13.10.2023, 08:43
Methane leak found in the deepest point of the Baltic Sea
Source: OREANDA-NEWS
OREANDA-NEWS A significant methane leak has been detected at the deepest point of the Baltic Sea, and the number of bubbles of this greenhouse gas significantly exceeds scientists' expectations.
"In fact, in these 20 square kilometers it is bubbling everywhere" — Marcelo Ketzer, professor of environmental sciences at Linnaeus University in Sweden, who led the project.
This phenomenon is different from the usual local methane leaks on the coastal seabed, where methane is released from decomposing organic material. In deep waters, methane usually diffuses in the water without forming bubbles. However, the new leak does not match this pattern.
Scientists suggest that this is due to a relatively weak microbial filter, which is a layer of bacteria that usually "absorb" up to 90% of the methane formed as a result of the decomposition of the material. In the ocean, this filter may be several feet thick, but in the Baltic Sea, its thickness is only a few centimeters.
Human activity also affects the operation of this biological filter. Fertilizers entering the sea from land contribute to the growth of algae, which, when they die, add organic substances to the bottom of the sea. Bacteria that feed on methane also "feed" on this material, which contributes to the release of more methane.
"In fact, in these 20 square kilometers it is bubbling everywhere" — Marcelo Ketzer, professor of environmental sciences at Linnaeus University in Sweden, who led the project.
This phenomenon is different from the usual local methane leaks on the coastal seabed, where methane is released from decomposing organic material. In deep waters, methane usually diffuses in the water without forming bubbles. However, the new leak does not match this pattern.
Scientists suggest that this is due to a relatively weak microbial filter, which is a layer of bacteria that usually "absorb" up to 90% of the methane formed as a result of the decomposition of the material. In the ocean, this filter may be several feet thick, but in the Baltic Sea, its thickness is only a few centimeters.
Human activity also affects the operation of this biological filter. Fertilizers entering the sea from land contribute to the growth of algae, which, when they die, add organic substances to the bottom of the sea. Bacteria that feed on methane also "feed" on this material, which contributes to the release of more methane.
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