Abstract
The method of linear stability analysis is applied to determine the necessary conditions of existence of natural hydrate deposits under Arctic permafrost. It is found that the existence is limited to relatively small thicknesses of the hydrate stability zone and the underlying methane-saturated layer, low-to-moderate permeability of the deposits, and low-to-moderate hydrate saturation. At larger thicknesses, higher permeability, or higher saturation, the interface between the two layers is unstable to small-amplitude perturbations. The results do not support the hypothesis that the interface instability may lead to accelerating meltdown of natural methane hydrates in response to increase in global temperature.
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Communicated by H.J. Fernando.
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Kolchanova, E., Lyubimova, T., Lyubimov, D. et al. Interface instability of methane hydrate stability zone in permafrost deposits. Theor. Comput. Fluid Dyn. 27, 637–650 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00162-012-0277-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00162-012-0277-7