Evidence for extensive methane venting on the southeastern U.S. Atlantic margin
Abstract
We present the first evidence for widespread seabed methane venting along the southeastern United States Atlantic margin beyond the well-known Blake Ridge diapir seep. Recent ship- and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV)–collected data resolve multiple water-column anomalies (>1000 m height) and extensive new chemosynthetic seep communities at the Blake Ridge and Cape Fear diapirs. These results indicate that multiple, highly localized fluid conduits punctuate the areally extensive Blake Ridge gas hydrate province, and enable the delivery of significant amounts of methane to the water column. Thus, there appears to be an abundance of seabed fluid flux not previously ascribed to the Atlantic margin of the United States.
Department
Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping
Publication Date
5-2013
Volume
41, No. 7
Journal Title
Geology
Pages
807-810
Publisher
Geological Society of America
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.1130/G34217.1
Document Type
Journal Article
Recommended Citation
L. L. Brothers et al., "Evidence for extensive methane venting on the southeastern U.S. Atlantic margin," Geology, vol. 41, no. 7, pp. 807–810, May 2013.