Influence of the sedimentation regime and compaction of sediments under subaqueous conditions on the accumulation of gas hydrates in the zone of their stability

Formation of gas hydrate that form in a porous medium of sediments from gas dissolved in a gassaturated fluid is analyzed for different regimes of fluid movement determined by the permeability of sediments, their physical properties, and their accumulation rate. In the framework of the presented general mathematical model of viscoelastic compaction of accumulated sediments, characteristic porosity decrease patterns, fluid movement, and gas hydrate accumulation are described by a nonlinear system of eight partial differential equations. The regime of compaction and fluid movement is determined by the values of dimensionaless similarity numbers defined as nonlinear combinations of physical and dynamic parameters of the process studied. The results of model calculations with the use of representative physical and hydrodynamic parameters of the system provided constraints on the dependence of the hydrate formation rate on the similarity numbers of the problem. It is shown that the rate and volume of hydrate accumulation are determined by the similarity numbers and dimensionless time.     

Numerical simulation of accumulation of gas hydrates during sedimentation and compaction of sediments under subaqueous conditions

The mutual influence of compaction of depositing sediments and formation of gas hydrates in a porous medium is examined. Within the framework of the general mathematical model developed in this study, these interrelated processes are described by a nonlinear system of eight partial differential equations and are analyzed using numerical simulation in terms of the model including compaction of depositing sediments, movement of pore fluids, and formation of gas hydrates from dissolved methane accumulated during sedimentation. On the basis of model examples calculated with the use of representative parameters of the system, it is shown that the hydrate formation rate depends on the sedimentation rate and thermal conditions. Gas hydrate formation is shown to influence the pore fluid velocity in the near-surface zone of sediments.     

The Oxygen Cycle in Lake Baikal

The oxygen cycle and the balance of free oxygen and oxygen bound in CO₂in Lake Baikal are discussed based on new data on the gas exchange between the lake and atmosphere, O₂consumption in bottom sediments, and the rate of aerobic decomposition in the abyssal zone of the lake.     

Microbial community of the oxidized layer of Lake Baikal bottom sediments in the Selenga mouth

The distribution and abundance of some groups of saprophytic microorganisms in bottom sediments of Selenga Delta area were investigated. The species composition of 57 strains of the genus Pseudomonas was determined. The distribution of Actinomycetes in sediments was found to be uneven, they were represented by the genera Streptomyces and Micromonospora. Formation of the microbial community in bottom sediments of the investigated area is influenced by the Selenga River.Translated from Vodnye Resursy, Vol. 32, No. 2, 2005, pp. 227–231.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Parfenova, Pavlova, Terkina, Suslova, Kostornova, Nikulina, Sinyukovich, Sorokovikova.     

Anomalies of the natural electric field on Lake Baikal

The paper presents results of observations of the electromagnetic field conducted on the ice and coast of Lake Baikal. The horizontal and vertical components of the electric field contain anomalous disturbances coinciding in time with earthquakes and with the origination of a crevice in the ice cover of the lake. A possible origin of the anomalous disturbances is considered.     

全球与区域天然气水合物中天然气资源量估算

天然气水合物作为未来的一种替代能源引起了国内外很多研究者的关注,他们从不同的方面对天然气水合物进行了研究.随着研究的深入,许多研究者发现,全球天然气水合物中天然气资源量并没有最初认为的那么多,而且相差了几个数量级,这就大大降低了天然气水合物在未来能源中的地位.本文的研究目的是通过分析全球天然气水合物中天然气资源量的估算方法,归纳总结有关全球及区域估算天然气水合物中天然气资源量的文献,使人们对天然气水合物有个重新的认识,同时为未来的能源勘探开发提供一定的参考.通过分析我们发现全球天然气水合物中天然气资源量的估算值随着人们对天然气水合物认识程度的增加而降低;而且目前能够较准确反映全球海洋天然气水合物中天然气资源量的估算值是（1~5）×1015m3（大约500~2 500 Gt甲烷碳）.我们通过总结国外及国内几个典型区域的天然气资源量估算值还发现,国外研究者主要是根据钻孔及BSR资料确定用于计算天然气资源量的参数,使得计算结果较符合实际;而国内的学者基本是使用模拟计算及假设的方法确定各种参数,估算值仍存在很大差异,因此,我们认为只有获得实测数据才能使国内的估算结果更加接近实际.     

Magnetofossils in the sediment of Lake Baikal, Siberia

A multidisciplinary approach involving rock-magnetics, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction was used to identify a biogenic magnetite component in the Lake Baikal, Siberia, sedimentary magnetic record. The distinctive biogenic component to the magnetic record occurs as chains of single-domain, elongate hexagonal and tear-drop cone-shaped magnetite particles. These magnetofossils are inferred to be magnetosomes produced by magnetotactic bacteria living in the surficial sediment throughout Lake Baikal. Postdepositional reduction diagenesis results in the loss of the fine-grained magnetofossils at depth. In addition, this study shows that the fine-grained magnetofossils are removed by the process of storage diagenesis during long periods (21 months) of core storage, which results in a change to a coarser grained, slightly higher coercivity bulk magnetic mineral assemblage. Although the Lake Baikal sedimentary magnetic record has several distinct and complex components, by determining their origin this study has shown that the sediments are well suited for environmental magnetic study.     

Typification and the Current State of Baikal Lake Shore

Water Resources - The major shore-forming factors typical of Lake Baikal, the main types and subtypes of lake shore, and their current state are considered. The complex geological structure has...     

Interpretation of Measurement Results of the Potential Difference in Lake Baikal

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - A model is proposed in which the electrical voltage measured between the electrodes in Lake Baikal is a consequence of two effects: electrochemical processes near the...     

Influence of Biogenous Elements on Components of the Lake Baikal Plankton Community

Fertilization experiments in mesocosms of 1 … 2,000 1 containing up to 0.32 mg/l P and 1.7 mg/l N in summer and in winter did not show any significant changes of the hydrochemical conditions and in the bacterio-plankton. CO₂-assimilation (14-C method) is reduced by circa 10= by nutrient doses, whereas the chlorophyll concentration increases significantly due to addition of P and N at the same time in summer, a decrease taking place in winter. The different courses of development are connected with different reactions of individual species of phytoplankton.     

Methane in Water and Bottom Sediments of Lake Baikal

Water Resources - The distribution of methane concentration measured in 2014 and 2015 in different parts of Lake Baikal has been analyzed. In the period of expedition studies, methane concentration...     

Trend Analysis of Hydro-Climatic Variables in Lake Baikal Basin

Water Resources - This study used the Innovative trend analysis method, Mann-Kendall, and Sen’s slope estimator test to investigate the mean annual precipitation, annual mean air temperature,...     

太湖的泥沙与演变

历史时期,太湖是不断扩展的,其平均扩展速率为0.37km~2/a。据沙量平衡分析与计算表明。因湖岸崩塌和太湖水系的输沙作用,近期太湖的泥沙淤积量为9.28×10~5t/a.泥沙数量虽然不大,但经过长期的积累,对太湖演变具有深刻影响。就自然演变趋势而言,近期太湖面积仍以0.168km~2/a的速率扩大,容积则以3.95×10~5m~3/a的速率减小,太湖正进一步向浅平方向演变。然而,因围湖造田,建国以来,太湖的面积则以4.58km~2/a的速率在减小。     

Recent changes in the spring microplankton of Lake Baikal,Russia

Lake Baikal is facing several environmental stressors, including climate change and nearshore eutrophication. To assess recent ecological changes in Lake Baikal and provide a baseline for future comparisons, we sampled spring plankton communities from the pelagic zone of the lake in 2016 and compared these data with unpublished and published historical information going back to 1990. In 2016, one pelagic long-term monitoring station was sampled in early spring (March) during ice cover and 21 long-term monitoring stations located throughout the lake were sampled in late spring (May-June). We measured water chemistry parameters at most stations and the abundance, taxonomic composition and biomass of bacteria, ciliates and phytoplankton at several locations in different areas of the lake. Biotic parameters from 2016 were compared with historical data, showing significant changes in the spring pelagic microbial community since the 1990s. We show increased quantities of small species, mixotrophic ciliates, and the appearance (or increasing number) of small coloured and colourless flagellates. We also show substantially decreased densities of formerly dominant heavily silicified diatoms such as Aulacoseira spp. Since 2007, Synedra acus subsp. radians, a smaller and weakly silicified diatom, has dominated the spring plankton of the lake. These results suggest that Lake Baikal’s pelagic plankton community may be changing, with climate likely playing a dominant role in these changes.     

Factors and Processes of Salt Lake Formation on Baikal Shore

Water Resources - The article considers the conditions under which the water resources and chemistry are forming in the mineral Bormashovoe Lake, which lies on the Svyatoi Nos Peninsula on the...     

Numerical simulation of water exchange processes in Lake Baikal

A review of the study of water exchange processes in Lake Baikal is given. The major attention is given to the mathematical simulation of the processes of density stratification processes and the effect of different hydrophysical factors on water exchange processes, in particular, the formation of thermobar and vertical circulations in the lake.     

Influence of foraminifera on formation and occurrence characteristics of natural gas hydrates in fine-grained sediments from Shenhu area,South China Sea

Marine gas hydrates accumulate primarily in coarse-grained, high-permeability layers; however, highly saturated natural gas hydrates have been discovered in the fine-grained sediments of Shenhu area, South China Sea (SCS). This may be explained by key factors, such as the great abundance of foraminifera shells. In this paper, by analyzing the SCS foraminifera structure and performing hydrate formation experiments in the foraminifera shells, the contribution of foraminifera to hydrate accumulation in the SCS was investigated from a microscopic point of view. Simulations of hydrate formation were carried out in both pure SCS foraminifera shells and the host sediments. Pore structures in typical foraminifera were studied by use of micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (CT) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Hydrate growth and occurrence characteristics in the foraminifera shells were observed in-situ. The results showed that the presence of foraminifera significantly enhanced the effective porosity of the SCS sediments. Moreover, while the hydrates grew preferentially in the chambers of the coarse-grained foraminifera by adhering to the inner walls of the foraminifera shells, no apparent hydrate accumulation was observed in the fine-grained or argillaceous matrix. These findings provide a basis for further studies on the accumulation mechanism of hydrates and physical properties of hydrate reservoir in the South China Sea.     

Assessing the Effect of the Stochastic Structure of Inflow into Lake Baikal on the Long-Term Level Regime of the Lake

Water Resources - The statistical homogeneity of the total inflow into Lake Baikal have been analyzed. The periods of 1901–1933 and 1933–2014 have been found not only to show...     

Experimental studies on the P-T stability conditions and influencing factors of gas hydrate in different systems

The P-T stability conditions of gas hydrate in different systems (i.e., solution, silica sand, and marine sediment) were studied using multi-step decomposition method with our experimental equipment. The effects of different ions with various concentrations and sediment grains on the P-T stability conditions of gas hydrate were investigated. The results show that different ions have different influences on the phase equilibrium of gas hydrate. However, the influence of ions is in a similar trend: the larger the concentration, the bigger the P-T curve shifts to the left. For the silica sand, the influence of pore capillarity of coarse particles (> 460 μm) can be negligible. The P-T curve measured in coarse silica is in agreement with that in pure water. However, the influence of pore capillarity of fine particles (< 35 μm) is significant. The maximum reduction value of temperature is 1.5 K for methane hydrate under stable state. The sediment from the South China Sea significantly affects the P-T stability conditions of methane hydrate, with an average reduction value of 1.9 K within the experimental conditions. This is mainly the result of both the pore water salinity and the pore capillarity of sediment. Because the pore water salinity is keeping diluted by the fresh water released from hydrate dissociation, the measured P-T stability points fall on different P-T curves with the decreasing salinity.     

波形曲线特征在天然气水合物资源量研究中的地质意义

地震反射波形特征对判断地层中是否存在天然气水合物及其下伏游离气层具有重要指示意义。BSR波形极性与海底反射相反,它大致代表含水合物层的底界;当地层中富含水合物及下伏游离气时,其波形特征亦有明显的反映,据此可推断水合物成矿带顶界和游离气层底界的大致位置。