Facts For Prelims
Source: DTE
Context: Climate change is causing groundwater springs to release methane in the Arctic as retreating glaciers expose these methane-rich springs, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience.
- The groundwater springs found in Svalbard, an archipelago in the Arctic, could be emitting over 2,000 tonnes of methane annually, which is equivalent to 10% of Norway’s methane emissions from its oil and gas industry.
- The presence of methane near shale rocks suggests a geologic or thermogenic source of gas that moves upward through fractures in the rocks and accumulates beneath the glacier.
As global warming continues and glaciers retreat further, the release of methane from glacial groundwater springs is expected to increase, highlighting the need to assess the risk and impact of these emissions.
