TY - JOUR
T1 - Methane emissions from subglacial meltwater of three alpine glaciers in Yukon, Canada
AU - Sapper, Sarah Elise
AU - Jørgensen, Christian Juncher
AU - Schroll, Moritz
AU - Keppler, Frank
AU - Riis Christiansen, Jesper
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - Subglacial meltwater of land-terminating glaciers in Greenland and Iceland are sources of methane (CH
4) to the atmosphere, but sparse empirical data exist about the spatial distribution of subglacial CH
4 production and emission from glaciers in other regions of the world. This study presents the first measurements of CH
4 emissions from the subglacial meltwater of three outlet glaciers of the St. Elias Mountains in Yukon, Canada. Dissolved CH
4 concentrations were highly elevated at 45, 135, and 250 times compared to the atmospheric equilibrium concentration in the meltwater of Dusty, Kluane, and Donjek glaciers, respectively. Dissolved CO
2 concentrations were depleted relative to the atmospheric equilibrium. This points to the meltwater being a source of CH
4 and a sink of CO
2. Stable carbon (
13C) and hydrogen (
2H) isotopic signatures of the subglacial CH
4 were depleted compared to atmospheric CH
4 at all sites, indicating both biotic and abiotic sources and possible alteration from bacterial CH
4 oxidation in the meltwater. No relation was found between CH
4 concentrations in the meltwater and the meltwater chemistry or the size of the glaciers in this study. These findings suggest that CH
4 emissions from subglacial environments under alpine glaciers may be a more common phenomenon than previously thought.
AB - Subglacial meltwater of land-terminating glaciers in Greenland and Iceland are sources of methane (CH
4) to the atmosphere, but sparse empirical data exist about the spatial distribution of subglacial CH
4 production and emission from glaciers in other regions of the world. This study presents the first measurements of CH
4 emissions from the subglacial meltwater of three outlet glaciers of the St. Elias Mountains in Yukon, Canada. Dissolved CH
4 concentrations were highly elevated at 45, 135, and 250 times compared to the atmospheric equilibrium concentration in the meltwater of Dusty, Kluane, and Donjek glaciers, respectively. Dissolved CO
2 concentrations were depleted relative to the atmospheric equilibrium. This points to the meltwater being a source of CH
4 and a sink of CO
2. Stable carbon (
13C) and hydrogen (
2H) isotopic signatures of the subglacial CH
4 were depleted compared to atmospheric CH
4 at all sites, indicating both biotic and abiotic sources and possible alteration from bacterial CH
4 oxidation in the meltwater. No relation was found between CH
4 concentrations in the meltwater and the meltwater chemistry or the size of the glaciers in this study. These findings suggest that CH
4 emissions from subglacial environments under alpine glaciers may be a more common phenomenon than previously thought.
KW - Methane emissions
KW - alpine glacier
KW - carbon isotopes
KW - subglacial meltwater
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85179683634&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15230430.2023.2284456
DO - 10.1080/15230430.2023.2284456
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1523-0430
VL - 55
JO - Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research
JF - Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research
IS - 1
M1 - 2284456
ER -