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The Arctic contains large amounts of frozen methane and other gases called hydrates. The energy potential of methane is 20 times greater than that of carbon dioxide, but so far its concentration in the atmosphere is not high.
Huge accumulations of methane gas hydrates have been detected in the permafrost zone. The US Geological Survey previously warned of the dangers of destabilizing Arctic hydrates and has included the phenomenon in one of the four most likely climate change scenarios, according to The Guardian.
A study in the British publication warns that it is possible that we are facing a “tipping point” that could accelerate global warming.
Researchers from Russia and Sweden have discovered that the methane deposits at the bottom of the Arctic Ocean are called “giants of the sleeping carbon cycle.”
“Nothing terrible, but the process has already begun”
Large amounts of greenhouse gases were detected at a depth of 350 meters in the Laptev Sea; at one location, scientists detected up to 1,600 nanometers of methane per liter of water, which is 400 times the norm.
It is reported that so far most of the gas dissolves in water, but the level of methane on the surface of the water is already 4-8 times higher than normal and is already entering the atmosphere.
Researchers who participated in the expedition noted that it is still too early to speak of an ecological catastrophe. However, a Swedish scientist noted that the process has already begun. “It is unlikely that there will be a serious impact on warming at this point, but the problem here is that the process has already started,” said Orjan Gustafsson.
American scientists also discovered some previous eruptions of methane gas at the bottom of the ocean. They were then unpleasantly surprised by nature’s unusual response.
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