N2NH
08-29-2014, 08:46 AM
Hmmm... seems I've heard someone saying this before...
Most of the methane seeps are in water less than 1,640 feet (500 meters) deep. Most of these shallow methane seeps seem to arise from microbes blurping out methane, the researchers said. The researchers did find some deeper methane vents, at which the ROV Jason glimpsed patches of methane hydrate. This is the icy mix of methane and water that appears when deep ocean pressures and cold temperatures force methane to solidify. Any type of methane gas can form hydrates.
While methane vents are common around the world, only three natural gas seeps - where methane escapes from seafloor sediments - had been found off the East Coast before 2012.
"It was a surprise to find these features," Skarke said. "It was unexpected because many of the common things associated with methane gas do not exist on the Atlantic margin."
The gas hasn't been tested yet, but they can think of nothing else that behaves like this and methane, in solid form, is known to be in this region.
Why is this important? You know how Carbon and Carbon-Dioxide are greenhouse gasses that can warm the planet?
Methane is 8X better at warming the planet. Just another sign the forecasted avalanche effect is getting closer.
Hundreds of Methane Plumes Erupting Along East Coast (http://www.accuweather.com/en/features/trend/hundreds_of_methane_plumes_eru/32858913)
Most of the methane seeps are in water less than 1,640 feet (500 meters) deep. Most of these shallow methane seeps seem to arise from microbes blurping out methane, the researchers said. The researchers did find some deeper methane vents, at which the ROV Jason glimpsed patches of methane hydrate. This is the icy mix of methane and water that appears when deep ocean pressures and cold temperatures force methane to solidify. Any type of methane gas can form hydrates.
While methane vents are common around the world, only three natural gas seeps - where methane escapes from seafloor sediments - had been found off the East Coast before 2012.
"It was a surprise to find these features," Skarke said. "It was unexpected because many of the common things associated with methane gas do not exist on the Atlantic margin."
The gas hasn't been tested yet, but they can think of nothing else that behaves like this and methane, in solid form, is known to be in this region.
Why is this important? You know how Carbon and Carbon-Dioxide are greenhouse gasses that can warm the planet?
Methane is 8X better at warming the planet. Just another sign the forecasted avalanche effect is getting closer.
Hundreds of Methane Plumes Erupting Along East Coast (http://www.accuweather.com/en/features/trend/hundreds_of_methane_plumes_eru/32858913)