Gas trasport and Gas hydrate distribution characteristics of Southern Hydrate Ridge: Results from ODP Leg 204

Geochemical analyses carried out on samples collected from cores on and near the southern smit of Hydrate Ridge have advanced understanding by providing a clear contrast of the two major modes of marine gas hydrate occurrence. High concentrations (15%-40% of pore space) of gas hydrate occurring at shallow depths (0-40 mbsf) on and near the southern summit are fed by gas migrating from depths of as much as 2km within the accretionary prism. This gas carries a characteristic minor component of C2-C5 thermogenic hydrocarbons that enable tracing of migration pathways and may stabilize the occurrence of some structure II gas hydrate. A structure II wet gas hydrate that is stable to greater depths and temperatures than structure I methane hydrate may account for the deeper, faint second bottom simulating reflection (BSR2) that occurs on the seaward side of the ridge. The wet gas is migrating In an ash/turbidite layer that intersects the base of gas hydrate stability on the seaward side of and directly beneath the southern summit of Hydrate Ridge. The high gas saturation (>65%) of the pore space within this layer could create a two-phase (gas + solid) system that would enable free gas to move vertically upward through the gas hydrate stability zone. Away from the summit of the ridge there is no apparent influx of the gas seeping from depth and sediments are characterized by the normal sequence of early diagenetic processes involving anaerobic oxidation of sedimentary organic matter, initially linked to the reduction of sulfate and later continued by means of carbonate reduction leading to the formation of microbial methane.