Römer, M, Torres, M, Kasten, S et al. (13 more authors) (2014) First evidence of widespread active methane seepage in the Southern Ocean, off the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 403. 166 - 177. ISSN 1385-013X
Abstract
An extensive submarine cold-seep area was discovered on the northern shelf of South Georgia during R/V Polarstern cruise ANT-XXIX/4 in spring 2013. Hydroacoustic surveys documented the presence of 133 gas bubble emissions, which were restricted to glacially-formed fjords and troughs. Video-based sea floor observations confirmed the sea floor origin of the gas emissions and spatially related microbial mats. Effective methane transport from these emissions into the hydrosphere was proven by relative enrichments of dissolved methane in near-bottom waters. Stable carbon isotopic signatures pointed to a predominant microbial methane formation, presumably based on high organic matter sedimentation in this region. Although known from many continental margins in the world’s oceans, this is the first report of an active area of methane seepage in the Southern Ocean. Our finding of substantial methane emission related to a trough and fjord system, a topographical setting that exists commonly in glacially-affected areas, opens up the possibility that methane seepage is a more widespread phenomenon in polar and sub-polar regions than previously thought.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | ©2014 Elsevier B.V. NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 403, (2014) DOI 10.1016/j.epsl.2014.06.036 Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy |
Keywords: | Cold seeps; gas bubble emissions; methane seepage; South Georgia |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 13 Jan 2015 09:50 |
Last Modified: | 19 Jan 2018 00:54 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2014.06.036 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.epsl.2014.06.036 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:82703 |