Unexpectedly strong methane emissions have been detected at several locations in Lake Siljan, Sweden, according to a new study from Chalmers University of Technology.
Unexpectedly strong methane emissions have been detected at several locations in Lake Siljan, Sweden, according to a new study from Chalmers University of Technology. The findings, based on a novel measurement technique developed by the researchers, reveal persistent and concentrated methane leaks never before observed in a lake environment. Scientists will now investigate whether these emissions are unique to Siljan – or part of a broader phenomenon that could occur in lakes worldwide.
Lake Siljan is the largest of several lakes in the Siljan Ring area, a 370-million-year-old impact crater in central Sweden formed by a meteorite strike. Natural methane seepage from lakes in this region has long been known, and local residents have reported persistent winter ice holes – "ice wakes" – reappearing in the same spots year after year. The Chalmers study focused on precisely these sites, as methane leaks could be the underlying cause of the recurring openings in the ice.
The research, led by Professors Johan Mellqvist and Vladimir Conde at Chalmers, measured methane emissions from lakes in the Siljan Ring during two field campaigns in 2023 and 2024. The results surprised the scientists in several ways.
Read More: Chalmers University of Technology
Locals at Lake Siljan in northern Sweden have told of persistent winter ice holes that often occur in the same place year after year. Now, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have examined the area with a completely new measurement method and discovered unexpectedly strong methane emissions from several places on the lakes in the area – which is the cause of the holes in the ice. (Photo Credit: Mats Budh)
