Hydrate Formation on Marine Seep Bubbles and the Implications for Water Column Methane Dissolution

Methane released from seafloor seeps contributes to a number of benthic, water column, and atmospheric processes. At within the methane hydrate stability zone, crystalline gas shells can form on bubbles while are still in contact with or as begin ascending through column. These reduce dissolution rates, allowing hydrate-coated deliver shallower depths column than hydrate-free bubbles. Here, we analyze videos six deepwater seep sites associated diverse range bubble-release processes involving formation. Bubbles that grow rapidly often when seafloor. As bubble growth slows residence time increases, coating bubble's gas-water interface, fully most ?10 s onset formation at This finding agrees water-column observations become after their initial ?150 cm rise, which takes about 10 s. Whether is coated not affects how much contains quickly dissolves during rise A simplified model shows that, rising 150 above seafloor, grew shell before releasing will have ?5% more equal volume did it traveled same height.