Gas hydrate dissociation off Svalbard induced by isostatic rebound rather than global warming

Klaus Wallmann; M. Riedel; W. L. Hong; H. Patton; A. Hubbard; T. Pape; C. W. Hsu; C. Schmidt; J. E. Johnson; M. E. Torres; K. Andreassen; C. Berndt; G. Bohrmann

doi:10.1038/s41467-017-02550-9

Nature Communications (Jan 2018)

Gas hydrate dissociation off Svalbard induced by isostatic rebound rather than global warming

Klaus Wallmann,
M. Riedel,
W. L. Hong,
H. Patton,
A. Hubbard,
T. Pape,
C. W. Hsu,
C. Schmidt,
J. E. Johnson,
M. E. Torres,
K. Andreassen,
C. Berndt,
G. Bohrmann

Affiliations

Klaus Wallmann: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
M. Riedel: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
W. L. Hong: Geological Survey of Norway, N-7022
H. Patton: CAGE Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate Research, Environment and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway
A. Hubbard: CAGE Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate Research, Environment and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway
T. Pape: MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen
C. W. Hsu: MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen
C. Schmidt: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
J. E. Johnson: Department of Earth Sciences, University of New Hampshire
M. E. Torres: College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
K. Andreassen: CAGE Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate Research, Environment and Climate, Department of Geosciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway
C. Berndt: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
G. Bohrmann: MARUM—Center for Marine Environmental Sciences and Department of Geosciences, University of Bremen

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02550-9
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Methane seepage from continental slopes has been attributed to gas hydrate dissociation induced by anthropogenic bottom water warming. Here, the authors show that hydrates dissociated before the Anthropocene when the isostatic rebound induced by deglaciation of the Arctic ice sheet outpaced eustatic sea-level rise.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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