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Direct isotopic evidence of biogenic methane production and efflux from beneath a temperate glacier

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Direct isotopic evidence of biogenic methane production and efflux from beneath a temperate glacier. / Burns, Rebecca Kate; Wynn, Peter Michael; Barker, Philip Anthony et al.
In: Scientific Reports, Vol. 8, 17118, 20.11.2018.

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Burns RK, Wynn PM, Barker PA, McNamara N, Oakley S, Ostle NJ et al. Direct isotopic evidence of biogenic methane production and efflux from beneath a temperate glacier. Scientific Reports. 2018 Nov 20;8:17118. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-35253-2

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@article{22b459c5cee841308004c88a6c3331b2,
title = "Direct isotopic evidence of biogenic methane production and efflux from beneath a temperate glacier",
abstract = "The base of glaciers and ice sheets provide environments suitable for the production of methane. High pressure conditions beneath the impermeable {\textquoteleft}cap{\textquoteright} of overlying ice promote entrapment of methane reserves that can be released to the atmosphere during ice thinning and meltwater evacuation. However, contemporary glaciers and ice sheets are rarely accounted for as methane contributors through field measurements. Here, we present direct field-based evidence of methane production and release from beneath the Icelandic glacier S{\'o}lheimaj{\"o}kull, where geothermal activity creates sub-oxic conditions suited to methane production and preservation along the meltwater flow path. Methane production at the glacier bed (48 tonnes per day, or 39 mM CH4 m-2 day-1), and evasion to the atmosphere from the proglacial stream (41 tonnes per day, or 32 M CH4 m-2 day-1) indicates considerable production and release to the atmosphere during the summer melt season. Isotopic signatures (-60.2 ‰ to -7.6 ‰ for δ13CCH4 and -324.3 ‰ to +161.1 ‰ for DCH4), support a biogenic signature within waters emerging from the subglacial environment. Temperate glacial methane production and release may thus be a significant and hitherto unresolved contributor of a potent greenhouse gas to the atmosphere.",
author = "Burns, {Rebecca Kate} and Wynn, {Peter Michael} and Barker, {Philip Anthony} and Niall McNamara and Simon Oakley and Ostle, {Nicholas John} and Andy Stott and Hugh Tuffen and Zheng Zhou and Fiona Tweed and Aaron Chesler and Micha Stuart",
year = "2018",
month = nov,
day = "20",
doi = "10.1038/s41598-018-35253-2",
language = "English",
volume = "8",
journal = "Scientific Reports",
issn = "2045-2322",
publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Direct isotopic evidence of biogenic methane production and efflux from beneath a temperate glacier

AU - Burns, Rebecca Kate

AU - Wynn, Peter Michael

AU - Barker, Philip Anthony

AU - McNamara, Niall

AU - Oakley, Simon

AU - Ostle, Nicholas John

AU - Stott, Andy

AU - Tuffen, Hugh

AU - Zhou, Zheng

AU - Tweed, Fiona

AU - Chesler, Aaron

AU - Stuart, Micha

PY - 2018/11/20

Y1 - 2018/11/20

N2 - The base of glaciers and ice sheets provide environments suitable for the production of methane. High pressure conditions beneath the impermeable ‘cap’ of overlying ice promote entrapment of methane reserves that can be released to the atmosphere during ice thinning and meltwater evacuation. However, contemporary glaciers and ice sheets are rarely accounted for as methane contributors through field measurements. Here, we present direct field-based evidence of methane production and release from beneath the Icelandic glacier Sólheimajökull, where geothermal activity creates sub-oxic conditions suited to methane production and preservation along the meltwater flow path. Methane production at the glacier bed (48 tonnes per day, or 39 mM CH4 m-2 day-1), and evasion to the atmosphere from the proglacial stream (41 tonnes per day, or 32 M CH4 m-2 day-1) indicates considerable production and release to the atmosphere during the summer melt season. Isotopic signatures (-60.2 ‰ to -7.6 ‰ for δ13CCH4 and -324.3 ‰ to +161.1 ‰ for DCH4), support a biogenic signature within waters emerging from the subglacial environment. Temperate glacial methane production and release may thus be a significant and hitherto unresolved contributor of a potent greenhouse gas to the atmosphere.

AB - The base of glaciers and ice sheets provide environments suitable for the production of methane. High pressure conditions beneath the impermeable ‘cap’ of overlying ice promote entrapment of methane reserves that can be released to the atmosphere during ice thinning and meltwater evacuation. However, contemporary glaciers and ice sheets are rarely accounted for as methane contributors through field measurements. Here, we present direct field-based evidence of methane production and release from beneath the Icelandic glacier Sólheimajökull, where geothermal activity creates sub-oxic conditions suited to methane production and preservation along the meltwater flow path. Methane production at the glacier bed (48 tonnes per day, or 39 mM CH4 m-2 day-1), and evasion to the atmosphere from the proglacial stream (41 tonnes per day, or 32 M CH4 m-2 day-1) indicates considerable production and release to the atmosphere during the summer melt season. Isotopic signatures (-60.2 ‰ to -7.6 ‰ for δ13CCH4 and -324.3 ‰ to +161.1 ‰ for DCH4), support a biogenic signature within waters emerging from the subglacial environment. Temperate glacial methane production and release may thus be a significant and hitherto unresolved contributor of a potent greenhouse gas to the atmosphere.

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-018-35253-2

DO - 10.1038/s41598-018-35253-2

M3 - Journal article

VL - 8

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

SN - 2045-2322

M1 - 17118

ER -