Glacigenic sedimentation pulses triggered post-glacial gas hydrate dissociation.

Karstens, Jens , Haflidason, Haflidi, Becker, Lukas W. M., Berndt, Christian , Rüpke, Lars , Planke, Sverre, Liebetrau, Volker, Schmidt, Mark and Mienert, Jürgen (2018) Glacigenic sedimentation pulses triggered post-glacial gas hydrate dissociation. Open Access Nature Communications, 9 (Article number 635). DOI 10.1038/s41467-018-03043-z.

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Abstract

Large amounts of methane are stored in continental margins as gas hydrates. They are stable under high pressure and low temperature, but react sensitively to environmental changes. Bottom water temperature and sea level changes were considered as main contributors to gas hydrate dynamics after the last glaciation. However, here we show with numerical simulations that pulses of increased sedimentation dominantly controlled hydrate stability during the end of the last glaciation offshore mid-Norway. Sedimentation pulses triggered widespread gas hydrate dissociation and explains the formation of ubiquitous blowout pipes in water depths of 600 to 800 m. Maximum gas hydrate dissociation correlates spatially and temporally with the formation or reactivation of pockmarks, which is constrained by radiocarbon dating of Isorropodon nyeggaensis bivalve shells. Our results highlight that rapid changes of sedimentation can have a strong impact on gas hydrate systems affecting fluid flow and gas seepage activity, slope stability and the carbon cycle.

Document Type: Article
Funder compliance: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/317217
Additional Information: Correction: The original version of this Article contained an error in the second sentence of the Abstract, which incorrectly read 'They are stable under high pressure and low, but react sensitively to environmental changes.' The correct version adds 'temperature' after 'low'. This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Keywords: Gas hydrate dissociation, sedimentation rate reconstruction, dynamic gas hydrate simulations, post-glacial methane release, Nyegga pockmark field
Research affiliation: OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB2 Marine Biogeochemistry > FB2-MG Marine Geosystems
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB4 Dynamics of the Ocean Floor > FB4-MUHS
OceanRep > GEOMAR > FB4 Dynamics of the Ocean Floor > FB4-GDY Marine Geodynamics
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: Yes
Publisher: Nature Research
Related URLs:
Projects: GLANAM
Date Deposited: 12 Feb 2018 11:24
Last Modified: 08 Feb 2021 07:41
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/41893

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