A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle
A pockmark field extending over 35 km2 at 74°54′N, 27°3′E, described by Solheim and Elverhøi (1993), was re-surveyed and found to be covered with more than 30 steep-sided craters between 300 and 700 m in diameter and up to 28 m deep. The craters are thought to have been formed by an explosive gas er...
Published in: | Geologische Rundschau |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
1995
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7364/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7364/1/Lammers.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192242 |
id |
ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:7364 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftoceanrep:oai:oceanrep.geomar.de:7364 2023-05-15T15:38:37+02:00 A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle Lammers, Stephan Suess, Erwin Hovland, M. 1995 text https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7364/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7364/1/Lammers.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192242 en eng https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7364/1/Lammers.pdf Lammers, S., Suess, E. and Hovland, M. (1995) A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle. Geologische Rundschau, 84 . pp. 59-66. DOI 10.1007/BF00192242 <https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192242>. doi:10.1007/BF00192242 info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Article NonPeerReviewed 1995 ftoceanrep https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192242 2023-04-07T14:54:32Z A pockmark field extending over 35 km2 at 74°54′N, 27°3′E, described by Solheim and Elverhøi (1993), was re-surveyed and found to be covered with more than 30 steep-sided craters between 300 and 700 m in diameter and up to 28 m deep. The craters are thought to have been formed by an explosive gas eruption. Anomalously high concentrations of methane in the shelf waters around the craters suggest that a strong methane source near this area is still active today. Methane enrichment more than 10 km away from the crater field indicates the large dimensions of a plume and the amount of gas released from sources below the seafloor of the Barents Sea shelf. From the characteristic vertical decrease of methane towards the sea surface, it is concluded that biota are extensively using this energy pool and reducing the methane concentration within the water column by about 98% between 300 m depth and the sea surface. Degassing to the atmosphere is minimal based on the shape of the methane concentration gradient. Nevertheless, the net flux of methane from this area of the Barents Sea is about 2.9 × 104 g CH4 km−2 yr−1 and thus in the upper range of the presently estimated global marine methane release. This flux is a minimum estimate and is likely to increase seasonally when rough weather leads to more effective vertical mixing during autumn and winter. The amount of methane consumed in the water column, however, is about 50 times greater and hence should significantly contribute to the marine carbon inventory. Article in Journal/Newspaper Barents Sea Bear Island OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) Barents Sea Bear Island ENVELOPE(-67.250,-67.250,-68.151,-68.151) Solheim ENVELOPE(9.612,9.612,63.683,63.683) Geologische Rundschau 84 1 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
OceanRep (GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre für Ocean Research Kiel) |
op_collection_id |
ftoceanrep |
language |
English |
description |
A pockmark field extending over 35 km2 at 74°54′N, 27°3′E, described by Solheim and Elverhøi (1993), was re-surveyed and found to be covered with more than 30 steep-sided craters between 300 and 700 m in diameter and up to 28 m deep. The craters are thought to have been formed by an explosive gas eruption. Anomalously high concentrations of methane in the shelf waters around the craters suggest that a strong methane source near this area is still active today. Methane enrichment more than 10 km away from the crater field indicates the large dimensions of a plume and the amount of gas released from sources below the seafloor of the Barents Sea shelf. From the characteristic vertical decrease of methane towards the sea surface, it is concluded that biota are extensively using this energy pool and reducing the methane concentration within the water column by about 98% between 300 m depth and the sea surface. Degassing to the atmosphere is minimal based on the shape of the methane concentration gradient. Nevertheless, the net flux of methane from this area of the Barents Sea is about 2.9 × 104 g CH4 km−2 yr−1 and thus in the upper range of the presently estimated global marine methane release. This flux is a minimum estimate and is likely to increase seasonally when rough weather leads to more effective vertical mixing during autumn and winter. The amount of methane consumed in the water column, however, is about 50 times greater and hence should significantly contribute to the marine carbon inventory. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lammers, Stephan Suess, Erwin Hovland, M. |
spellingShingle |
Lammers, Stephan Suess, Erwin Hovland, M. A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle |
author_facet |
Lammers, Stephan Suess, Erwin Hovland, M. |
author_sort |
Lammers, Stephan |
title |
A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle |
title_short |
A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle |
title_full |
A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle |
title_fullStr |
A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle |
title_full_unstemmed |
A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle |
title_sort |
large methane plume east of bear island (barents sea): implications for the marine methane cycle |
publishDate |
1995 |
url |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7364/ https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7364/1/Lammers.pdf https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192242 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-67.250,-67.250,-68.151,-68.151) ENVELOPE(9.612,9.612,63.683,63.683) |
geographic |
Barents Sea Bear Island Solheim |
geographic_facet |
Barents Sea Bear Island Solheim |
genre |
Barents Sea Bear Island |
genre_facet |
Barents Sea Bear Island |
op_relation |
https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/7364/1/Lammers.pdf Lammers, S., Suess, E. and Hovland, M. (1995) A large methane plume east of Bear Island (Barents Sea): Implications for the marine methane cycle. Geologische Rundschau, 84 . pp. 59-66. DOI 10.1007/BF00192242 <https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192242>. doi:10.1007/BF00192242 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00192242 |
container_title |
Geologische Rundschau |
container_volume |
84 |
container_issue |
1 |
_version_ |
1766369763042263040 |