Magnetic-field effects on methane-hydrate kinetics and potential geophysical implications: Insights from non-equilibrium molecular dynamics
We have conducted non-equilibrium molecular-dynamics (NEMD) simulation to show that externally-applied magnetic fields, including their reversals in direction, have important effects on gas-release dynamics from methane hydrates. In particular, we apply fluctuation-dissipation analysis in the guise...
| Published in: | Science of The Total Environment |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2019
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/1cfb7dc5-113c-416e-9e7d-72fc44e241d5 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.041 https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/164418872/Revised_manuscript_FIN.docx |
| Summary: | We have conducted non-equilibrium molecular-dynamics (NEMD) simulation to show that externally-applied magnetic fields, including their reversals in direction, have important effects on gas-release dynamics from methane hydrates. In particular, we apply fluctuation-dissipation analysis in the guise of Onsager's hypothesis to study hydrate kinetics at lower applied-field intensities, including temporary hydrate destabilisation in the wake of field-polarity switch; we scale down to the lowest practicable field intensities, of the order of 1 T. We conjecture, that these NEMD-based findings, particularly those involving polarity switch, may have ramifications for superchron-related Earth's magnetic-field polarity swaps affecting methane release into the geosphere, although a good deal of further work would be needed to provide a more definitive causal link. |
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