Collaborative Research: An AUV Investigation of fluid expulsion (past and present) in the large-scale elongated gas blowouts, offshore Virginia/North Carolina

三个海洋学机构向 PI 提供资金，开展一个合作项目，研究弗吉尼亚州和北卡罗来纳州近海大规模延长的气体井喷中的流体排出过程。 2000 年，在该地区近海发现了因大量气体排出而导致的大规模疏散。陆架边缘三角洲内的渐进下坡蠕变被认为是气体上倾运动及其最终排出的原因。 PI将开展一项新的船上计划，以获取井喷现场的高分辨率多波束测深数据，调查可疑的流体排放现场，并从陆架边缘三角洲收集重力岩心以进行年龄控制以及沉积物和孔隙水样本。该研究的目的是确定目前是否存在富含气体的流体通过井喷的底部或侧壁排放，或者这些渗漏地点和遗迹特征是否存在。这项研究将有助于了解边缘的甲烷排放过程，这对气候、岩土工程、危害和资源都有影响。

Funds are provided to the PIs from three oceanographic institutions for a collaborative project to investigate fluid expulsion processes in the large-scale elongated gas blowouts, offshore Virginia and North Carolina. Large-scale evacuations resulting from massive gas expulsion were discovered offshore in the area in year 2000. Progressive downslope creep within the shelf-edge delta was considered to be responsible for updip movement of gas and its eventual expulsion. The PIs will undertake a new shipboard program to acquire high-resolution multibeam bathymetric data over the blowout sites, survey suspected fluid discharge sites, and collect gravity cores from shelf edge delta for age control and sediment and pore-water samples. The objective of the study is to determine if there is present-day discharge of gas-rich fluids through the floors or sidewalls of the blowouts, or whether these seepage sites and relict features. The study will contribute to knowledge of methane venting processes on the margins, which have climatic, geotechnical, hazards and resource implications.