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Deep Sea Methane Hydrates

Deep Sea Methane Hydrates. Matt Sims SCM 330. What are Methane Hydrates?. Methane is a basic hydrocarbon It is a gas at normal temperatures Under the right conditions of temperature and pressure, methane can become entrained along with water in crystalline form

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Deep Sea Methane Hydrates

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  1. Deep Sea Methane Hydrates Matt Sims SCM 330

  2. What are Methane Hydrates? • Methane is a basic hydrocarbon • It is a gas at normal temperatures • Under the right conditions of temperature and pressure, methane can become entrained along with water in crystalline form • These frozen methane deposits are known as hydrates and have the appearance of ice • Methane hydrates contain large amounts of stored energy

  3. 2 methods of hydrate formation.. • Microbial: produced by anaerobic bacteria only under anoxic conditions – no oxygen • Thermal: methane is released when deeply buried organic matter is heated by the earth

  4. Means of detection… • BSR – Bottom Simulating Reflector • Theory behind the tech: a seismic reflection at the sediment to hydrate stability zone • Caused by the unequal densities of normal sediments and those laced with hydrates

  5. BSR: Diagram

  6. BSR Images…

  7. More…

  8. How to determine concentration… • Raman Laser spectrometer • Developed by MBARI: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in early 2004

  9. Raman Laser Spectrometer • Specially adapted laser to measure the chemical properties of sediment, rocks, and carbon dioxide in the deep waters of Monterey Bay • Can be used on nearly any material found in the ocean, on land as well • Measures the backscattered lights wavelength as a deviation from the emitted wavelength. • 1 in 100,000,000 photons is scattered

  10. Raman Laser - PUP ROV Doriss, Ventana, Tiburon

  11. Methane Hydrate Images…

  12. Relevance to Other Sciences.. • Methane hydrates are present in deep Antarctic ice cores • These cores store a record of atmospheric gas concentrations, methane just being one • Some such cores date back 800,000 years • The ice-core methane record is a primary source of data for global warming research • Other gasses found in such cores are oxygen and carbon dioxide • Raman laser – life on Mars

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