DISTRIBUTION AND FATE OF METHANE RELEASED FROM SUBMARINE SOURCES – CHALLENGES AND RESULTS OF MEASUREMENTS BY USING AN IMPROVED IN SITU MASS SPECTROMETER.

Abstract

Methane (CH4) is the most frequent organic compound in the atmosphere and its influence on the global climate is subject of currently conducted scientific discussion. One source of atmospheric methane is the release of CH4 from the oceans seafloor. These submarine sources are characterized by rising gas bubbles or diffusive methane flux into the water column. Due to the limited number of samples taken by conventional ex situ methods, an accurate quantification of the methane distribution could hardly be estimated. With the help of an optimized mass spectrometer (9 years of ongoing engineering) it became possible to obtain distribution patterns of dissolved CH4 in the water column in high resolution. In this talk I will present the challenges of the work with the Inspectr200-200 during the last 9 years and, from the scientific point of view, the detection and mapping of submarine released methane as well as the study of relevant pathways and its potential contribution to the atmospheric methane budget