Kans op abrupte methaan-uitstoot mogelijk kleiner dan gedacht

What Do Methane Deposits In The Antarctic And Arctic Mean For The Climate?
Door Verity Payne, Carbon Brief / Climate Progress, 30 augustus 2012

[...] Despite recent research suggesting that we’ve underestimated Arctic methane sources, there isn’t yet evidence to suggest that these sources are having a significant effect on atmospheric methane.

[...] Important warming feedbacks from methane emissions in the polar regions – particularly to the Arctic – have the potential to occur. But different feedbacks are likely to act over different timescales, and the possibility of sudden and catastrophic methane release may be overstated[*].

[...] although polar methane hydrate sources will probably become important over the long term, particularly if Arctic warming continues, in the nearer future it looks like wetlands will remain the major determining factor in global methane emissions.

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En dit laatste is ernstig genoeg.

For Peat’s Sake: Record Temperatures And Wildfires In Eastern Russia Drive Amplifying Carbon-Cycle Feedback
Door Lynn Jenner, NASA/Goddard and Climate Progress, 31 augustus 2012

[...] the fires burning in Russia will have worldwide effects as the torched peat bogs whose layers consist of dead plant materials will end up releasing large quantities of carbon dioxide into the air accelerating the greenhouse effect [...]. 

Later toegevoegd: 

If We Release a Small Fraction of Arctic Carbon, 'We're Fucked': Climatologist
Door Brian Merchant, Motherboard, 1 augustus 2014

First observations of methane release from Arctic Ocean hydrates
Stockholm University, 23 juli 2014


Researchers Quantify Greenhouse Gases From Melting Arctic Permafrost
Door Bob Berwyn, Summit Country Citizens Voice / Climate Progress, 7 november 2012

[...] [Director of U.S. Geological Surveay Marcia McNutt:] 'While the permafrost of the polar latitudes may seem distant and disconnected from the daily activities of most of us, its potential to alter the planet’s habitability when destabilized is very real.'
As much as 44 billion tons of nitrogen and 850 billion tons of carbon could be released into the environment as the region begins to thaw over the next century. This nitrogen and carbon are likely to impact ecosystems, the atmosphere, and water resources including rivers and lakes. For context, this is roughly the amount of carbon stored in the atmosphere today. 

Wetenschappers schetsen horrorscenario over methaan in oceaanbodem
Trouw.nl, 25 oktober 2012

Melting ‘Permafrost’ Releases Climate-Warming CO2 Even Faster Than We Thought
University of Michigan News Service / Climate Progress, 12 februari 2013

Exposure to sunlight may act as an amplification factor in the conversion of frozen C [carbon] stores to C gases in the atmosphere.

Noot 

[*] Zie onder dat stuk de alerte reactie van Andrew Mulkey (March 5, 2010 at 2:45 am).

Zie ook m'n blognotities:
Klimaatverandering kan 'compost-bom' ontsteken
Netwerk van boorgaten: permafrost smelt overal
Smeltende permafrost vormt tikkende tijdbom
Ontdooiende permafrost oorzaak extreme opwarming aarde in het verleden
Smeltende permaforst klimaatramp?