Recent geological assessments in Greenland indicate that glacial meltwater can trigger the release of sequestered methane hydrates, presenting a potential feedback mechanism for global climatic warming.

近期在格陵蘭的地質評估顯示，冰川融水可能會觸發被封存的甲烷水合物釋放，為全球氣候暖化提供一個潛在的反饋機制。

The phenomenon centers on methane hydrates—crystalline structures formed under high-pressure and low-temperature conditions—which are estimated to contain carbon reserves exceeding those of all global fossil fuel deposits combined. Evidence from Melville Bay in north-western Greenland, derived from seismic surveys and sediment core analysis, reveals approximately 50 seafloor pockmarks reaching depths of 37 meters. These features are situated near grounding zone wedges, the interface where ice sheets meet the ocean floor. While initially attributed to iceberg scouring, the presence of freshwater within the sediments suggests that meltwater flows following the last glacial maximum flushed these hydrates from the substrate.

此現象的核心在於甲烷水合物——一種在高壓低溫條件下形成的結晶結構——據估計，其含碳量超過全球所有化石燃料儲量之總和。根據格陵蘭西北部 Melville Bay 的地震調查與沉積物芯分析，發現約有 50 個深達 37 公尺的海底坑洞（pockmarks）。這些特徵位於接地帶楔形體（grounding zone wedges）附近，即冰蓋與海底交接的界面。雖然最初被歸因於冰山沖刷，但沉積物中淡水的存在表明，在末次冰盛期後，融水流將這些水合物從基質中沖刷而出。

This mechanism represents a previously unaccounted-for pathway of methane liberation. Mads Huuse of the University of Manchester posits that the Melville Bay event may have released approximately 130 million tonnes of methane, though the actual atmospheric impact would be contingent upon seawater saturation levels. The existence of similar grounding zone wedges across the Arctic and the potentially larger hydrate reserves beneath the Antarctic ice sheet suggest a systemic vulnerability. Furthermore, complementary research led by Jade Hatton of the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology indicates that current meltwater streams in western Greenland are emitting roughly 715 tonnes of methane annually, likely stemming from the bacterial conversion of ancient organic carbon. Should glacial retreat accelerate, the intersection of these two processes—hydrate flushing and organic carbon conversion—could significantly augment the current annual methane emissions from Arctic and boreal biomes.

此機制代表了一條先前未被計入的甲烷釋放路徑。曼徹斯特大學的 Mads Huuse 認為，Melville Bay 事件可能釋放了約 1.3 億噸甲烷，儘管實際對大氣的影響將取決於海水的飽和度。北極地區存在類似的接地帶楔形體，以及南極冰蓋下可能存有更大量的水合物儲量，均顯示出系統性的脆弱性。此外，由英國生態與水文學中心的 Jade Hatton 領導的補充研究指出，格陵蘭西部目前的融水流每年排放約 715 噸甲烷，可能源於古老有機碳的細菌轉化。若冰川退縮加速，這兩個過程——水合物沖刷與有機碳轉化——的交集可能會顯著增加北極與北方生物群落目前的年度甲烷排放量。

The identification of meltwater-induced hydrate release suggests that receding ice sheets may facilitate the discharge of substantial methane volumes, thereby accelerating climatic shifts.

發現融水誘導的水合物釋放，顯示冰蓋退縮可能會促使大量甲烷排放，進而加速氣候轉變。