2026-10-14T20:03:06Z https://api.figshare.com/v2/oai

oai:figshare.com:article/34033326 2026-09-30T15:06:04Z category_1 category_4 category_915 category_14 category_272 category_873 category_39 category_62 category_69 category_122 category_132 portal_63 item_type_6 month_year_09_2026

Quantitative Study of Methane Sequestration by Hydrate-Encapsulated Bubbles at Cold Seeps: Kinetic Characteristics and Environmental Implications Yitong Zhang (8484414) Shichuan Xi (14213372) Liang Ma (37793) Lianfu Li (15190021) Wanying He (5535743) Zengfeng Du (18509226) Zhicheng Wang (453756) Jun Tao (214048) Xin Zhang (35492) Biophysics Biochemistry Physical Sciences not elsewhere classified Molecular Biology Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified Ecology Marine Biology Inorganic Chemistry Mental Health Infectious Diseases small solid particles situ monitoring capabilities series raman spectroscopy provide key parameters experimental results indicate dynamic evolution patterns 34 – 2 small cages influenced natural methane emissions growth rate accelerates conduct quantitative monitoring 3 %– 26 annual methane sequestration hydrate formation serves methane sequestration roughly 3 quantitative study multiphase methane large cages mediated sequestration hydrate growth site f seep environments regulatory mechanisms quantitatively revealing major source low salinity kinetic characteristics encapsulated bubbles conversion ratio bubble flows Cold seeps are a major source of natural methane emissions from the seafloor and regulate the global ocean carbon cycle. Hydrate formation serves as a key natural barrier restricting methane escape, but its kinetic mechanisms remain poorly quantified due to limited in situ monitoring capabilities. Here, we employ time-series Raman spectroscopy to conduct quantitative monitoring of methane hydrate growth kinetics and coupled methane sequestration behavior across various fluid-bubble flows. Time-resolved spectral data clearly capture real-time variations in the concentration and conversion ratio of multiphase methane during hydrate growth, quantitatively revealing the dynamic evolution patterns and regulatory mechanisms in cold-seep environments. Experimental results indicate that the growth rate accelerates and the occupancy of large cages in cold-seep bubble flows increases by 15% relative to that of small cages influenced by low salinity and small solid particles. Furthermore, field model estimates indicate that the annual methane sequestration by hydrate-encapsulated bubbles at Site F is estimated to be about 0.34–2.77 t/yr, which accounts for roughly 3.3%–26.9% of the total methane leakage flux in this region. These findings fill critical quantitative gaps in understanding cold-seep methane sequestration dynamics and provide key parameters for incorporating hydrate-mediated sequestration into ocean carbon cycle models. 2026-09-30T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 10.1021/acs.est.6c11347.s001 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Quantitative_Study_of_Methane_Sequestration_by_Hydrate-Encapsulated_Bubbles_at_Cold_Seeps_Kinetic_Characteristics_and_Environmental_Implications/34033326 CC BY-NC 4.0