New methane discharge discovered in the Russian Arctic – Guardian

A new source of methane discharge was discovered in the Arctic Ocean near eastern Siberia, raising concerns about a “new tipping point” that could accelerate the pace of global warming, The Guardian reported Tuesday.

Scientists have found that the powerful greenhouse gas gurgles from a depth of 350 meters in the Laptev Sea, with surface-level concentrations flowing into the atmosphere between four and eight times the normal amount. One of the six monitoring points showed methane concentrations 400 times higher than those expected in the normal air-sea balance.

“The discovery of the active release of hydrates from the slopes of the platforms is very important and so far unknown. This is a new page,” She said Igor Semiletov, chief scientist aboard the research vessel Akademik M. Keldysh which is part of a multi-year Russian-Swedish study expedition on the international Siberian platform.

The discovery is raising concerns that a new feedback loop accelerating climate change may have already been activated. A recent study co-authored by a member of the expedition found that the cycle could be activated if the Arctic warms a few degrees.

“Right now, there is unlikely to be a major impact on global warming, but the point is that this process has been activated,“Swedish scientist and co-author of the study Örjan Gustafsson he told the Guardian from the ship.

“This methane hydrate system on the slopes of Eastern Siberia has been disrupted and the process will be ongoing. “

The Guardian reported that warm Atlantic currents driven by human-induced climate perturbations are the likely cause of the massive methane discharge.

The Arctic is warming twice as fast as anywhere else on Earth, and The Guardian reported it has yet to start freezing for the winter, already breaking records for the last date of sea ice formation after unusually melting. early this spring.

This is potentially the third largest source of methane emissions from the shallower parts of the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea. Semiletov’s expedition released first photos of a huge methane gas fountain bubbling up from the bottom of the East Siberian Sea last fall.

Scientists pointed out that their findings are considered preliminary until they analyze data collected in the field and have their studies peer-reviewed.

“The discovery of actively releasing platform slope hydrates is very important and unknown until now,“Semiletov said.”They can potentially have serious consequences for the climate, but we need more studies before we can confirm this.”