Such unstable areas are a source of methane.
Scientists have discovered in the Arctic ocean, an ancient fault system, according to a study published in Scientific Reports.
at the end of the last century Russian and Western geologists have found in the Barents sea funnel with a diameter of several hundred meters and a depth of tens of meters. In 2017, the Norwegian scientists found that these craters appeared about 12 thousand years ago — at the end of the last ice age. When the glaciers began to retreat, frozen in soil methane began to melt and rise, creating a giant hill. Pressure of these hills exploded.
However, until now, remained unknown, where did the methane. In a new study, a team from the Arctic University of Norway used three-dimensional seismic high resolution data to find out what processes are taking place under the funnels. The study showed that the craters are located in the fault zone, which appeared 250 million years ago.
the fault System responsible for the size and shape of craters, the methane rises up through cracks in the rocks, scientists say. Since the zone of instability under the very ancient craters, hills at the bottom might start to form much earlier than anticipated.
Anna Lysenko
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