This is not good (methane clathrates)

[kassy]

This paper suggests there isn't a big threat from the ESAS clathrates:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264817222005281

Do we trust that "Oil and Gas Research Institute" of Moscow who have funded the study?

What would an Oil and Gas Research Institute do that S&S can´t. Well this:

Abstract
This study investigated the zones associated with the potential distribution and absence of frozen ground and gas hydrates on the East Siberian Arctic Shelf in the Laptev and East Siberian seas. The investigation was based on an analysis of velocities of refracted waves registered as first breaks from common-shot gathers along 71 common depth point seismic lines with a total length of 15 630 km acquired by JSC MAGE in 2007–2016. Consequently, essentially new data that illustrate the state of the cryolithozone on the East Siberian Arctic Shelf were obtained. In particular, this study confirmed a significant decrease in the area of possible existence of frozen ground and methane hydrates in the postglacial period. Based on an extensive analysis of subsea frozen ground degradation zones on the shelves of the Laptev, East Siberian, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas (∼57% of the total area), it can be concluded that there is a low probability of considerable contribution of methane, being released from the dissociating gas hydrates, to climate change.

So these are the results of a seismic survey. This shows what is underground. So most is gone already and this is fine since we have enough to worry about and we don´t actually lack methane sources.

[gerontocrat]

The  Oil and Gas Research Institute  is part of the Russian Academy of Sciences which is as good as it gets (or at least it was).

Assuming that the KGB / NKVD censors have as yet not made sure the science is according to Putin (i.e. no problems with plans for expansion of LNG (including offshore drilling?)), then one has to accept the paper with the caveat that we don't know how comprehensive the seismic survey was.

[kassy]

There was a line but we do not have the map. They do not need a specific outcome to do what they want. Also they probably might have preferred a different outcome. If there were big bubbles to target you could mine those. 

[morganism]

Molecular basis for inhibition of methane clathrate growth by a deep subsurface bacterial protein
14 August 2023

Abstract

Methane clathrates on continental margins contain the largest stores of hydrocarbons on Earth, yet the role of biomolecules in clathrate formation and stability remains almost completely unknown. Here, we report new methane clathrate-binding proteins (CbpAs) of bacterial origin discovered in metagenomes from gas clathrate-bearing ocean sediments. CbpAs show similar suppression of methane clathrate growth as the commercial gas clathrate inhibitor polyvinylpyrrolidone and inhibit clathrate growth at lower concentrations than antifreeze proteins (AFPs) previously tested. Unlike AFPs, CbpAs are selective for clathrate over ice. CbpA3 adopts a nonglobular, extended structure with an exposed hydrophobic surface, and, unexpectedly, its TxxxAxxxAxx motif common to AFPs is buried and not involved in clathrate binding. Instead, simulations and mutagenesis suggest a bipartite interaction of CbpAs with methane clathrate, with the pyrrolidine ring of a highly conserved proline residue mediating binding by filling empty clathrate cages. The discovery that CbpAs exert such potent control on methane clathrate properties implies that biomolecules from native sediment bacteria may be important for clathrate stability and habitability.

https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/2/8/pgad268/7242427?login=false

[vox_mundi]

Melting Fire-Ice: Study Finds Climate Change Can Cause Methane to be Released From the Deep Ocean
https://phys.org/news/2023-12-fire-ice-climate-methane-deep-ocean.html

An international team of researchers led by Newcastle University found that as frozen methane and ice melts, methane—a potent greenhouse gas—is released and moves from the deepest parts of the continental slope to the edge of the underwater shelf. They even discovered a pocket that had moved 25 miles (40 kilometers).



Publishing in the journal Nature Geoscience, the researchers say this means that much more methane could potentially be vulnerable and released into the atmosphere as a result of climate warming.

The scientists used advanced three-dimensional seismic imaging techniques to examine the portion of the hydrate that dissociated during climatic warming off the coast of Mauritania in Northwest Africa. They identified a specific case where dissociated methane migrated over 40 kilometers and was released through a field of underwater depressions, known as pockmarks, during past warm periods.

Lead author, Professor Richard Davies, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Global and Sustainability, Newcastle University, said, "It was a COVID lockdown discovery, I revisited imaging of strata just under the modern seafloor offshore of Mauritania and pretty much stumbled over 23 pockmarks. Our work shows they formed because methane released from hydrate, from the deepest parts of the continental slope vented into the ocean. Scientists had previously thought this hydrate was not vulnerable to climatic warming, but we have shown that some of it is."



The results show that methane released from the hydrate stability zone traveled a significant distance toward land. Professor Dr. Christian Berndt, Head of the Research Unit Marine Geodynamics, GEOMAR, in Kiel, Germany, said, "This is an important discovery. So far, research efforts focused on the shallowest parts of the hydrate stability zone, because we thought that only this portion is sensitive to climate variations."

"The new data clearly show that far larger volumes of methane may be liberated from marine hydrates and we really have to get to the bottom of this to understand better the role of hydrates in the climate system."



Long-distance migration and venting of methane after marine hydrate dissociation, Nature Geoscience (2023)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-023-01333-w

[kassy]

Interesting paper. That adds a bit from all the slopes.

[Freegrass]

This is terrifying... 😱

HIGHEST METHANE LEVELS (SURFACE FLASKS)
Ominously, the highest methane levels on record (surface flasks) were recently reached at Barrow, Alaska, U.S.
Double Blue Ocean Event 2024?
https://arctic-news.blogspot.com/2023/12/double-blue-ocean-event-2024.html

https://x.com/SamCarana/status/1739157091254939842?s=20

[oren]

Sam Carana is a fearmonger, single volatile values don't mean much.

[Chris83]

Remember that methane readings from around the world are publicly available for anyone to check. Click on the link below.

Other Arctic stations, such as Finland and Svalbard, do not show any anomalies. However, this happens every year in Barrow, and the reason for it remains unknown.

https://gml.noaa.gov/dv/iadv/index.php?code=alt