Kristopher Darnell

The evolution of methane vents that pierce the hydrate stability zone in the world's oceans

We present a one-dimensional model that couples the thermodynamics of hydrate solidification with multiphase flow to illuminate how gas vents pierce the hydrate stability zone in the worlds oceans. During the propagation phase, a free-gas/hydrate reaction front propagates toward the seafloor, elevating salinity and temperature to three-phase (gas, liquid, and hydrate) equilibrium. After the reaction front breaches the seafloor, the temperature gradient in the gas chimney dissipates to background values, and salinity increases to maintain three-phase equilibrium. Ultimately, a steady state is reached in which hydrate formation occurs just below the seabed at a rate necessary to replace salt loss. We show that at the Ursa vent in the Gulf of Mexico, the observed salinity and temperature gradients can be simulated as a steady state system with an upward flow of water equal to 9.5 mm yr−1 and a gas flux no less than 1.3 kg m−2 yr−1. Many of the worlds gas vents may record this steady state behavior, which is characterized by elevated temperatures and high salinities near the seafloor.

Dynamic jamming of iceberg-choked fjords

We investigate the dynamics of ice melange by analyzing rapid motion recorded by a time-lapse camera and terrestrial radar during several calving events that occurred at Jakobshavn Isbrae, Greenland. During calving events (1) the kinetic energy of the ice melange is 2 orders of magnitude smaller than the total energy released during the events, (2) a jamming front propagates through the ice melange at a rate that is an order of magnitude faster than the motion of individual icebergs, (3) the ice melange undergoes initial compaction followed by slow relaxation and extension, and (4) motion of the ice melange gradually decays before coming to an abrupt halt. These observations indicate that the ice melange experiences widespread jamming during calving events and is always close to being in a jammed state during periods of terminus quiescence. We therefore suspect that local jamming influences longer timescale ice melange dynamics and stress transmission.

Transient seafloor venting on continental slopes from warming‐induced methane hydrate dissociation

Methane held in frozen hydrate cages within marine sediment comprises one of the largest carbon reservoirs on the planet. Recent submarine observations of widespread methane seepage may record hydrate dissociation due to oceanic warming, which consequently may further amplify climate change. Here we simulate the effect of seafloor warming on marine hydrate deposits using a multiphase flow model. We show that hydrate dissociation, gas migration, and subsequent hydrate formation cangenerate temporary methane venting into the ocean through the hydrate stability zone. Methane seeps venting through the hydrate stability zone on the eastern Atlantic margin may record this process due to warming begun thousands of years ago. Our results contrast with the traditional view that venting occurs only updip of the hydrate stability zone.

Subsurface injection of combustion power plant effluent as a solid-phase carbon dioxide storage strategy†

Long-term geological storage of CO2 may be essential for greenhouse gas mitigation, so a number of storage strategies have been developed that utilize a variety of physical processes. Recent work shows that injection of combustion power plant effluent, a mixture of CO2 and N2, into CH4 hydrate-bearing reservoirs blends CO2 storage with simultaneous CH4 production where the CO2 is stored in hydrate, an immobile, solid compound. This strategy creates economic value from the CH4 production, reduces the pre-injection complexity since costly CO2 distillation is circumvented, and limits leakage since hydrate is immobile. Here, we explore the phase behavior of these types of injections and describe the individual roles of H2O, CO2, CH4, and N2 as these components partition into aqueous, vapor, hydrate, and liquid CO2 phases. Our results show that CO2 storage in sub-permafrost or sub-marine hydrate-forming reservoirs requires co-injection of N2 to maintain two-phase flow and limit plugging.