjords, Svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls |
title_full_unstemmed |
Active gas seepage in western Spitsbergen fjords, Svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls |
title_sort |
active gas seepage in western spitsbergen fjords, svalbard archipelago: spatial extent and geological controls |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1173477 https://doaj.org/article/75aea2b90183421eab20145e9f011688 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(14.667,14.667,77.717,77.717) |
geographic |
Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago Van Mijenfjorden |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Svalbard Svalbard Archipelago Van Mijenfjorden |
genre |
Arctic Climate change Isfjord* Isfjord* Isfjorden Isfjorden Svalbard Van Mijenfjorden Spitsbergen |
genre_facet |
Arctic Climate change Isfjord* Isfjord* Isfjorden Isfjorden Svalbard Van Mijenfjorden Spitsbergen |
op_source |
Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol 11 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2023.1173477/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-6463 2296-6463 doi:10.3389/feart.2023.1173477 https://doaj.org/article/75aea2b90183421eab20145e9f011688 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1173477 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Earth Science |
container_volume |
11 |
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1772179463379877888 |