Abstract
Svyatogor Ridge is a gas hydrate-bearing sediment drift on the flank of an ultra-slow spreading mid-ocean ridge. Svyatogor Ridge hosts shallow gas accumulations, a strong bottom simulating reflection and fluid flow pathways (predominantly chimneys and faults) to the seafloor, culminating in pockmarks. Large offset detachment faults underlying Svyatogor Ridge provide access to deeper crustal and mantle ultramafic rocks, likely acting as conduits for warm fluid (and possible abiotic methane produced via serpentinization) to reach the shallow subsurface. This environment is distinct compared to other Arctic gas hydrate systems as it rests on the flank of an active mid-oceanic spreading ridge. It is the only known gas hydrate-bearing sediment drift in the Arctic where crustal-scale processes (mid-ocean ridge spreading) directly control the pressure and temperature regime for gas hydrate formation as well as fluid flow dynamics at the site.
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Acknowledgements
This research is supported by the Research Council of Norway through its Centres of Excellence (CoE) funding scheme, project number 223259. We acknowledge the crew and scientists aboard the R.V. Helmer Hanssen 2014–2018 in supporting the acquisition of data over Svyatogor Ridge.
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Waghorn, K.A., Johnson, J.E., Bünz, S., Plaza-Faverola, A., Vadakkepuliyambatta, S., Waage, M. (2022). Svyatogor Ridge—A Gas Hydrate System Driven by Crustal Scale Processes. In: Mienert, J., Berndt, C., Tréhu, A.M., Camerlenghi, A., Liu, CS. (eds) World Atlas of Submarine Gas Hydrates in Continental Margins. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81186-0_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81186-0_20
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