Global warming could lead to release of more methane from seafloor

The Big Seep

A warming ocean could release more of the potent greenhouse gas methane in a vicious cycle that leads to more warming, says a new report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Petroleum and methane seep consistently from small cracks in the seafloor, but a study of ocean sediments near Santa Barbara, Calif., found that during the last two major warming periods, around 11,000 and 15,000 years ago, three times more oil and methane were released than average. The researchers hypothesize that undersea methane ice melt could disturb the seafloor and open new cracks for seepage. "This is a source of methane that we might have assumed in the past was stable," said lead author Tessa Hill. "As it turns out, it's very sensitive to climate change." Hill cautioned that the research should not be extrapolated worldwide, as methane stores in different parts of the ocean might not follow the same pattern. Small consolation, that.

straight to the source: ScienceNOW, Julie Rehmeyer, 28 Aug 2006

straight to the source: The Sacramento Bee, Matt Weiser, 29 Aug 2006

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Comments: (2 comments)

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saving endangered birds

The article in the Independent makes an interesting observation that conservationists are more likely to take action to protect "charismatic" bird species, and to pay less attention to others that can seem plain, or unattractive. It is possible that the California condor, not being very cute to look at in the eyes of many observers, falls into this class. More surprising, though, is that the piping plover is included, which while small is IMHO definitely cute. Same with the sage grouse. On the other hand, it would not surprise me if the large numbers of songbirds, many warblers and others, which migrate between North and South America and are vulnerable to habitat loss in a number of places, are thought not to have much stage presence.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 11:08 PM on 29 Aug 2006

Methane hydrate

http://www.resa.net/nasa/ocean_methane.htm

"Hydrates
These gas hydrates are actually natural methane-water ices, which form under conditions of high pressure and low temperature in many areas worldwide. Gas hydrate is a crystalline solid consisting of gas molecules, usually methane, each surrounded by a cage of water molecules. It looks very much like water ice. Methane hydrate is stable in ocean floor sediments at water depths greater than 300 meters and, where it occurs, it is known to cement loose sediments in a surface layer up to several hundred meters thick."

Melt this ocean bottom glacier and release overwhelming amounts of methane, with 21 times the greenhouse effect of CO 2. ( http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/Emi... )

Melt the permafrost in the arctic regions and add to it.

But never fear the corporatista geniuses that keep this doom on track are planning to pump CO 2 from "clean" coal power plants under the ocean floor to stave it off. The ocean floor? Where the methane hydrate is iced over?

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog John Schneider, Northern Wisconsin

by amazingdrx at 5:05 AM on 30 Aug 2006

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