This is not good.

[dabize]

I forgot to source my Permian/Triassic assertion:

http://specialpapers...99/249.abstract

Quoting from the abstract:

"Catastrophic methane outbursts during terminal Permian global mass extinction are indicated by organic carbon isotopic (δ¹³C_org) values of less than –37‰, and preferential sequestration of ¹³C-depleted carbon at high latitudes and on land, relative to low latitudes and deep ocean. Methane outbursts massive enough to account for observed carbon isotopic anomalies require unusually efficient release from thermal alteration of coal measures or from methane-bearing permafrost or marine methane-hydrate reservoirs due to bolide impact, volcanic eruption, submarine landslides, or global warming."

It then goes on to mention that although it is unclear whether CH4 release on such a massive scale is the cause or consequence of the Permian extinctions (of 96% of all species), such high CH4 levels are certainly toxic enough to do it. "killing by hypoxia, hypercapnia, acidosis, and pulmonary edema"

We haven't even explored the possibility that elevated methane might itself cause extinctions of oceanic microbiota on a scale capable of CAUSING catastrophic methane release, but that seems to be a topic reserved for the congenitally nervous on this board.

[skierinvermont]

Ok...I guess the better question would be why has it slowed down since the mid 1990s? I realize it's just a short term change, but so is the "increasing trend" since 2006 (and that is a shorter term trend even). Per the other chart you posted, there was clearly a sharper rise in methane from the mid 1980s to mid 1990s.

I don't think anybody knows for sure exactly.. the IPCC wasn't able to predict the pause.

But unlike CO2 in which humans represent only a very small fraction of CO2 emissions (something like 1-2% I forget exactly), we represent a large fraction of methane emissions (nearly half).

So either

1) our emissions were lower for a period

2) natural sinks sped up

3) the breakdown of methane in the atmosphere increased (which is controlled by a chemical reaction with hydroxyl radicals)

[skierinvermont]

Outgoing longwave radiation is dominant in the radiation budget during the arctic winter, so the relative effect of the greenhouse gas effect would actually be be maximized right now. That alone would suggest that some kind of indirect effects are likely elsewhere on the globe, although I have no idea what they would be or if they even matter.

My guess is that the biggest and most immediate impact of the methane release was a skyrocketing of the frequency of the words "skeptic" and "alarmist" on the internet.

Methane is a well mixed atmospheric gas like CO2. Local concentrations only vary slightly from global concentrations.

[Vergent]

[PhillipS]

Does anyone know whether the GHG effect of methane is linear (double the gas concentration has double the effect), or logarithmic like CO2 (each doubling of the gas concentration has the same increase in effect)?

[TerryM]

Methane is a well mixed atmospheric gas like CO2. Local concentrations only vary slightly from global concentrations.

Methane plumes may take a while to disperse through the atmosphere - Also CH4 is much lighter than air and could be expected to rapidly attain considerable height. Last fall we experienced an unexpected opening of an Arctic Ozone Hole - Methane reacts with ozone.

[WeatherRusty]

Does anyone know whether the GHG effect of methane is linear (double the gas concentration has double the effect), or logarithmic like CO2 (each doubling of the gas concentration has the same increase in effect)?

It is also logarithmic (as are all greenhouse gases), but not with the same relationship as that of CO2 at their respective concentrations. At current concentrations I think CH4 would have to be doubled 12 times to create the same 3.7W/m^2 forcing as CO2 does with one doubling.

It’s often noted that methane is “20x more powerful than CO2″ (see a quick google result for proof). This statement can potentially be misleading, so it is worth clarifying just what it means.

The natural 33 K greenhouse effect has a much larger influence from CO2 than it does CH4. Even in the context of how the greenhouse effect is changing, CO2 is currently a much stronger forcing agent than CH4. In what sense is CH4 more powerful? This is only if we compare CO2 and CH4 side-by-side and allow the two gases to change by some incremental amount at existing background concentrations. It is only because CH4 is far less abundant in the atmosphere that adding, say, 1 ppm of CH4 will produce a larger radiative forcing than would be adding 1 ppm of CO2 to today’s atmosphere. This has nothing to do with any intrinsic property of the gas. If CO2 were far less abundant, and CH4 much more abundant, then adding a certain about of CO2 would be more effective at reducing the OLR, and we would then say “CO2 is a more powerful greenhouse gas.”

From: Here

That article and this one should be required reading for everyone interested in the physical basis for AGW.

[dabize]

Methane plumes may take a while to disperse through the atmosphere - Also CH4 is much lighter than air and could be expected to rapidly attain considerable height. Last fall we experienced an unexpected opening of an Arctic Ozone Hole - Methane reacts with ozone.

When was that distribution map made?

It might have changed quite a bit recently.

I notice that a big color change reflects a tiny concentration change.

Also, the paper I was excerpting presented measurements from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.

[TerryM]

dabize

Map data:

AIRS 2006-2009 annual mean upper troposphere(359Hpa) methane concentration(ppm).

I wonder how accurate surface measurements are when the gas is so much lighter than the surrounding air. CH4 will eventually disperse through the atmosphere, but the immediate effect of large releases could well be a stream heading upward with little effect on the composition of nearby gasses.

[The_Global_Warmer]

Is there a similar CO2 map ?

So Barrowand svalbard have both seen spikes in methane.

It will be something to pay close attention too as this goes forward.

[TerryM]

Is it possible that Methane emissions are disrupting the stratification of say the Laptev Sea and disrupting ice formation?

Could disruption of stratification have any effect on ocean convection?

[The_Global_Warmer]

I dont know. The laptev is iced over. There had been perpetual SLPs over the N ATL and Barents. This has pumped some warm air into the arctic.

Physically speaking the methane would add to this. but it cant be very much

[The_Global_Warmer]

I dont know. The laptev is iced over. There had been perpetual SLPs over the N ATL and Barents. This has pumped some warm air into the arctic.

Physically speaking the methane would add to this. but it cant be very much

[skierinvermont]

Methane plumes may take a while to disperse through the atmosphere - Also CH4 is much lighter than air and could be expected to rapidly attain considerable height. Last fall we experienced an unexpected opening of an Arctic Ozone Hole - Methane reacts with ozone.

Notice the scale.. pretty much the whole earth is within +/- 3 or 4% of the mean, just like CO2 which also varies slightly from the mean locally. Yes there are slight variations locally, but Methane concentrations 4% greater than the global mean in the arctic are not going to make much difference in temperature at all.

[TerryM]

Skier

Bear in mind that the graphic is from 2006-2009 and does not represent the present state of things.

HIPPO flights, that ended on 9/9/11 may add some to our understanding.

“We observed that the ocean surface releases methane to the atmosphere all over the whole of the Arctic Ocean,” Wofsy says.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/334245/title/HIPPO_reveals_climate_surprises

[HailMan06]

Does anyone know of any real-time monitoring of methane in the arctic?

http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/dv/iadv/graph.php?code=BRW&program=ccgg&type=ts

[TerryM]

http://www.esrl.noaa...am=ccgg&type=ts

Thanks!!

[Vergent]

sorry, contrary to forum rules, I posted this graph without an explanation.

This is not good("I have a bad feeling about this.").

[LakeEffectKing]

sorry, contrary to forum rules, I posted this graph without an explanation.

This is not good("I have a bad feeling about this.").

I'm thinking a couple of cows were hanging out by the monitor....but it's just a hypothesis....

[LithiaWx]

Lots of people in this forum talk about being scientific. I have heard some very unscientific things being said in here. Such as "I have a bad feeling about this" and "This the other shoe we have been waiting on to drop". We don't know the significance and scale of this at all. Let's get some more data before folks go jumping the shark. Does this raise a concern for me? yes. Am I worried? no, not yet. Let's see what data we get on this then make the doomsday predictions if they are needed. Right now we have virtually no data about this new development and the study is not even complete and some folks are jumping off the deep end.

[Vergent]

Lots of people in this forum talk about being scientific. I have heard some very unscientific things being said in here. Such as "I have a bad feeling about this" and "This the other shoe we have been waiting on to drop". We don't know the significance and scale of this at all. Let's get some more data before folks go jumping the shark. Does this raise a concern for me? yes. Am I worried? no, not yet. Let's see what data we get on this then make the doomsday predictions if they are needed. Right now we have virtually no data about this new development and the study is not even complete and some folks are jumping off the deep end.

"Earlier we found torch-like structures like this but they were only tens of metres in diameter."

"This is the first time that we've found continuous, powerful and impressive seeping structures, more than 1,000 metres in diameter."

"Over a relatively small area we found more than 100, but over a wider area there should be thousands of them."

"Scientists estimate that there are hundreds of millions of tonnes of methane gas locked away beneath the Arctic permafrost"

"Dr Semiletov's team published a study in 2010 estimating that the methane emissions from this region were about eight million tonnes a year"

"In late summer, the Russian research vessel Academician Lavrentiev conducted an extensive survey of about 10,000 square miles of sea off the East Siberian coast."

"on a scale not seen before. Some plumes were a kilometre or more wide and the emissions went directly into the atmosphere – the concentration was a hundred times higher than normal."

How mutch more data do you need to see that this is not good?

[LithiaWx]

"Earlier we found torch-like structures like this but they were only tens of metres in diameter."

"This is the first time that we've found continuous, powerful and impressive seeping structures, more than 1,000 metres in diameter."

"Over a relatively small area we found more than 100, but over a wider area there should be thousands of them."

"Scientists estimate that there are hundreds of millions of tonnes of methane gas locked away beneath the Arctic permafrost"

"Dr Semiletov's team published a study in 2010 estimating that the methane emissions from this region were about eight million tonnes a year"

"In late summer, the Russian research vessel Academician Lavrentiev conducted an extensive survey of about 10,000 square miles of sea off the East Siberian coast."

"on a scale not seen before. Some plumes were a kilometre or more wide and the emissions went directly into the atmosphere – the concentration was a hundred times higher than normal."

How mutch more data do you need to see that this is not good?

I'd like to see much more data, the survey is not even complete yet as I understand it. Do you not see the problem with getting upset before we have the full picture? All we have are as few snippets from the team. Again we don't know the significance of this yet, before going off the deep end don't you thnk we should try and gather more data first? Has the team even released it's report yet? Using words like over a relatively small area and should be don't instill much confidence in me yet.

[tacoman25]

"Earlier we found torch-like structures like this but they were only tens of metres in diameter."

"This is the first time that we've found continuous, powerful and impressive seeping structures, more than 1,000 metres in diameter."

"Over a relatively small area we found more than 100, but over a wider area there should be thousands of them."

"Scientists estimate that there are hundreds of millions of tonnes of methane gas locked away beneath the Arctic permafrost"

"Dr Semiletov's team published a study in 2010 estimating that the methane emissions from this region were about eight million tonnes a year"

"In late summer, the Russian research vessel Academician Lavrentiev conducted an extensive survey of about 10,000 square miles of sea off the East Siberian coast."

"on a scale not seen before. Some plumes were a kilometre or more wide and the emissions went directly into the atmosphere – the concentration was a hundred times higher than normal."

How mutch more data do you need to see that this is not good?

A lot.

[PhillipS]

sorry, contrary to forum rules, I posted this graph without an explanation.

This is not good("I have a bad feeling about this.").

It appears that the datapoints plotted represent weekly methane readings. For most of 2011 the values were relatively stable around 1900 ppb. The last two readings, 2175 and 2200 ppb, are roughly 15% higher. Which would certainly be alarming if they represent a massive methane release. But, as others have pointed out, there's just not enough data. If you look at the longer term record you'll see a number of outliers among the datapoints. I have no idea what causes the abnormal readings but given that they are taken at Barrow, AK, I'm pretty sure that they're not cow farts as LEK suggested. Reindeer farts, maybe.

My suggestion is to continue to monitor the news and journals for fresh info as it becomes available. And to continue to expose misinformation and sloppy thinking whenever you find it.

[TerryM]

Some good background info is available here - this is a presentation before the last two expeditions.

http://www.nioz.nl/public/symposia_workshops/arctic/17_semiletov.pdf

[Vergent]

I'd like to see much more data, the survey is not even complete yet as I understand it. Do you not see the problem with getting upset before we have the full picture? All we have are as few snippets from the team. Again we don't know the significance of this yet, before going off the deep end don't you thnk we should try and gather more data first? Has the team even released it's report yet? Using words like over a relatively small area and should be don't instill much confidence in me yet.

Okay, you want more data. here is more data:)

Enjoy!

Igor Semiletov

In Press

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I. In Press. Trace gas emissions from sub-sea permafrost. Climate Change and the Cryosphere: Snow, Water, Ice, and Permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA). :97-104.

2011

Karlsson, ES, Charkin A, Dudarev O, Semiletov I, Vonk JE, Sánchez-García L, Andersson A, Gustafsson Ö. 2011. Carbon isotopes and lipid biomarker investigation of sources, transport and degradation of terrestrial organic matter in the Buor-Khaya Bay, SE Laptev Sea. Biogeosciences. 8:1865-1879.

Semiletov, I, Pipko II, Shakhova N, Dudarev OV, Pugach SP, Charkin A, McRoy CP, Kosmach D, Gustafsson Ö. 2011. Carbon transport by the Lena River from its headwaters to the Arctic Ocean, with emphasis on fluvial input of terrestrial particulate organic carbon vs. carbon transport by coastal erosion. Biogeosciences. 8:2407-2426.

Pipko, II, Pugach SP, Semiletov I, Salyuk AN. 2011. Carbonate characteristics of waters of the Arctic Ocean continental slope. Doklady Earth Sciences. 438(2):858-863.

Anderson, LG, Björk G, Jutterström S, Pipko II, Shakhova N, Semiletov I, Wåhlström I. 2011. East Siberian Sea, an Arctic region of very high biogeochemical activity. Biogeosciences. 8:1745-1754.

Pipko, II, Semiletov I, Pugach SP, Wåhlström I, Anderson LG. 2011. Interannual variability of air-sea CO2 fluxes and carbonate system parameters in the East Siberian Sea. Biogeosciences. 8:2007.

Sánchez-García, L, Alling V, Pugach S, Vonk J, Van Dongen BE, Humborg C, Dudarev O, Semiletov I, Gustafsson Ö. 2011. Inventories and behavior of particulate organic carbon in the Laptev and East Siberian Seas. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 25(GB2007)

Semiletov, I, Pipko II, Shakhova N, Dudarev OV, Pugach SP, Charkin AN, McRoy CP, Kosmach D, Gustafsson Ö. 2011. On the biogeochemical signature of the Lena River from its headwaters to the Arctic Ocean. Biogeosciences Discuss.. 8:2093-2143.

Charkin, A, Dudarev OV, Semiletov I, Kruhmalev AV, Vonk JE, Sánchez-García L, Karlsson ES, Gustafsson Ö. 2011. Seasonal and interannual variability of sedimentation and organic matter distribution in the Buor Khaya Gulf – the primary recipient of input from Lena River and coastal erosion in the SE Laptev Sea. Biogeosciences. 8:2581-941.

Gustafsson, Ö, Van Dongen BE, Vonk JE, Dudarev OV, Semiletov I. 2011. Widespread release of old carbon across the Siberian Arctic echoed by its large rivers. Biogeosciences. 8:1737-1743.

2010

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Gustafsson O. 2010. Methane from the East Siberian Arctic Shelf—Response. Science. 329(5996):1147-1148.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Salyuk A, Joussupov V, Kosmach D, Gustafsson O. 2010. Extensive methane venting to the atmosphere from sediments of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf. Science. 327(5970):1246-1250.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Leifer I, Rekant P, Salyuk A, Kosmach D. 2010. Geochemical and geophysical evidence of methane release from the inner East Siberian Shelf. Journal of Geophysical Research. 115

Vonk, JE, Sanchez-Garcıa L, Semiletov I, Dudarev O, Eglinton T, Andersson A, Gustafsson O. 2010. Molecular and radiocarbon constraints on sources and degradation of terrestrial organic carbon along the Kolyma paleoriver transect, East Siberian Sea.Biogeosciences. 7:3153–3166.

Alling, V, Sánchez-García L, Porcelli D, Pugach S, Vonk J, van Dongen B, Mörth CM, Anderson LG, Sokolov A, Andersson P et al.. 2010. Non-conservative behavior of dissolved organic carbon across the Laptev and East Siberian Seas. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 24(GB4033)

2009

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I. 2009. Methane Hydrate Feedbacks. Arctic Climate Feedbacks: Global Implications. :81-92.

Porcelli, D, Andersson P, Baskaran M, Frank M, Bjvrk G, Semiletov I. 2009. The distribution of neodymium isotopes in Arctic Ocean Basins. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta.

Shakhova, N, Sergienko VI, Semiletov I. 2009. Modern state of the role of the East Siberian Shelf in the methance cycle. Herald of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 3

2008

Pipko, II, Semiletov I, Tishenko PY, Pugach SP, Savelieva NI. 2008. Carbon System Parameters Variability in the East-Siberian Sea Coastal-Shelf Zone during Fall Season. Okeanologiya. 48:59-72.

Christensen, JP, Shimada K, Semiletov I, Wheeler PA. 2008. Chlorophyll Response to Shelf-break Upwelling and Winds in the Chukchi Sea, Alaska, in Autumn. The Open Oceanography Journal. 2:34-53.

Pipko, II, Repina IA, Salyuk AN, Semiletov I, Pugach SP. 2008. Comparison of Calculated and Measured CO2 Fluxes between the Ocean and Atmosphere in the Southwestern Part of the East Siberia Sea. Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 422:1105-1108.

Vetrov, AA, Semiletov I, Dudarev O, Peresipkin VI, Charkin A. 2008. Composition and genesis of the organic matter in the bottom sediments of the East Siberian Sea. Geochemistry International. 46

Van Dongen, BE, Semiletov I, Weijers JWH, Gustafsson O. 2008. Contrasting lipid biomarker composition of terrestrial organic matter exported from across the Eurasion Arctic by the five Great Russian Artic Rivers. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 22

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Sergienko VI, Salyuk AN, Belcheva N, Kosmach D. 2008. "On the role of the East Siberian Shelf in the modern marine methane cycle" in Change of Natural Environment and Climate- natural and possile consequent human-induced catastrophes. VI:164-176.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Salyuk AN, Belcheva N, Kosmach D, Sergienko VI. 2008. On the role of the East Siberian Shelf in the modern mathance cycle and global change. Harold of the East-Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences.

2008

Elmquist, M, Semiletov I, Guo L, Gustafsson O. 2008. Pan-Arctic patterns in black carbon sources and fluvial discharges deduced from radiocarbon and PAH source apportionment markers in estuarine surface sediments. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 22

2007

Semiletov, I, Pipko II, Repina IA, Shakhova N. 2007. Carbonate dynamics and carbon dioxide fluxes across the atmosphere-ice-water interfaces in the Arctic Ocean, Pacific sector of the Arctic. Journal of Marine Systems. 66:204-226.

Dudarev, OV, Semiletov I, Charkin A. 2007. Different scale inhomogeneties in particulate material composition in the Lena River-Laptev Sea system. Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 410

Repina, IA, Semiletov I, Smirnov AS. 2007. Direct measurement of CO2 fluxes in the Laptev Sea in summer. Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 413

Pipko, II, Semiletov I, Tishenko PY, Pugach SP, Savelieva NI. 2007. "Dynamics of the carbonate system and CO2 fluxes between the ocean and atmosphere in a coastal shelf zone of the East-Siberian sea during autumn" in Far Eastern Seas of Russia Book 2.:365-381.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Belcheva N. 2007. The Great Siberian Rivers as a source of methane on the Russian Arctuic shelf.Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 414

Semiletov, I, Dudarev O, Pipko II, Salyuk AN, Shakhova N. 2007. "Interannual variability of thermohaline structure and hydrochemical chrakteristics of the coatsla waters in a shelf zone of the East-Siberian Sea" in Far Eastern Seas of Russia, Book 2. :309-324.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Salyuk AN, Belcheva N, Kosmach D. 2007. Methane anomalies in the near-water atmospheric layer above the shelf of East Siberian Arctic shelf. Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 415:764-768.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Salyuk AN, Belcheva N, Kosmach D. 2007. "Methane anomalies on a shelf of the Arcitc seas of Russia" in Far Eastern Seas of Russia, Book 2. :353-364.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I. 2007. Methane release and coastal environment in the East Siberian Arctic shelf. Journal of Marine Systems. 66:227-243.

Dudarev, O, Charkin A, Semiletov I, Botsul A, Kosmach D. 2007. "Modern sedimentation on the near-continental shelf of the East-Siberian Sea" in Far Eastern Seas of Russia, Book 2. :419-422.

Semiletov, I, Pipko II. 2007. Sinks and sources of carbon dioxide in the Arctic Ocean. Transactions of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 414:642-645.

Dudarev, O, Charkin A, Semiletov I, Salyuk AN, Shilo IN, Spivak EA. 2007. "Transformation of the sedimentation environment above the relic banks of the East-Siberian Arctic seas" in Far Eastern Seas of Russia, Book 2. :382-391.

2006

Macdonald, RW, Anderson DM, Christensen JP, Miller JS, Semiletov I, Stein R. 2006. Carbon and Nutrient Fluxes in Continental Margins: A Global Synthesis.

Sergienko, VI, Semiletov I. 2006. FEBRAS Marine Investigations In the Arctic. 4

Belzile, C, Roesler CS, Christensen JP, Shakhova N, Semiletov I. 2006. Fluorescence measured using the WETStar DOM fluorometer as a proxy for dissolved matter absorption. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science. 67:441-449.

Semiletov, I, Shakhova N. 2006. Methane Climate Forcing and Methane Observations in the Siberian Arctic Land-Shelf System. World Resource Review. 16:503-541.

Pipko, II, Semiletov I, Pugach SP. 2006. On the CO2 exchange in the atmosphere-ocean system over the Chukchi Sea shelf.Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 410:679-683.

Dudarev, OV, Semiletov I, Charkin A, Botsul A. 2006. Sedimentation over the East-Siberian shelf. Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 409

2005

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Belcheva N. 2005. Dissolved methane in the Arctic Seas. Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 402:1-5.

Pipko, II, Semiletov I, Pugach SP. 2005. On dynamics of the carbonate system in the East-Siberian Sea. Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 402

Gukov, A, Dudarev OV, Semiletov I, Charkin A, Gorshkova Y. 2005. Characteristics of the benthic biomass distribution in the bottom sediment in the southern part of teh East Siberian Sea. Oceanology. 45:889-896.

Iossoupov, VI, Salomatin AS, Semiletov I. 2005. Connection among acoustical backscattering and temperature in the upper layer of the bottom sediment on the shelf of the Arctic Seas. Transactions of Russian Academy of Sciences. 402:686-688.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Panteleev GG. 2005. Distribution of methane on the Siberian Arctic shelves: implications for the marine methane cycle. Geophysical Research Letters. 32:L09601.

Semiletov, I, Dudarev O, Luchin VA, Charkin A, Shin KH, Tanaka T. 2005. The East Siberian Sea as a transition zone between Pacific-derived waters and Arctic shelf waters. Geophysical Research Letters. 32:L10614.

2005

Luchin, VA, Semiletov I. 2005. Interannual Variability of Water Temperature in the Chukchi Sea. Doklady Earth Sciences. 405A:1419-1422.

Shakhova, N, Semiletov I, Belcheva N. 2005. Methane in the Eastern Arctic Seas. Transactions of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 402:529-533.

Iossoupov, VI, Salomatin AS, Semiletov I. 2005. Relationship between backscattering of high-frequency acoustical signal and temperature in the upper sediment layer over the Arctic shelf. Transactions of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 409:822-827.

2004

Semiletov, I, Makshtas AP, Akasofu S-I, Andreas EL. 2004. Atmospheric CO2 balance: the role of Arctic sea ice. Geophysical Research Letters. 31:L05121.

Guo, L, Semiletov I, Gustafsson O, Ingri J, Andersson P, Dudarev O, White D. 2004. Characterization of Siberian Arctic estuarine sediments: Implications for terrestrial organic carbon export. Global Biogeochemical Cycles. 18:GB1036.

Savelieva, NI, Semiletov I, Weller GE, Vasilevskaya LN, Yusupov VI. 2004. Climate change in the northern Asia in the second half of the 20th century. Pacific Oceanography. 2:74-84.

2003

Dudarev, O, Semiletov I, Botsul A, Charkin A. 2003. Modern sedimentation in the coastal cryolitozone of the Dmitry Laptev Strait/East-Siberian Sea. Pacific Geology. 22:51-60.

Semiletov, I, Dudarev O, Savelieva NI, Pipko II, Pugach SP. 2003. POI studies in the Arctic Amerasian Shelf. Herald of the Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. 108:73-80.

2002

Pipko, II, Semiletov I, Tishenko PY, Pugach SP, Christensen JP. 2002. Carbonate chemistry dynamics in Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea. Progress in Oceanography. 55:77-94.

Luchin, VA, Semiletov I, Weller GE. 2002. Changes in the Bering Sea region: atmosphere-ice-water system in teh second half of the twentieth century. Progress in Oceanography. 55:23-44.

2001

Semiletov, I. 2001. Changes In the Atmosphere-Land-Sea System In the Amerasian Arctic. 3

• « FIRST
  

[Vergent]

If an expert like Igor Semiletov is "shocked" and "alarmed" maybe we should be too.

[LithiaWx]

Vergent, half of what you just posted has nothing to do with methane. I'm not sure what you are trying to prove with all those links. I'll wait for more data to come out, you can panic.

[Jonger]

"Earlier we found torch-like structures like this but they were only tens of metres in diameter."

"This is the first time that we've found continuous, powerful and impressive seeping structures, more than 1,000 metres in diameter."

"Over a relatively small area we found more than 100, but over a wider area there should be thousands of them."

"Scientists estimate that there are hundreds of millions of tonnes of methane gas locked away beneath the Arctic permafrost"

"Dr Semiletov's team published a study in 2010 estimating that the methane emissions from this region were about eight million tonnes a year"

"In late summer, the Russian research vessel Academician Lavrentiev conducted an extensive survey of about 10,000 square miles of sea off the East Siberian coast."

"on a scale not seen before. Some plumes were a kilometre or more wide and the emissions went directly into the atmosphere – the concentration was a hundred times higher than normal."

How mutch more data do you need to see that this is not good?

How much methane was released when the last iceage ended and a size of ice several times larger melted then we have today. The ice we have at the poles today is a fraction of the original sheet.

[Jonger]

That methane thats under the ice was probably the remains of plant/organic material that was left behind when there were actual plants growing in those spots.