New research shows that episodes of methane emission from the seabed off western Svalbard correlate with changing ice volumes in the Arctic.
New research shows that episodes of methane emission from the seabed off western Svalbard correlate with changing ice volumes in the Arctic.
Ice sheet dynamics of the past likely induced fault movements in the Earth’s crust, thereby facilitating seabed methane release in ~1200 m water depth offshore Svalbard.
– Our results show similar patterns over the last two ice ages, from 160,000 years ago through today. The new data suggest a link between changing continental ice volumes and deep-sea methane emission in the Arctic, says Tobias Himmler, researcher at the Geological Survey of Norway (NGU) in Trondheim.
Read more at: CAGE - Center for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Climate and Environment
The manipulator arm of the ROV Ægir 6000 samples seep carbonates from the seabed at 1200 m water depth, off western Svalbard. (Photo Credit: NORCRUST)
