ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment → Climate

Greenhouse gas is 70 times more potent than CO2 bubbling from deep ocean

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
April 24, 2012
in Climate, World Problems
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

Street hashish contains ‘dangerous’ amount of faecal matter
Isaac Asimov Predicts in 1964 What the World Will Look Like Today — in 2014
Thermal diode could allow computers to one day function on heat alone
Blue Origin makes first test flight in over a year, tests new Crew Capsule

A new source of methane, a gas which is many times more destructive for the environment than CO2 has been identified by scientists over vast areas of the Arctic, especially over the areas where the sea has melted.

Researchers found massive amounts of methane being released in the atmosphere from the ocean through cracks in the ice. Eric Kort of Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, said that he and his colleagues were surprised to see methane levels rise so dramatically each time their research aircraft flew over cracks in the sea ice.

“When we flew over completely solid sea ice, we didn’t see anything in terms of methane. But when we flew over areas were the sea ice had melted, or where there were cracks in the ice, we saw the methane levels increase,” Dr Kort said. “We were surprised to see these enhanced methane levels at these high latitudes. Our observations really point to the ocean surface as the source, which was not what we had expected,” he said.

When it comes to trapping heat, methane is 70 times more potent than carbon dioxide, but it is broken down more quickly in the atmosphere – some 20 times more quickly. Still, the news are quite worrying.

“We suggest that the surface waters of the Arctic Ocean represent a potentially important source of methane, which could prove sensitive to changes in sea ice cover,” the researchers write. “The association with sea ice makes this methane source likely to be sensitive to changing Arctic ice cover and dynamics, providing an unrecognised feedback process in the global atmosphere-climate system,” they say.

Climate scientists are worried that rising temperatures coupled with methane triggering could create a vicious cycle where the release of methane raises temperature, melting the ice and raising temperatures even more.

“We should be concerned because there’s so many things in the Arctic where the warming feeds further warming. There are many things in the Arctic that do respond to warming,” said Euan Nisbet, a methane expert at Royal Holloway University of London.

Via Independent

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Science

Rare, black iceberg spotted off the coast of Labrador could be 100,000 years old

byMihai Andrei
2 days ago
Archaeology

Captain Cook’s Famous Shipwreck Finally Found After 25-Year Search in Rhode Island

byTibi Puiu
2 days ago
Environment

Thousands of Centuries-Old Trees, Some Extinct in the Wild, Are Preserved by Ancient Temples in China

byTibi Puiu
2 days ago
Biology

These Bacteria Exhale Electricity and Could Help Fight Climate Change

byTudor Tarita
2 days ago

Recent news

Rare, black iceberg spotted off the coast of Labrador could be 100,000 years old

June 6, 2025

Captain Cook’s Famous Shipwreck Finally Found After 25-Year Search in Rhode Island

June 6, 2025

Thousands of Centuries-Old Trees, Some Extinct in the Wild, Are Preserved by Ancient Temples in China

June 6, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.