Ebook: Methane Hydrates in Quaternary Climate Change: The Clathrate Gun Hypothesis

Published by the American Geophysical Union as part of the Special Publications Series.

Like most Earth scientists, we are intrigued and amazed by recent discoveries from ice-core and marine sediments that global climate and the ocean-atmosphere system can abruptly switch from glacial to near-interglacial temperatures within decades. Remarkably, this happened many times during and at the end of the last glacial episode, causing enormous disruptions in the global biosphere. Such discoveries are double-edged, however. Along with the excitement they prompt comes a grand challenge: their explanation. We, and others, have wondered what factors can possibly drive the climate so far and so fast. Where does the energy come from? Understanding such phenomena becomes paramount in a world with increasing concern about the potential role of humans on global climate change.

Content:
Chapter 1 Late Quaternary Climate Pattern (pages 11–28):
Chapter 2 Atmospheric Methane Behavior: Ice Core Record (pages 29–36):
Chapter 3 Methanogenesis and Methanotrophy (pages 37–41):
Chapter 4 Source of Methane During Rapid Increase (pages 43–87):
Chapter 5 Methane Hydrates as Atmospheric Methane Source (pages 89–104):
Chapter 6 The Clathrate Gun Hypothesi (pages 105–107):
Chapter 7 Methane Hydrates in Pre?Quaternary Climate Change (pages 109–112):
Chapter 8 Primary Cause of Quaternary Instability of Methane Hydrates (pages 113–124):
Chapter 9 Instability of Methane Hydrates During the Quaternary (pages 125–146):
Chapter 10 Role of Methane in Quaternary Climate Change (pages 147–153):
Chapter 11 Role of Methane Hydrates in Quaternary Climate Change (pages 155–162):
Chapter 12 Future Tests of the Hypothesis (pages 163–165):
Chapter 13 Conclusions (pages 167–168):