(Press-News.org) Contact information: Marmian Grimes
marmian.grimes@alaska.edu
907-474-7902
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Study: Arctic seafloor methane releases double previous estimates
Storm activity hastens release of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere
The seafloor off the coast of Northern Siberia is releasing more than twice the amount of methane as previously estimated, according to new research results published in the Nov. 24 edition of the journal Nature Geoscience.
The East Siberian Arctic Shelf is venting at least 17 teragrams of the methane into the atmosphere each year. A teragram is equal to 1 million tons.
"It is now on par with the methane being released from the arctic tundra, which is considered to be one of the major sources of methane in the Northern Hemisphere," said Natalia Shakhova, one of the paper's lead authors and a scientist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. "Increased methane releases in this area are a possible new climate-change-driven factor that will strengthen over time."
Methane is a greenhouse gas more than 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide. On land, methane is released when previously frozen organic material decomposes. In the seabed, methane can be stored as a pre-formed gas or as methane hydrates. As long as the subsea permafrost remains frozen, it forms a cap, effectively trapping the methane beneath. However, as the permafrost thaws, it develops holes, which allow the methane to escape. These releases can be larger and more abrupt than those that result from decomposition.
The findings are the latest in an ongoing international research project led by Shakhova and Igor Semiletov, both researchers at the UAF International Arctic Research Center. Their twice-yearly arctic expeditions have revealed that the subsea permafrost in the area has thawed much more extensively than previously thought, in part due to warming water near the bottom of the ocean. The warming has created conditions that allow the subsea methane to escape in much greater amounts than their earlier models estimated. Frequent storms in the area hasten its release into the atmosphere, much in the same way stirring a soda releases the carbonation more quickly.
"Results of this study represent a big step forward toward improving our understanding of methane emissions from the East Siberian Arctic Shelf," said Shakhova. She noted that while the ESAS is unusual in its expansive and shallow nature, the team's findings there speak to the need for further exploration of the subsea Arctic. "I believe that all other arctic shelf areas are significantly underestimated and should be paid very careful attention to."
The East Siberian Arctic Shelf is a methane-rich area that encompasses more than 2 million square kilometers of seafloor in the Arctic Ocean. It is more than three times as large as the nearby Siberian wetlands, which have been considered the primary Northern Hemisphere source of atmospheric methane. Previous estimates performed for the ESAS suggested that the area was releasing 8 teragrams of methane into the atmosphere yearly.
During field expeditions, the research team used a variety of techniques—including sonar and visual images of methane bubbles in the water, air and water sampling, seafloor drilling and temperature readings—to determine the conditions of the water and permafrost, as well as the amount of methane being released.
Methane is an important factor in global climate change, because it so effectively traps heat. As conditions warm, global research has indicated that more methane is released, which then stands to further warm the planet. Scientists call this phenomenon a positive feedback loop.
"We believe that the release of methane from the Arctic, and in particular this part of the Arctic, could impact the entire globe," Shakhova said. "We are trying to understand the actual contribution of the ESAS to the global methane budget and how that will change over time."
INFORMATION:
Shakhova and Semiletov are also affiliated with the Pacific Oceanological Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Far Eastern Branch, as are research team members Anatoly Salyuk, Denis Kosmach and Denis Chernykh. Other members of the research team include Dmitry Nicolsky of the UAF Geophysical Institute; co-lead author Ira Leifer of the Marine Sciences Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Bubbleology Research International; Valentin Sergienko of the Institute of Chemistry at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Far Eastern Branch; Chris Stubbs of the Marine Sciences Institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Vladimir Tumskoy of Moscow State University; and Örjan Gustafsson of the Department of Applied Environmental Science and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photos of methane bubbles in the sea and fieldwork are available for download at http://bit.ly/uaf112502
Study: Arctic seafloor methane releases double previous estimates
Storm activity hastens release of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere
2013-11-26
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Risk of HIV treatment failure present even in those with low viral load
2013-11-26
Risk of HIV treatment failure present even in those with low viral load
Study proposes new benchmarks for clinical treatment of HIV
People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) run a higher risk of virologic failure than previously thought, even ...
MR spectroscopy shows differences in brains of preterm infants
2013-11-26
MR spectroscopy shows differences in brains of preterm infants
CHICAGO – Premature birth appears to trigger developmental processes in the white matter of the brain that could put children at higher risk of problems later in life, according to a study ...
New tool developed for profiling critical regulatory structures of RNA molecules
2013-11-25
New tool developed for profiling critical regulatory structures of RNA molecules
A molecular technique that will help the scientific community to analyze -- on a scale previously impossible -- molecules that play a critical role in regulating gene expression has been ...
Your first hug: How the early embryo changes shape
2013-11-25
Your first hug: How the early embryo changes shape
In research published today in Nature Cell Biology, scientists from the EMBL Australia research team based at Monash University's Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) have revealed new ...
Pill-popping galaxy hooked on gas
2013-11-25
Pill-popping galaxy hooked on gas
Our Galaxy may have been swallowing "pills" — clouds of gas with a magnetic wrapper — to keep making stars for the past eight billion years.
That's the conclusion of CSIRO astronomer Dr Alex Hill, lead author of a study of the Smith Cloud, ...
Black hole jets pack a powerful punch
2013-11-25
Black hole jets pack a powerful punch
High-speed 'jets' spat out by black holes pack a lot of power because they contain heavy atoms, astronomers have found.
Black-hole jets recycle matter and energy into space and can affect when and where a galaxy forms stars.
"Jets ...
The mushrooms, my friend, are blowing in the wind...
2013-11-25
The mushrooms, my friend, are blowing in the wind...
Research at the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics Meeting in Pittsburgh shows how the mushroom spews its spores
WASHINGTON D.C. Nov. 25, 2013 -- Plants use a variety of methods to spread their seeds, including ...
JCI early table of contents for Nov. 25, 2013
2013-11-25
JCI early table of contents for Nov. 25, 2013
Predicting nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient response to radiation therapy
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) affects cells lining the nasopharynx. The majority of NPC cases can be cured by radiation therapy, ...
Predicting nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient response to radiation therapy
2013-11-25
Predicting nasopharyngeal carcinoma patient response to radiation therapy
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) affects cells lining the nasopharynx. The majority of NPC cases can be cured by radiation therapy, however ~20% are resistant to radiation treatment. ...
Circadian clock proteins maintain neuronal cell function
2013-11-25
Circadian clock proteins maintain neuronal cell function
The circadian clock synchronizes the molecular activity of cells to their environment. The "core clock" of the circadian system is made up of a group of proteins that autonomously activate and ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Chung-Ang University develops chloride-resistant Ru nanocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen production from seawater
Afghanistan’s August 2025 earthquake reveals the cost of international isolation, UN scientists warn
Shortlist announced for Panmure House Prize
Small nuclear RNA base editing a safer alternative to CRISPR, UC San Diego researchers find
Can Hayabusa2 touchdown? New study reveals space mission’s target asteroid is tinier and faster than thought
Millisecond windows of time may be key to how we hear, study finds
Graz University of Technology opens up new avenues in lung cancer research with digital cell twin
Exoplanets are not water worlds
Study shows increasing ‘healthy competition’ between menu options nudges patients towards greener, lower-fat hospital food choices
New insights into melanoma plasticity uncover a critical role of iron metabolism
A graphene sandwich — deposited or transferred?
New light-powered motor fits inside a strand of hair
Oil rig study reveals vital role of tiny hoverflies
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia researchers boost widespread use of dental varnish across pediatric network
iRECODE: A new computational method that brings clarity to single-cell analysis
New NUS-MOH study: Singapore’s healthcare sector carbon emissions 18% lower than expected, a milestone in the city-state’s net zero journey
QUT scientists create material to turn waste heat into clean power
Major new report sets out how to tackle the ‘profound and lasting impact’ of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health
Cosmic crime scene: White dwarf found devouring Pluto-like icy world
Major report tackles Covid’s cardiovascular crisis head-on
A third of licensed GPs in England not working in NHS general practice
ChatGPT “thought on the fly” when put through Ancient Greek maths puzzle
Engineers uncover why tiny particles form clusters in turbulent air
GLP-1RA drugs dramatically reduce death and cardiovascular risk in psoriasis patients
Psoriasis linked to increased risk of vision-threatening eye disease, study finds
Reprogramming obesity: New drug from Italian biotech aims to treat the underlying causes of obesity
Type 2 diabetes may accelerate development of multiple chronic diseases, particularly in the early stages, UK Biobank study suggests
Resistance training may improve nerve health, slow aging process, study shows
Common and inexpensive medicine halves the risk of recurrence in patients with colorectal cancer
SwRI-built instruments to monitor, provide advanced warning of space weather events
[Press-News.org] Study: Arctic seafloor methane releases double previous estimatesStorm activity hastens release of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere