Peculiarities of the Distributionof Methane Concentration and Methane Fluxesat the Water–Air Interface in the Tatar Straitof the Sea of Japan

G. I. Mishukova, V. F. Mishukov, A. I. Obzhirov, N. L. Pestrikova, and O. F. Vereshchagina

The spatial distribution of the methane content in the sea water in the Tatar Strait of the Sea of Japan is investigated using the data of expeditionary studies in 2012–2013. The developed model enabled computing methane fluxes at the water–air interface. Identified are the water areas of active methane emission in the area of underwater gas blowouts. Revealed is the abnormal concentration of methane in the areas of emission of natural gas bubbles on the western shelf and on the slope of Sakhalin Island. These bubbles give rise to the upwelling of bottom water to the overlying layers. It is discovered that the formation of the cold subsurface layer (CSL) of sea water being especially active in the area of gas blowouts is caused by phase transitions as a result of the hydrophobic hydration of natural gas molecules.