The Arctic Ocean and circum-Arctic land masses are warming more rapidly than other locations on Earth, a phenomenon called the Arctic Amplification Effect. A critical question is how this warming will affect temperature-sensitive gas hydrate deposits and methane dynamics at high latitudes. Research focuses on the contemporary distribution of gas hydrates in marine and permafrost settings; the impact of warming since the end of the last glaciation on the development and degradation of subsea permafrost and associated gas hydrate; methane emissions to the atmosphere; subglacial hydrates; and interaction between the climate system and high-latitude gas hydrates.
Newsletters featuring Arctic Methane Dynamics
- Subsea permafrost and associated methane hydrate on the U.S. Arctic Ocean margin. Sound Waves, April 2017
- Methane dynamics associated with long-term climate change on the Alaskan Beaufort Sea inner shelf. Fire in the Ice, Department of Energy Newsletter, January 2012
- Real-time mapping of seawater and atmospheric methane concentrations offshore of Alaska's North Slope, Sound Waves, May 2012
- Degradation of subsea permafrost and associated gas hydrate offshore Alaska in response to climate change. Sound Waves, October 2010
- Studying the link between Arctic methane seeps and degassing methane hydrates. Sound Waves, October 2009
Carolyn Ruppel's publications associated with Arctic Methane Dynamics
Timescales and processes of methane hydrate formation and breakdown, with application to geologic systems
Heat flow in the Western Arctic Ocean (Amerasian Basin)
Submarine permafrost map in the arctic modelled using 1D transient heat flux (SuPerMAP)
Limited contribution of ancient methane to surface waters of the U.S. Beaufort Sea shelf
Enhanced CO2 uptake at a shallow Arctic Ocean seep field overwhelms the positive warming potential of emitted methane
The interaction of climate change and methane hydrates
Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 2. Borehole constraints
Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 1. Minimum seaward extent defined from multichannel seismic reflection data
Widespread gas hydrate instability on the upper U.S. Beaufort margin
Permafrost-associated gas hydrate: is it really approximately 1% of the global system?
Minimum distribution of subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the US Beaufort Sea continental shelf
Strong atmospheric chemistry feedback to climate warming from Arctic methane emissions
Permafrost gas hydrates and climate change: Lake-based seep studies on the Alaskan north slope
The Arctic Ocean and circum-Arctic land masses are warming more rapidly than other locations on Earth, a phenomenon called the Arctic Amplification Effect. A critical question is how this warming will affect temperature-sensitive gas hydrate deposits and methane dynamics at high latitudes. Research focuses on the contemporary distribution of gas hydrates in marine and permafrost settings; the impact of warming since the end of the last glaciation on the development and degradation of subsea permafrost and associated gas hydrate; methane emissions to the atmosphere; subglacial hydrates; and interaction between the climate system and high-latitude gas hydrates.
Newsletters featuring Arctic Methane Dynamics
- Subsea permafrost and associated methane hydrate on the U.S. Arctic Ocean margin. Sound Waves, April 2017
- Methane dynamics associated with long-term climate change on the Alaskan Beaufort Sea inner shelf. Fire in the Ice, Department of Energy Newsletter, January 2012
- Real-time mapping of seawater and atmospheric methane concentrations offshore of Alaska's North Slope, Sound Waves, May 2012
- Degradation of subsea permafrost and associated gas hydrate offshore Alaska in response to climate change. Sound Waves, October 2010
- Studying the link between Arctic methane seeps and degassing methane hydrates. Sound Waves, October 2009
Carolyn Ruppel's publications associated with Arctic Methane Dynamics