Arctic methane could be unlocked by the Moon
The Moon could be affecting how much methane is released from the Arctic Ocean seafloor. The tides, controlled by the Moon, affect how much methane is released from seafloor sediments. Low tides mean less pressure and more methane released, while high tides create more pressure, and therefore less methane emission.
The research was conducted in the west Svalbard region of the Arctic. “It is the first time that this observation has been made in the Arctic Ocean. It means that slight pressure changes can release significant amounts of methane,” said Jochen Knies, a marine geologist at the Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate.
Methane contributes to global warming by trapping and holding heat in the atmosphere. Huge methane reserves lurk beneath the seafloor, and ocean warming is expected to unlock some of that trapped methane. Understanding how the tides impact these emissions is important for future climate predictions.
To confirm this tidal effect, researchers measured the pressure and temperature inside the sediments, finding out that gas levels near the seafloor rise and fall with the tides. By using a permanent monitoring tool, the researchers were able to identify methane release in an area of the Arctic Ocean where it has not previously been observed.
PATRICK PESTER