Powerful methane crystals..

[simrantogether]

Hi,

We all know about the Bermuda Triangle.. But only Some people among us know about the methane crystals available under the sea..

if somehow we extract it.. we'll get the clean energy..

But then also Global warming will be there..

Both Pros and Cons..

What's the comments..

Regards,

Simran..

 

[Sceadwian]

Methane hydrates are an exploitable natural resource much like coal. Very abundant, and with their problems of extraction but as far as sustainable energy goes it's a bust. Once you use it all up it's gone. Considering it's the ocean which we know so little about, especially it's biology we have no idea of any kind what massive harvesting of this could do to the environment or ecosystem at large. It's good to know it's there, and perhaps research should be done in the feasability of mass use of it, but it's not something that should be done eyes wide shut just because it's cheap energy (if it can be made cheap)

 

[xxxcastenada]

A bit off topic:

Life on earth is threatened with extinction by a little known lurking disaster -- the release of huge quantities of methane trapped in the Arctic tundra.

Twice before, 55 million and 251 million years ago, naturally occurring methane "burps" almost wiped out life on earth. Now, if humanity continues to emit carbon as a result of the burning of fossil fuels, we are in serious danger of triggering this irreversible event by the middle of the current century.

**broken link removed**

 

[Hero999]

It doesn't say exactly how an increase in temperature will trigger this event or exactly how it wipes out all life on earth so I'm a bit sceptical to say the least.

 

[dknguyen]

I read about this, except I think it was more like vast areas of land rather than the planet.

Was the Chixalou (sp?) crater the one 65 million years ago when the dinosaurs became extinct? or was it the $260 million(?) extinction when 95% of all species were wiped out?

 

[j.p.bill]

There's all sorts of natural disasters that can wipe out civilization. Read up on flood basalts sometime. Imagine several tens of cubic miles of molten lava coming up to the surface in a period of a couple of days. Or a really big volcano that can leave ashfall several hundreds of feet thick over 100 miles away from the eruption.

Chixalub (sic) was the 65 million year event that got the dinosaurs.

 

[Sceadwian]

Don't forget, Yellowstone national Park, in the U.S. It's a 34x45 mile large volcano. I think the refrence to the methane releases being caused by humans is because of global warming. The Methane stays in place as long as the permafrost remains, or in the case of oceans as long as the water stays cool enough. Once it hits a critical temperature the methane releases. It's all stupidty, in the end we have a lot less control and influence over our enviroment on a grand scale than we think.

 

[3v0]

The last thing we need is another carbon based source of energy. It may hurt to fill up at the pump but it has people working on other sources of energy.

It doesn't say exactly how an increase in temperature will trigger this event or exactly how it wipes out all life on earth so I'm a bit sceptical to say the least.

It goes ABOUT like this. When the ocean temperature rises enough to melt the methal hydrate (methane ice) on the ocean floor it releases methane. As a greenhouse gass, methane is much better at traping heat then carbon dioxide. So the ocean temperature rises and even more methane is released. The oxygen content of the air may drop. It is a run away condition. It would be global.

See Clathrate gun hypothesis

 

[simrantogether]

well..


its true that the temperature of atmosphere can increase...

is it possible to create chemicals in solid form that can absorb maximum of carbon dioxide... as a result.. the green house gases can be lowered..

Regards,

Simran..

 

[Oznog]

It goes ABOUT like this. When the ocean temperature rises enough to melt the methal hydrate (methane ice) on the ocean floor it releases methane. As a greenhouse gass, methane is much better at traping heat then carbon dioxide. So the ocean temperature rises and even more methane is released. The oxygen content of the air may drop. It is a run away condition. It would be global.

See Clathrate gun hypothesis

That's not the only methane problem either. Methane is a very potent global warming gas, much more so than CO2 on a volumetric basis. The other prob is Siberian permafrost is full of frozen peat bogs that are expected to produce huge volumes of methane when they begin to thaw out.

 

[Hero999]

However methane decomposes to CO2 and oxygen fairly quickly.

Agreed it does sound like a potential problem if the sea temperature were to rise high enough.

However, what temperature do these crystals melt at?

Is there a real chance that the sea temperature will rise to the critical level before the next ice age?

 

[3v0]

...
However, what temperature do these crystals melt at?

Is there a real chance that the sea temperature will rise to the critical level before the next ice age?

I think it was 18 C under pressure, I assume they were talking about the pressure at the level at which they were found.

I am not going to loose any sleep over it. There are other good reasons to switch away from carbon based fuel. This is just none more.

 

[philba]

hydrocarbons aren't just useful for fuel - many things can be manufactured from them.

I, too, won't be losing sleep over this - we're all going to die anyway.

 

[Krumlink]

Here is a cool site that explains alot about these crazy meth crystals:

**broken link removed**

 

[Hero999]

I think it was 18 C under pressure, I assume they were talking about the pressure at the level at which they were found.

What temperature are they at the moment?

Probably near freezing?

Somehow I don't think it's going to happen and if it does it'll be something like a volcanoe rather than the climate changing.

 

[3v0]

What temperature are they at the moment?

Probably near freezing?

Somehow I don't think it's going to happen and if it does it'll be something like a volcanoe rather than the climate changing.

I do not have a clue other then it being below 18 C.
The temperature may vary from place to place. May be places where it much below 18C an other when it is closer.

Then again I am sure someone got a PhD out of it. Makes for good TV too

We have learned about so many possible end games for the human race that what? If we prepare for X then Y will bit us in the shorts. Go figure.