Kudos to the Siberian Times. They seem to me to be the only Russian publication that is not TOTALLY asleep at the wheel when it comes to behemoth of abrupt climate change that is approaching us all.
Danger of methane explosions on Yamal Peninsula, scientists warn
More craters expected to form due to such eruptions as permafrost melts - and they ARE caused by global warming releasing methane gas.
Scientists
from the respected Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and
Geophysics insist the process by which a series of craters formed was
caused by the melting of gas hydrates and the emission of
methane. Picture: Vladimir Olenchenko/Trofimuk Institute of
Petroleum Geology and Geophysics
22 September, 2015
A
new expedition to one of the mysterious Siberian giant holes found in
recent years has concluded that it is a warning sign of a deadly
threat to northern regions as the climate warms.
Scientists
from the respected Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and
Geophysics insist the process by which a series of craters formed was
caused by the melting of gas hydrates and the emission of methane.
This
accumulates in a pingo - a mound of earth-covered ice - which then
erupts causing the formation of the strange holes that have appeared
on Russia's Arctic fringe.
A
pingo believed to be poised to explode 'at any moment' is now being
constantly monitored by a Russian space satellite in an attempt to
catch the moment when the eruption occurs.
They
believe the process is similar to the Bermuda Triangle phenomenon
which saw the disappearance of of ships and aircraft. This was caused
by a vast eruption of methane below the Atlantic Ocean. The
scientists also warn of a dire threat to both towns and cities in the
extreme north, and natural gas exploration facilities and associated
pipelines.
The
Yamal hole is a unique object for science. We did not have any chance
to study such phenomenon before. Pictures: Vladimir
Olenchenko/Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics
Dr
Igor Yeltsov, deputy director of the Trofimuk Institute, said in
Novosibirsk after a visit to the most famous of the newly-formed
craters: 'In the last decades, temperatures have climbed and caused
the release of gas hydrates. This resembles a nuclear reaction.
'Last
year I compared it with the Bermuda Triangle, because, according to
our theory, the cause of this is a mass yield of methane. The volume
of methane during transition from a solid to a gaseous state
increases about 150 times. The Yamal hole is a unique object for
science. We did not have any chance to study such phenomenon before.
'The
importance of the study increases if we take into account that six
kilometres from the crater is a main gas pipeline, and 36 kilometres
away is the Bovanenkovo gas deposit.' Such eruptions 'can easily
repeat', he warned.
'We
need follow closely the processes with permafrost and gas hydrates on
Yamal,' he said. 'We underestimate the danger that methane brings to
us.' The risks to coalmines of methane are well appreciated yet but
it carries far wider dangers.
A
new expedition to one of the mysterious Siberian giant holes found in
recent years has concluded that it is a warning sign of a deadly
threat to northern regions as the climate warms. Pictures: Vladimir Olenchenko/Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics
'At
the moment, most gas hydrates are safely hidden, but there are
territories, like Yamal, where they begin to decompose and we must
closely monitor these areas. I think that now it is premature to
speak about some global catastrophe, as if it is a theory of 'methane
threat', but if the warming continues at the same pace, our northern
cities, located close to Yamal - such as Salekhard, Nadym, and Novy
Urengoy - are in real danger.'
He
explained: 'We propose to develop a big project aimed at monitoring
the situation on Yamal. Taking into account active natural gas
exploration, and ambitious projects like port Sabetta, we need to
understand very well the natural processes so as to provide safe
infrastructure.'
Dr
Vladimir Olenchenko, senior researcher at the institute: 'We spotted
one more big pingo not far from the crater.' Picture: Vera
Salnitskaya
If
exploration is to go ahead on a large scale - as is planned in such
regions - then 'we must provide proper scientific monitoring'.
The
new expedition to the crater - known as B-1 - was to enable a 3D
model of its structure, and to monitor the way it rapidly turned into
a lake. Dr Vladimir Olenchenko, senior researcher at the institute,
said: 'It is established now that initially at this site there was a
pingo, quite a common phenomenon for this area. But this exact pingo,
according to (historic) space photographs, was bigger than others and
had a more regular, round shape.'
The
scientists believe the methane either emerges through cracks from
depths of the Earth, or that it is directly caused by 'the
decomposition of gas hydrate'.
The
new expedition to the crater - known as B-1 - was to enable a 3D
model of its structure, and to monitor the way it rapidly turned into
a lake. Picture: Vladimir Olenchenko/Trofimuk Institute of
Petroleum Geology and Geophysics
'According
to our data, there is a hydrate layer 60 metres deep. We suggest that
due to global warming some part of the hydrate decomposes, it
accumulates in the pingo and then led to the eruption.' They are
examining the lake in detail - is it around 25 metres deep - since
its form may lead them to other erupted pingos, possibly alerting to
future dangers.
'Now
in the area around the crater there is active melting of the layers
of ground ice, which form thaw slumps' - Arctic landslides or sinking
This
is 'more evidence of global warming'.
'We
spotted one more big pingo not far from the crater,' he said. 'We
will not say the exact location of the pingo, because journalists or
scientists could try and go there, and it is very dangerous.
'Now
in the area around the crater there is active melting of the layers
of ground ice, which form thaw slumps.' Pictures: Vladimir
Olenchenko/Trofimuk Institute of Petroleum Geology and Geophysics
'This
pingo can potentially explode at any moment. According to the
preliminary estimates this pingo is bigger than the one that preceded
the famous crater. We will monitor this pingo remotely from space.
Now we are trying to make the list of the features to easily
determine if the pingo is potentially dangerous.'
Yamal
is seen as high risk, while other permafrost regions, for example
Yakutia (Sakha Republic), would need a 6-7C warming to be vulnerable.
Dr Yeltsov said: 'It is not all permafrost areas that are in danger,
having pingos associated with methane which can explode. There
are areas where the permafrost is rather stable.' The institute has
proposed to create Yamal research centre under the Siberian Branch of
the Russian Academy of Sciences. A decision is awaited.
Dr
Igor Yeltsov, deputy director of the Trofimuk Institute: 'We
propose to develop a big project aimed at monitoring the situation on
Yamal.' Picture: Vera Salnitskya
Yamal
- in the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district of northwest Siberia - has
natural gas reserves here of around 55 trillion cubic meters.
'We
constantly try to communicate with different structures - government,
Gazprom, research institutes - to develop research projects
together.' Work is underway with oil giant Total on gas hydrates on
Yamal. 'We have several joint projects with them.' He warned:
'Methane deposits, according to various estimates, count for about
200 trillion cubic metres. Gas hydrates hide million times more
methane.
How
did the crater change from July 2015 untill September 2015. Pictures:
Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous region governor's press-service, Vasily
Bogoyavlensky, Vladimir Pushkarev
'Now
we face serious changes of temperature all over the Earth. Part of
this large scale process, only the tip of the iceberg, we call global
warming. It leads to the fact that gas hydrates lose their solid
condition. One of the examples of this process is the Yamal crater.
There are two main theories of its appearance, but both of them are
based on methane as the main cause of the formation of the crater.'
Crater
B-1 - totally some 60 metres deep - was first noticed last year. It
sparked a flurry of interest around the world, and speculation on how
this phenomenon was caused, ranging from meteorites, to stray
missiles, to UFOs from outer space. Another crater known as B-2, some
20 km from B-1 - is ringed by 30 'baby' or 'satellite' craters.
great work. thank you robin.
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