| Abstract: | Although submarine methane hydrates or clathrates have been highlighted as potential amplifiers of modern global climate change and associated glacio-eustatic sea-level rise, their potential role in sea-level fall has not been appreciated Recent estimates of the total volume occupied by gas hydrates in marine sediments vary 20-fold, from 1.2 ?? 1014 to 2.4 ?? 1015 m3. Using a specific volume change on melting of-21%, dissociation of the current global inventory of hydrate would result in a decrease of submarine hydrate volume of 2.4 ?? 1013 to 5.0??1014 m3. Release of free gas bubbles present beneath hydrates would increase these volumes by 1.1-2.0 ?? 1013 m3. The combined effects of hydrate melting and subhydrate gas release would result conservatively in a global sea-level fall of 10-146 cm. Such a mechanism may offset some future sea-level rise associated with thermal expansion of the oceans. It could also explain anomalous sea-level drops during ice-free periods such as the early Eocene, the Cretaceous, and the Devonian. |
| Genre: | Article |
| ProdID: | 70021172 |
| Citation Author: | Bratton, J. F. |
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| Citation End Page: | 918 |
| Citation Issue: | 10 |
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| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Geology |
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| Citation Number Of Pages: | 4 |
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| Citation Search Results Text: | Clathrate eustasy: Methane hydrate melting as a mechanism for geologically rapid sea-level fall; 1999; Article; Journal; Geology; Bratton, J. F. |
| Citation Start Page: | 915 |
| Citation Volume: | 27 |
| Citation Year: | 1999 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Clathrate eustasy: Methane hydrate melting as a mechanism for geologically rapid sea-level fall; 1999; Article; Journal; Geology; Bratton, J. F. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| Date Other: | Fri, 1 Jan 1999 00:00 -0600 |
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