Römer, Miriam; Torres, Marta E; Kasten, Sabine; Kuhn, Gerhard; Graham, Alastair G C; Mau, Susan; Little, Crispin T S; Linse, Katrin; Pape, Thomas; Geprägs, Patrizia; Fischer, David; Wintersteller, Paul; Marcon, Yann; Rethemeyer, Janet; Bohrmann, Gerhard; Shipboard scientific party ANT-XXIX/4 (2014): Active methane seepage in the Southern Ocean, off the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia [dataset publication series]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835302, Supplement to: Römer, M et al. (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, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2014.06.036
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Published: 2014-08-26 • DOI registered: 2014-10-02
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.
Related to:
Bohrmann, Gerhard; Shipboard scientific party ANT-XXIX/4 (2014): Profile of sediment echo sounding during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIX/4 with links to ParaSound data files [dataset]. MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University Bremen, PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835507
Project(s):
Coverage:
Median Latitude: -54.205238 * Median Longitude: -36.476775 * South-bound Latitude: -54.467308 * West-bound Longitude: -38.139610 * North-bound Latitude: -53.769920 * East-bound Longitude: -35.746135
Date/Time Start: 2013-03-22T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2013-04-16T00:00:00
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
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5 datasets
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Datasets listed in this publication series
- Römer, M; Torres, ME; Kasten, S et al. (2014): (Fig. 7) Methane measured on water bottle samples during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIX/4. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835297
- Römer, M; Torres, ME; Kasten, S et al. (2014): (Supplementary table S1) 133 flares detected wiht a single beam echosounder during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIX/4 in March and April 2013. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835231
- Römer, M; Torres, ME; Kasten, S et al. (2014): (Fig. 7) Physical oceanography during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIX/4. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835296
- Römer, M; Torres, ME; Kasten, S et al. (2014): (Supplementary table S2) Surveyed flares during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIX/4. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835293
- Bohrmann, G; Shipboard scientific party ANT-XXIX/4 (2014): Seabed photographs taken along OFOS profile PS81/285-1 during POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIX/4. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.835365