Release of Methane from Hydrates during the Late Quaternary - A Compound-Specific, Isotopic Hypothesis Test

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole MA

Investigators

Abstract

The PI will test the Kennett et al. (2000) hypothesis that the prominent negative late Quaternary carbon-isotopic shifts in the Santa Barbara Basin cores resulted from methane hydrate dissociation. The PI will study the molecular-isotopic record of two sets of samples from the interval with the high-amplitude negative isotopic anomalies in both the benthic and planktic foraminifera. The biomarker record of organic carbon, especially from source-specific products of sedimentary microbes and algae could contribute independent evidence to test this and alternative hypotheses.