According to the British “Guardian” report, scientists have found evidence that the frozen methane deposits in the Arctic Ocean known as the “carbon cycle sleeping giant” have begun to release gas, located on a large continental slope off the coast of East Siberia.
In the Laptev Sea near Russia, scientists have detected high concentrations of greenhouse gases at a depth of 350 meters. This has raised concerns among researchers that this may trigger a new climate change feedback loop, which may Accelerate the pace of global warming.
According to the report, the slope sediments in the Arctic contain a large amount of frozen methane and other gases-hydrates. In 20 years, the greenhouse effect of methane is 80 times that of carbon dioxide. The U.S. Geological Survey has listed the instability of Arctic hydrates as one of the four most severe climate changes.
The international research team on the Russian scientific research ship “Keldersh Academician” said that most of the bubbles will be dissolved in the water at present, but the methane content on the local surface is 4 to 8 times expected under normal conditions, and it is entering the atmosphere. emission.
Swedish scientist Erjan Gustafsson of Stockholm University said during the satellite call on the ship: “At present, (this phenomenon) is unlikely to have any major impact on global warming, but the key is that this process has now started. The methane hydrate system on the slopes of Eastern Siberia has been disturbed, and this process will continue.”
According to reports, from January to June this year, the temperature in Siberia was 5 degrees higher than the average level in previous years. Studies have stated that the probability of occurrence of this abnormal temperature phenomenon has increased by 600 times due to the impact of man-made carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Last winter’s sea ice melting was extremely early, and this winter’s freezing has not yet begun, which is later than any time since records.
