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Shallow and deep groundwater moderate methane dynamics in a high Arctic glacial catchment

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Repository DOI


Change log

Authors

Kleber, GE 
Magerl, L 
Turchyn, AV 
Redeker, K 
Thiele, S 

Abstract

jats:pGlacial groundwater can mobilize deep-seated methane from beneath glaciers and permafrost in the Arctic, leading to atmospheric emissions of this greenhouse gas. We present a temporal, hydro-chemical dataset of methane-rich groundwater collected during two melt seasons from a high Arctic glacial forefield to explore the seasonal dynamics of methane emissions. We use methane and ion concentrations and the isotopic composition of water and methane to investigate the sources of groundwater and the origin of the methane that the groundwater transports to the surface. Our results suggest two sources of groundwater, one shallow and one deep, which mix, and moderate methane dynamics. During summer, deep methane-rich groundwater is diluted by shallow oxygenated groundwater, leading to some microbial methane oxidation prior to its emergence at the surface. Characterization of the microbial compositions in the groundwater shows that microbial activity is an important seasonal methane sink along this flow-path. In the groundwater pool studied, we found that potential methane emissions were reduced by an average of 29% (±14%) throughout the summer due to microbial oxidation. During winter, deep groundwater remains active while many shallow systems shut down due to freezing, reducing subsurface methane oxidation, and potentially permitting larger methane emissions. Our results suggest that ratios of the different groundwater sources will change in the future as aquifer capacities and recharge volumes increase in a warming climate.</jats:p>

Description

Peer reviewed: True


Acknowledgements: We thank Yizhu Zhu and Mark Trimmer for their support with the methane analysis at the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London. We thank the governor of Svalbard for granting us access to restricted zones to conduct fieldwork, as well as Sara Mollie Cohen and the rest of the UNIS Logistics team for their field support. We are grateful to Marjolein Gevers for her help in the field.

Keywords

37 Earth Sciences, 3703 Geochemistry, 3705 Geology, 13 Climate Action

Journal Title

Frontiers in Earth Science

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2296-6463
2296-6463

Volume Title

12

Publisher

Frontiers Media SA