Response of Gas hydrates and Permafrost to Changes in Climate and Sea Level

天然气水合物和永久冻土对气候和海平面变化的响应

• 批准号: 9123374
• 负责人: Joan Gosink
• 金额: $ 4万
• 依托单位: Colorado School of Mines
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1992
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1992-06-01 至 1994-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9123374&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Response; Gas; hydrates; Permafrost; Changes

Methane gas hydrates may occur wherever methane and water exist in close proximity at low temperatures and elevated pressures. These hydrates are thought to be widespread in both on-shore permafrost regions of the North American and Soviet Arctic and in the shallow continental shelves of the Arctic Ocean where sub-sea permafrost is found. Methane gas may be released to the atmosphere because of hydrate destabilization as a result of climatic warming and changes in sea level. With present knowledge, it is not possible to predict the timing or the amount of methane that would be released by gas hydrate decomposition as a result of permafrost, especially sub-sea permafrost, degradation during interglacial periods. We proposed to modify a two-dimensional model of climate-permafrost interaction. The model will be applied to several sites in North America and in the Soviet Union to elevate the potential for gas hydrate and permafrost occurrence and degradation in response to changes in climate and sea level. This information will be used (in collaboration with USGS and Soviet investigators) to make improved estimates of the possible fluxes of methane onto the atmosphere as a result of hydrate and permafrost degradation.

甲烷气体水合物可能发生在低温和高压下甲烷和水近距离存在的地方。 这些水合物被认为广泛存在于北美和苏联北极的岸上永久冻土区以及发现海底永久冻土的北冰洋浅层大陆架中。 由于气候变暖和海平面变化导致水合物不稳定，甲烷气体可能会释放到大气中。 根据目前的知识，不可能预测间冰期期间永久冻土，特别是海底永久冻土退化导致的天然气水合物分解释放甲烷的时间或数量。 我们建议修改气候-永久冻土相互作用的二维模型。 该模型将应用于北美和苏联的多个地点，以提高天然气水合物和永久冻土层发生和退化的可能性，以应对气候和海平面的变化。 这些信息将用于（与美国地质调查局和苏联研究人员合作）改进对由于水合物和永久冻土退化而进入大气的甲烷可能通量的估计。