Rapidly retreating glaciers in Svalbard, Norway are releasing methane into the atmosphere, according to scientists. The newly exposed land left behind by the retreating glaciers allows groundwater to seep upward and form springs filled with ancient methane gas. The scientists found that in 122 out of 123 of these springs, the water contained high concentrations of methane that bubble upward under pressure. The emissions from these springs are not well-quantified, but if this phenomenon is found to be more widespread across the Arctic, it could have global implications.
Lead author Gabrielle Kleber, a scientist based at the University of Cambridge and the University Centre in Svalbard, explained that this feedback loop is caused by climate change. As the glaciers retreat due to warming temperatures, they leave behind exposed land which encourages the release of methane gas.
The age of the methane is a cause for concern, as it appears to be ancient and could be coming from large underground reservoirs. The researchers found that the most intense gas flows occurred in regions with underground shale layers that are millions of years old. This suggests that the gas has been sequestered for long periods in ancient deposits of fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal. The removal of the “cryospheric cap,” once provided by glaciers or permafrost, has allowed the methane to escape upward.
The study, published in Nature Geoscience, focused on 78 Svalbard glaciers on land and several additional glaciers that stretch into the ocean. The researchers estimate that the process they uncovered could lead to the emission of 2,310 tons of methane in Svalbard each year.
While there is no official quantification of how large methane emissions from retreating glaciers around the world could be, this phenomenon could add another source of methane emissions in the Arctic. Scientists have previously found that thawing permafrost releases methane into the atmosphere, but the extent of the problem is not well understood. The emissions from retreating glaciers would be a different source, as there is usually no permafrost beneath the glaciers.
The concern is not just what is happening in Svalbard, but rather if the phenomenon is more widespread or if it will worsen with further glacial retreat. As more land is exposed, more springs could form and release methane gas. The research highlights the importance of understanding how much older methane is being released into the atmosphere in the Arctic as global temperatures continue to rise.
The study has shed light on the ubiquity of methane seeps in the environment of retreating glaciers. Similar methane-rich seeps have been found in Alaska and Greenland. Further research is needed to fully understand the extent of the methane emissions and the age of the gas. The implications of this phenomenon could have significant effects on global climate change if it is more widespread in the Arctic.
As the research continues, scientists are faced with the stark reality of the impact of climate change on Svalbard’s glaciers. The temperatures in the region are increasing, and the glaciers are rapidly retreating. The observation of hundreds of cubic meters of water flashing before their eyes is a reminder of the irreversible loss of ice due to climate change.