Estimating the Impact of Seep Methane Oxidation on Ocean pH and Dissolved Inorganic Radiocarbon Along the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight

Garcia‐Tigreros, Fenix; Leonte, Mihai; Ruppel, Carolyn D.; Ruiz‐Angulo, Angel; Joung, Dong Joo; Young, Benjamin; Kessler, John D.

doi:10.1029/2019jg005621

Estimating the Impact of Seep Methane Oxidation on Ocean pH and Dissolved Inorganic Radiocarbon Along the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight

Journal Article · Wed Dec 23 00:00:00 EST 2020 · Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jg005621· OSTI ID:1849216

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Univ. of Rochester, Rochester NY (United States). Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences; Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)
Univ. of Rochester, Rochester NY (United States). Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences
US Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA (United States)
Icelandic Meteorological Office, Reykjavík (Iceland)

Ongoing ocean warming can release methane (CH₄) currently stored in ocean sediments asfree gas and gas hydrates. Once dissolved in ocean waters, this CH₄ can be oxidized to carbon dioxide(CO₂). While it has been hypothesized that the CO₂ produced from aerobic CH4oxidation could enhanceocean acidification, a previous study conducted in Hudson Canyon shows that CH₄ oxidation has a smallshort-term influence on ocean pH and dissolved inorganic radiocarbon. Here we expand upon thatinvestigation to assess the impact of widespread CH₄ seepage on CO₂ chemistry and possible accumulationof this carbon injection along 234 km of the U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight. Consistent with the estimates fromHudson Canyon, we demonstrate that a small fraction of ancient CH₄-derived carbon is being assimilatedinto the dissolved inorganic radiocarbon (mean fraction of 0.5 ± 0.4%). The areas with the highest fractionsof ancient carbon coincide with elevated CH₄ concentration and active gas seepage. This suggests thataerobic CH₄ oxidation has a greater influence on the dissolved inorganic pool in areas where CH₄ concentrations are locally elevated, instead of displaying a cumulative effect downcurrent from widespreadgroupings of CH₄ seeps. Afirst-order approximation of the input rate of ancient-derived dissolved inorganiccarbon (DIC) into the waters overlying the northern U.S. Mid-Atlantic Bight further suggests thatoxidation of ancient CH₄-derived carbon is not negligible on the global scale and could contribute todeepwater acidification over longer time scales.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: US Geological Survey, Boulder, CO (United States); Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0026195; FE0028980

OSTI ID:: 1849216

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1786765

Journal Information:: Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences, Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research. Biogeosciences Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 126; ISSN 2169-8953

Publisher:: American Geophysical UnionCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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