Global Warming Did Not Cause Methane Hydrates To Erupt Into Gas Flares
Thursday, January 2, 2014 - 18:40
in Earth & Climate
Methane hydrates are ice-like solid fuel composed of water and methane. And they are fragile. In some areas, such as in the North Atlantic off the coast of Svalbard, scientists have detected gas flares regularly and the reasons for their occurrence were unclear. They seem to only be stable at high pressure and low temperature. If so, global warming might cause the dissolution of gas hydrates, according to an analysis led by scientists from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel who say that it is very likely that methane hydrate gas flares are caused by natural processes. read more