Biogeochemistry of Active Methane Seeps on the Continental Margin

麻点是在海床上发现的一种异常特征， 最近的流体渗漏活动-主要是气体-通过 沉淀物。 这些陨石坑状的特征 在整个大陆架上有广泛的记录 世界海洋，被认为主要与 碳氢化合物从沉积物储层中的渗漏。 尽管 它们的常见现象，主动系统基本上是 以及这些系统对地球化学的影响， 陆架沉积物和沿海沃茨几乎完全 未知 释放的气体主要是甲烷（均为生物源 和产热）和这个来源的意义， 海洋和大气的收支完全未知。 它有 最近有人假设，这些系统甚至可能计划 重要作用-加强大陆架渔业生产 货架 沿着流体泄放的开创性研究 俄勒冈州会聚边缘的陆棚和斜坡， 在当地渔民的指导下， 大陆上一个非常活跃的甲烷喷口 俄勒冈州外的大陆架上有水和沉积物。 这 研究是一种探索性的努力，以证明样本可以 不损失或改变所含气体 并进行分析以识别气体。

Pockmarks are errosive features found on the seabed that record the recent activity of fluid seepage --primarily gas -- through the sediments. These craters-like features have been extensively documented on continental shelves throughout the world oceans and are thought to be primarily associated with the seepage of hydrocarbons from sediment reservoirs. In spite of their common occurrence, active systems are essentially unstudied and the biogeochemical impacts of these systems on shelf sediments and coastal waters are almost completely unknown. The gas released is primarily methane (both biogenic and thermogenic) and the significance of this source to the marine and atmospheric budgets is completely unknown. It has recently been hypothesized that these systems may even plan an important role -- enhancing fisheries production on continental shelves. Following up on the pioneering studies of fluid venting along the shelf and slope of the Oregon convergent margin and upon the guidance of local fishermen, the existence of an extremely active methane vent in a pock mark on the continental shelf off Oregon has been verified water and sediment. This research is an exploratory effort to demonstrate that samples can be obtained without loss or alterations of the contained gases and analyses to identify the gases.