Developing a site survey for scientific ocean drilling on the Mauritanian continental margin

大量的甲烷，一种强效的温室气体，储存在大陆边缘的浅水区（例如低于500米）。这些被称为甲烷水合物的沉积物广泛分布于大陆边缘，被认为是天然存在的最大的甲烷储层之一。毛里塔尼亚大陆边缘的地质记录有证据表明，由于过去海洋温度升高导致甲烷水合物不稳定，潜在的大量甲烷已经释放出来，这些甲烷将进入海洋，也许还会进入大气。在全球变暖期间，水合物释放的甲烷曾被认为是改变海洋化学成分和加剧气候变化的重要机制。该项目将确定候选的科学钻探地点，以调查不同的气候变化和不同的逃逸途径可能对甲烷水合物系统的潜在贡献。国际海洋钻探方案（IODP）的重点是解决有关地球历史的关键问题，特别是了解地球系统各组成部分之间的联系。该项目将确定科学海洋钻探可以提供所需数据的特定地点，以详细了解天然气水合物的分布以及这种系统如何响应气候变化。

Large volumes of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, are stored on continental margins in shallow waters (e.g. <500m). These deposits, referred to as methane hydrates are widespread on continental margins and are considered to be one of the largest methane reservoirs that naturally exist. There is evidence from the geological record on the Mauritanian continental margin that potentially large volumes of methane have been released as a result of the methane hydrate destabilisation due to past increases in ocean temperatures and this will have entered the oceans and perhaps the atmosphere. The release of methane from hydrates during a warming world has been suggested previously be an important mechanism for changing the chemistry of the oceans and amplifying climatic change.The proposed project here will identify candidate scientific drilling sites to investigate the potential contribution that different climatic changes and different escape pathways might have on methane hydrate systems. The International Ocean Drilling Programme (IODP) is focused on addressing key questions about the Earth's history, in particular, understanding the connections between components of the Earth systems. This project will identify specific sites where scientific ocean drilling could provide the required data to understand in detail, the distribution of gas hydrates and how such a system responds to climatic shifts.