Carolyn Ruppel, PhD
Carolyn is an emerita ST Research Geophysicist who led the USGS Gas Hydrates Project from 2010 to early 2025. Gas Hydrate scientists in Woods Hole and Denver study the resource and environmental aspects of natural hydrates. Carolyn studies marine methane seeps, the interaction of hydrates with the ocean-atmosphere system, subsea permafrost, hydrate reservoir dynamics, and marine thermal regimes.
Research
Research
Highlighted Journal Articles, Data Releases, and Geonarratives
- Gas Hydrate in Nature
- Hydrate formation on marine seep bubbles and the implications for water column…
- Categorizing active marine acoustic sources based on their potential to affect …
- Elevated levels of radiocarbon in methane dissolved in seawater reveal likely l…
- Preliminary global database of known and inferred gas hydrate locations
- Methane seeps on the U.S. Atlantic margin: An updated inventory and interpretat…
HyPrCAL Laboratory
HyPrCAL Laboratory
The USGS Gas Hydrates Project manages the standalone Hydrate Pressure Core Analysis Laboratory (HyPrCAL) at the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center (WHCMSC) to study hydrate-bearing sediments in support of energy resources and geohazards research.
My primary research focus is on the interaction between methane hydrates (and methane seeps) on one hand and the ocean-atmosphere system on the other. I focus particularly on the US marine margins, especially the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Arctic (Beaufort) margins. I also work on energy issues related to gas hydrates (including delineating their distribution in marine sediments; e.g., the 2018 MATRIX seismic program on US Atlantic margin), the coexistence of permafrost (including subsea) and hydrates (Beaufort Sea), and reservoir properties of hydrate-bearing sediments. As a side specialty, I assist with programmatic environmental compliance for USGS marine acoustics surveys. I have served at least part-time in a senior advisory capacity in the USGS Chief Scientist's Office since mid-2022. During my career, I have also worked on marine heat flow data acquisition and analysis, other aspects of the hydrogeology of gas hydrate systems, and coastal zone hydrogeophysics (particularly tidal pumping, inductive EM data, and saline intrusion in surficial aquifers). My earliest work focused on numerical modeling of large scale tectonic processes and associated particle tracking, continental rifting, and marine analogs for continental tectonic processes.
Professional Experience
March 2025, Emerita ST scientist
January 2025 (temporary detail), Acting Chief Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey
November 2024, ST-rank Research Geophysicist, U.S. Geological Survey
Feb 2023 - March 2025: Part-Time Acting Senior Science Advisor to the USGS Chief Scientist
July 2022 - Feb 2023: Acting Senior Science Advisor to the USGS Chief Scientist (detail)
2010-present: Chief, USGS Gas Hydrates Project
2006-2023: Research Geophysicist, U.S. Geological Survey
2006-2019: Visiting Scientist, MIT, Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences
2003-2006: Program manager (faculty rotater), National Science Foundation, Ocean Sciences (MG&G and Ocean Drilling Program)
2000-2002: Coordinator, Georgia Tech Focused Research Program on Methane Hydrates
2000-2006: Associate Professor (tenured) of Geophysics, Georgia Tech
1994-2000: Assistant Professor of Geophysics, Georgia Tech
1992-1993: Postdoctoral Scholar and Postdoctoral Research, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Education and Certifications
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Ph.D., 1992, Geophysics and Geology (with Marcia McNutt)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, M.S., 1986, Earth sciences (with Leigh Royden and Kip Hodges)
Affiliations and Memberships*
Panel member, National Academy of Sciences, Community on Ocean Acoustics Education and Expertise (study completion in 2024)
Member, Science Advisory Board, University of Tromso, Centre of Excellence for Ice, Cryosphere, Carbon and Climate, 2023-
Member, Arctic Icebreaker Coordinating Committee (UNOLS), 2015-2020
Chief Scientist, 8 research cruises (3 Arctic), 2010-2019
Member, Advisory Board, University of Tromso, Centre of Excellence for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate (CAGE) 2014-present
Strategic Plan Committee, Coastal & Marine Geology Program, USGS, 2014-2019
Arctic subgroup (appointed CMGP representative), Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (SOST), OSTP, 2015-16
Mentor, Graduate Women at MIT (GWAMIT), 2013-2016
USGS Technical lead, NSF-USGS Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Marine Seismics, 2008-2012
Lead organizer, Catching climate change in progress, circum-Arctic Ocean drilling workshop, December 2011 (sponsored by US Science Support Program for IODP)
Lead proponent, IODP Pre-Proposal 797, Late Pleistocene to contemporary climate change on the Alaskan Beaufort Margin (ABM)
Organizer and convener, USGS-DOE Climate-Hydrates workshop, Boston, MA, March 2011
Originator and Chair, Gordon Research Conference on Natural Gas Hydrates, inaugural conference held June 2010.
Interagency Technical Coordinating Committee, DOE Methane Hydrates R&D Program, 2010-present
The Future of Natural Gas, MIT Energy Initiative, affiliated author (methane hydrates), 2008-2011
National Research Council, Scientific Ocean Drilling (SOD) review, presentation on Gas Hydrates and SOD, 2010
IODP Operations Task Force, 2008-2009
IODP Science Planning Committee (SPC), 2006-2009
Organizer, DOE-USGS Symposium/Meeting on Gas Hydrates and Climate Change (held at MIT), February 2008
Honors and Awards
Distinguished Served Award, U.S. Department of Interior, 2024
National Science Foundation, Director's Award for Program Management, 2005 (Chixulub seismic program)
JOI/USSAC Distinguished Lecturer, Ocean Drilling Program, 1999-2000
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 68
Volume change associated with formation and dissociation of hydrate in sediment Volume change associated with formation and dissociation of hydrate in sediment
Gas hydrate formation and dissociation in sediments are accompanied by changes in the bulk volume of the sediment and can lead to changes in sediment properties, loss of integrity for boreholes, and possibly regional subsidence of the ground surface over areas where methane might be produced from gas hydrate in the future. Experiments on sand, silts, and clay subject to different...
Authors
Carolyn D. Ruppel, J. Y. Lee, J. Carlos Santamarina
Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 2. Borehole constraints Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 2. Borehole constraints
Borehole logging data from legacy wells directly constrain the contemporary distribution of subsea permafrost in the sedimentary section at discrete locations on the U.S. Beaufort Margin and complement recent regional analyses of exploration seismic data to delineate the permafrost's offshore extent. Most usable borehole data were acquired on a ∼500 km stretch of the margin and within 30...
Authors
Carolyn D. Ruppel, Bruce M. Herman, Laura L. Brothers, Patrick E. Hart
Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 1. Minimum seaward extent defined from multichannel seismic reflection data Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 1. Minimum seaward extent defined from multichannel seismic reflection data
Subsea ice-bearing permafrost (IBPF) and associated gas hydrate in the Arctic have been subject to a warming climate and saline intrusion since the last transgression at the end of the Pleistocene. The consequent degradation of IBPF is potentially associated with significant degassing of dissociating gas hydrate deposits. Previous studies interpreted the distribution of subsea permafrost...
Authors
Laura L. Brothers, Bruce M. Herman, Patrick E. Hart, Carolyn D. Ruppel
Determining the flux of methane into Hudson Canyon at the edge of methane clathrate hydrate stability Determining the flux of methane into Hudson Canyon at the edge of methane clathrate hydrate stability
Methane seeps were investigated in Hudson Canyon, the largest shelf-break canyon on the northern US Atlantic Margin. The seeps investigated are located at or updip of the nominal limit of methane clathrate hydrate stability. The acoustic identification of bubble streams was used to guide water column sampling in a 32 km2 region within the canyon's thalweg. By incorporating measurements...
Authors
A. Weinsten, L Navarrete, Carolyn D. Ruppel, T.C. Weber, M. Leonte, M. Kellermann, E. Arrington, D.L. Valentine, M.L Scranton, John D. Kessler
Insights into methane dynamics from analysis of authigenic carbonates and chemosynthetic mussels at newly-discovered Atlantic Margin seeps Insights into methane dynamics from analysis of authigenic carbonates and chemosynthetic mussels at newly-discovered Atlantic Margin seeps
The recent discovery of active methane venting along the US northern and mid-Atlantic margin represents a new source of global methane not previously accounted for in carbon budgets from this region. However, uncertainty remains as to the origin and history of methane seepage along this tectonically inactive passive margin. Here we present the first isotopic analyses of authigenic...
Authors
Nancy G. Prouty, Diana Sahy, Carolyn D. Ruppel, E. Brendan Roark, Dan Condon, Sandra Brooke, Steve W. Ross, Amanda W.J. Demopoulos
Ephemerality of discrete methane vents in lake sediments Ephemerality of discrete methane vents in lake sediments
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas whose emission from sediments in inland waters and shallow oceans may both contribute to global warming and be exacerbated by it. The fraction of methane emitted by sediments that bypasses dissolution in the water column and reaches the atmosphere as bubbles depends on the mode and spatiotemporal characteristics of venting from the sediments. Earlier...
Authors
Benjamin P. Scandella, Liam Pillsbury, Thomas Weber, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Harold F. Hemond, Ruben Juanes
Exploration of the canyon-incised continental margin of the northeastern United States reveals dynamic habitats and diverse communities Exploration of the canyon-incised continental margin of the northeastern United States reveals dynamic habitats and diverse communities
The continental margin off the northeastern United States (NEUS) contains numerous, topographically complex features that increase habitat heterogeneity across the region. However, the majority of these rugged features have never been surveyed, particularly using direct observations. During summer 2013, 31 Remotely-Operated Vehicle (ROV) dives were conducted from 494 to 3271 m depth...
Authors
Andrea Quattrini, Martha S. Nizinski, Jason Chaytor, Amanda W.J. Demopoulos, E. Brendan Roark, Scott France, Jon A. Moore, Taylor P. Heyl, Peter J. Auster, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Kelley P. Elliott, Brian R. C. Kennedy, Elizabeth A. Lobecker, Adam Skarke, Timothy M. Shank
Preface to the special issue on gas hydrate drilling in the Eastern Nankai Trough Preface to the special issue on gas hydrate drilling in the Eastern Nankai Trough
Methane hydrate traps enormous amounts of methane in frozen deposits in continental margin sediments, and these deposits have long been targeted for studies investigating their potential as an energy resource. As a concentrated form of methane that occurs at shallower depths than conventional and most unconventional gas reservoirs, methane hydrates could be a readily accessible source of...
Authors
Koji Yamamoto, Carolyn D. Ruppel
Widespread gas hydrate instability on the upper U.S. Beaufort margin Widespread gas hydrate instability on the upper U.S. Beaufort margin
The most climate-sensitive methane hydrate deposits occur on upper continental slopes at depths close to the minimum pressure and maximum temperature for gas hydrate stability. At these water depths, small perturbations in intermediate ocean water temperatures can lead to gas hydrate dissociation. The Arctic Ocean has experienced more dramatic warming than lower latitudes, but...
Authors
Benjamin J. Phrampus, Matthew J. Hornbach, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Patrick E. Hart
Permafrost-associated gas hydrate: is it really approximately 1% of the global system? Permafrost-associated gas hydrate: is it really approximately 1% of the global system?
Permafrost-associated gas hydrates are often assumed to contain ∼1 % of the global gas-in-place in gas hydrates based on a study26 published over three decades ago. As knowledge of permafrost-associated gas hydrates has grown, it has become clear that many permafrost-associated gas hydrates are inextricably linked to an associated conventional petroleum system, and that their formation...
Authors
Carolyn Ruppel
Widespread methane leakage from the sea floor on the northern US Atlantic margin Widespread methane leakage from the sea floor on the northern US Atlantic margin
Methane emissions from the sea floor affect methane inputs into the atmosphere, ocean acidification and de-oxygenation, the distribution of chemosynthetic communities and energy resources. Global methane flux from seabed cold seeps has only been estimated for continental shelves, at 8 to 65 Tg CH4 yr−1, yet other parts of marine continental margins are also emitting methane. The US...
Authors
Adam Skarke, Carolyn Ruppel, Mali'o Kodis, Daniel S. Brothers, Elizabeth A. Lobecker
Cruise report for P1-13-LA, U.S. Geological Survey gas hydrates research cruise, <i>R/V Pelican</i> April 18 to May 3, 2013, deepwater Gulf of Mexico Cruise report for P1-13-LA, U.S. Geological Survey gas hydrates research cruise, <i>R/V Pelican</i> April 18 to May 3, 2013, deepwater Gulf of Mexico
The U.S. Geological Survey led a seismic acquisition cruise in the Gulf of Mexico from April 18 to May 3, 2013, with the objectives of (1) achieving improved imaging and characterization at two established gas hydrate study sites, and (2) refining geophysical methods for gas hydrate characterization in other locations. We conducted this acquisition aboard the R/V Pelican, and used a pair...
Authors
Seth S. Haines, Patrick E. Hart, Carolyn Ruppel, Thomas O'Brien, Wayne Baldwin, Jenny White, Eric Moore, Peter Dal Ferro, Peter Lemmond
Non-USGS Publications**
Tréhu, A.M., C. Ruppel, M. Holland, G.R. Dickens, M.E. Torres, T.S. Collett, D. Goldberg, M. Riedel, and P. Schultheiss. 2006. Gas hydrates in marine sediments: Lessons from scientific ocean drilling. Oceanography 19(4):124–142, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2006.11.
Nimblett, J. and C. Ruppel, 2003, Permeability evolution during formation of gas hydrates in marine sediments, Journal of Geophysical Research, 108, 2420, doi: 10.1029/2001JB001650.
Ruppel, C., Thermal state of the gas hydrate reservoir, 2000, in: Max, M. editor, Natural Gas Hydrate in Oceanic and Permafrost Environments, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 29-42, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4387-5_4
Nimblett, J. and C. Ruppel, 2003, Permeability evolution during formation of gas hydrates in marine sediments, Journal of Geophysical Research, 108, 2420, doi: 10.1029/2001JB001650.
Ruppel, C., 1997, Anomalously cold temperatures observed at the base of the gas hydrate stability zone, U.S. Atlantic passive margin, Geology, 25, 699-702. Doi: 10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0699:ACTOAT>2.3.CO;2
Wood, W.T., and Ruppel, C., 2000. Seismic and thermal investigations of the Blake Ridge gas hydrate area: a synthesis. In Paull, C.K., Matsumoto, R., Wallace, P.J., and Dillon, W.P. (Eds.), Proc. ODP, Sci. Results, 164: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program), 253–264. doi:10.2973/odp.proc.sr.164.203.2000
Xu, W. and C. Ruppel, 1999, Predicting the occurrence, distribution, and evolution of methane gas hydrate in porous marine sediments from analytical models, Journal of Geophysical Research, 104, ,5081-5096. 10.1029/1998JB900092
Paull, C.K., Matsumoto, R., Wallace, P.J., et al., 1996. Proc. ODP, Init. Repts., 164: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program). doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.164.1996
Ruppel, C., R.P. Von Herzen, and A. Bonneville, 1995, Heat flux through an old (~175 Ma) passive margin: offshore southeastern USA, Journal of Geophysical Research, 100,20,037-20,058. Doi: 10.1029/95JB01860
Santamarina, J.C. and C. Ruppel, 2010, The impact of hydrate saturation on the mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of hydrate-bearing sand, silts, and clay (Chapter 26), In: Riedel, Willoughby, Chopra (eds), Geophysical Characterization of Gas Hydrates, Society of Exploration Geophysicists Geophysical Developments, vol. 14, 373-384
Trehu, A.M., C. Ruppel, J. Dickens, D. Goldberg, M. Holland, M. Riedel, P. Schultheiss, and M. Torres, 2006, Gas hydrates in marine sediments: lessons from ocean drilling, Oceanography, 19, 124-143, 2006.
Yun, T.S., G. Narsilio, J.C. Santamarina, and C. Ruppel, 2006, Instrumented pressure testing chamber for characterizing sediment cores recovered at in situ hydrostatic pressure, Marine Geology, 229, 285-293. doi: 10.1016/j.margeo.2006.03.012.
Yun, T.S., F. Francisca, J.C. Santamarina, and C. Ruppel, 2005, Compressional and shear wave velocities of uncemented sediment containing gas hydrate, Geophysical Research Letters, 32, L10609. doi: 10.1029/2005GL022607.
Nimblett, J. and C. Ruppel, 2003, Permeability evolution during formation of gas hydrates in marine sediments, Journal of Geophysical Research, 108, 2420, doi: 10.1029/2001JB001650.
Waite, W.F, deMartin, B.J, Kirby, S.H., Pinkston, J., Ruppel, C.D., 2002, Thermal conductivity measurements in porous mixtures of methane hydrate and quartz sand, Geophysical Research Letters. doi: 10.1029/2002GL015988
Ruppel C. (2000) Thermal State of the Gas Hydrate Reservoir. In: Max M.D. (eds) Natural Gas Hydrate. Coastal Systems and Continental Margins, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4387-5_4
Xu, W. and C. Ruppel, 1999, Predicting the occurrence, distribution, and evolution of methane gas hydrate in porous marine sediments from analytical models, Journal of Geophysical Research, 104, ,5081-5096
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
USGS scientists contribute to new gas hydrates monograph USGS scientists contribute to new gas hydrates monograph
The recently-published monograph entitled World Atlas of Submarine Gas Hydrates on Continental Margins compiles findings about gas hydrates offshore all of Earth’s continents and also onshore in selected permafrost regions.
Filter Total Items: 19
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 68
Volume change associated with formation and dissociation of hydrate in sediment Volume change associated with formation and dissociation of hydrate in sediment
Gas hydrate formation and dissociation in sediments are accompanied by changes in the bulk volume of the sediment and can lead to changes in sediment properties, loss of integrity for boreholes, and possibly regional subsidence of the ground surface over areas where methane might be produced from gas hydrate in the future. Experiments on sand, silts, and clay subject to different...
Authors
Carolyn D. Ruppel, J. Y. Lee, J. Carlos Santamarina
Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 2. Borehole constraints Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 2. Borehole constraints
Borehole logging data from legacy wells directly constrain the contemporary distribution of subsea permafrost in the sedimentary section at discrete locations on the U.S. Beaufort Margin and complement recent regional analyses of exploration seismic data to delineate the permafrost's offshore extent. Most usable borehole data were acquired on a ∼500 km stretch of the margin and within 30...
Authors
Carolyn D. Ruppel, Bruce M. Herman, Laura L. Brothers, Patrick E. Hart
Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 1. Minimum seaward extent defined from multichannel seismic reflection data Subsea ice-bearing permafrost on the U.S. Beaufort Margin: 1. Minimum seaward extent defined from multichannel seismic reflection data
Subsea ice-bearing permafrost (IBPF) and associated gas hydrate in the Arctic have been subject to a warming climate and saline intrusion since the last transgression at the end of the Pleistocene. The consequent degradation of IBPF is potentially associated with significant degassing of dissociating gas hydrate deposits. Previous studies interpreted the distribution of subsea permafrost...
Authors
Laura L. Brothers, Bruce M. Herman, Patrick E. Hart, Carolyn D. Ruppel
Determining the flux of methane into Hudson Canyon at the edge of methane clathrate hydrate stability Determining the flux of methane into Hudson Canyon at the edge of methane clathrate hydrate stability
Methane seeps were investigated in Hudson Canyon, the largest shelf-break canyon on the northern US Atlantic Margin. The seeps investigated are located at or updip of the nominal limit of methane clathrate hydrate stability. The acoustic identification of bubble streams was used to guide water column sampling in a 32 km2 region within the canyon's thalweg. By incorporating measurements...
Authors
A. Weinsten, L Navarrete, Carolyn D. Ruppel, T.C. Weber, M. Leonte, M. Kellermann, E. Arrington, D.L. Valentine, M.L Scranton, John D. Kessler
Insights into methane dynamics from analysis of authigenic carbonates and chemosynthetic mussels at newly-discovered Atlantic Margin seeps Insights into methane dynamics from analysis of authigenic carbonates and chemosynthetic mussels at newly-discovered Atlantic Margin seeps
The recent discovery of active methane venting along the US northern and mid-Atlantic margin represents a new source of global methane not previously accounted for in carbon budgets from this region. However, uncertainty remains as to the origin and history of methane seepage along this tectonically inactive passive margin. Here we present the first isotopic analyses of authigenic...
Authors
Nancy G. Prouty, Diana Sahy, Carolyn D. Ruppel, E. Brendan Roark, Dan Condon, Sandra Brooke, Steve W. Ross, Amanda W.J. Demopoulos
Ephemerality of discrete methane vents in lake sediments Ephemerality of discrete methane vents in lake sediments
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas whose emission from sediments in inland waters and shallow oceans may both contribute to global warming and be exacerbated by it. The fraction of methane emitted by sediments that bypasses dissolution in the water column and reaches the atmosphere as bubbles depends on the mode and spatiotemporal characteristics of venting from the sediments. Earlier...
Authors
Benjamin P. Scandella, Liam Pillsbury, Thomas Weber, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Harold F. Hemond, Ruben Juanes
Exploration of the canyon-incised continental margin of the northeastern United States reveals dynamic habitats and diverse communities Exploration of the canyon-incised continental margin of the northeastern United States reveals dynamic habitats and diverse communities
The continental margin off the northeastern United States (NEUS) contains numerous, topographically complex features that increase habitat heterogeneity across the region. However, the majority of these rugged features have never been surveyed, particularly using direct observations. During summer 2013, 31 Remotely-Operated Vehicle (ROV) dives were conducted from 494 to 3271 m depth...
Authors
Andrea Quattrini, Martha S. Nizinski, Jason Chaytor, Amanda W.J. Demopoulos, E. Brendan Roark, Scott France, Jon A. Moore, Taylor P. Heyl, Peter J. Auster, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Kelley P. Elliott, Brian R. C. Kennedy, Elizabeth A. Lobecker, Adam Skarke, Timothy M. Shank
Preface to the special issue on gas hydrate drilling in the Eastern Nankai Trough Preface to the special issue on gas hydrate drilling in the Eastern Nankai Trough
Methane hydrate traps enormous amounts of methane in frozen deposits in continental margin sediments, and these deposits have long been targeted for studies investigating their potential as an energy resource. As a concentrated form of methane that occurs at shallower depths than conventional and most unconventional gas reservoirs, methane hydrates could be a readily accessible source of...
Authors
Koji Yamamoto, Carolyn D. Ruppel
Widespread gas hydrate instability on the upper U.S. Beaufort margin Widespread gas hydrate instability on the upper U.S. Beaufort margin
The most climate-sensitive methane hydrate deposits occur on upper continental slopes at depths close to the minimum pressure and maximum temperature for gas hydrate stability. At these water depths, small perturbations in intermediate ocean water temperatures can lead to gas hydrate dissociation. The Arctic Ocean has experienced more dramatic warming than lower latitudes, but...
Authors
Benjamin J. Phrampus, Matthew J. Hornbach, Carolyn D. Ruppel, Patrick E. Hart
Permafrost-associated gas hydrate: is it really approximately 1% of the global system? Permafrost-associated gas hydrate: is it really approximately 1% of the global system?
Permafrost-associated gas hydrates are often assumed to contain ∼1 % of the global gas-in-place in gas hydrates based on a study26 published over three decades ago. As knowledge of permafrost-associated gas hydrates has grown, it has become clear that many permafrost-associated gas hydrates are inextricably linked to an associated conventional petroleum system, and that their formation...
Authors
Carolyn Ruppel
Widespread methane leakage from the sea floor on the northern US Atlantic margin Widespread methane leakage from the sea floor on the northern US Atlantic margin
Methane emissions from the sea floor affect methane inputs into the atmosphere, ocean acidification and de-oxygenation, the distribution of chemosynthetic communities and energy resources. Global methane flux from seabed cold seeps has only been estimated for continental shelves, at 8 to 65 Tg CH4 yr−1, yet other parts of marine continental margins are also emitting methane. The US...
Authors
Adam Skarke, Carolyn Ruppel, Mali'o Kodis, Daniel S. Brothers, Elizabeth A. Lobecker
Cruise report for P1-13-LA, U.S. Geological Survey gas hydrates research cruise, <i>R/V Pelican</i> April 18 to May 3, 2013, deepwater Gulf of Mexico Cruise report for P1-13-LA, U.S. Geological Survey gas hydrates research cruise, <i>R/V Pelican</i> April 18 to May 3, 2013, deepwater Gulf of Mexico
The U.S. Geological Survey led a seismic acquisition cruise in the Gulf of Mexico from April 18 to May 3, 2013, with the objectives of (1) achieving improved imaging and characterization at two established gas hydrate study sites, and (2) refining geophysical methods for gas hydrate characterization in other locations. We conducted this acquisition aboard the R/V Pelican, and used a pair...
Authors
Seth S. Haines, Patrick E. Hart, Carolyn Ruppel, Thomas O'Brien, Wayne Baldwin, Jenny White, Eric Moore, Peter Dal Ferro, Peter Lemmond
Non-USGS Publications**
Tréhu, A.M., C. Ruppel, M. Holland, G.R. Dickens, M.E. Torres, T.S. Collett, D. Goldberg, M. Riedel, and P. Schultheiss. 2006. Gas hydrates in marine sediments: Lessons from scientific ocean drilling. Oceanography 19(4):124–142, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2006.11.
Nimblett, J. and C. Ruppel, 2003, Permeability evolution during formation of gas hydrates in marine sediments, Journal of Geophysical Research, 108, 2420, doi: 10.1029/2001JB001650.
Ruppel, C., Thermal state of the gas hydrate reservoir, 2000, in: Max, M. editor, Natural Gas Hydrate in Oceanic and Permafrost Environments, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 29-42, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4387-5_4
Nimblett, J. and C. Ruppel, 2003, Permeability evolution during formation of gas hydrates in marine sediments, Journal of Geophysical Research, 108, 2420, doi: 10.1029/2001JB001650.
Ruppel, C., 1997, Anomalously cold temperatures observed at the base of the gas hydrate stability zone, U.S. Atlantic passive margin, Geology, 25, 699-702. Doi: 10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0699:ACTOAT>2.3.CO;2
Wood, W.T., and Ruppel, C., 2000. Seismic and thermal investigations of the Blake Ridge gas hydrate area: a synthesis. In Paull, C.K., Matsumoto, R., Wallace, P.J., and Dillon, W.P. (Eds.), Proc. ODP, Sci. Results, 164: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program), 253–264. doi:10.2973/odp.proc.sr.164.203.2000
Xu, W. and C. Ruppel, 1999, Predicting the occurrence, distribution, and evolution of methane gas hydrate in porous marine sediments from analytical models, Journal of Geophysical Research, 104, ,5081-5096. 10.1029/1998JB900092
Paull, C.K., Matsumoto, R., Wallace, P.J., et al., 1996. Proc. ODP, Init. Repts., 164: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program). doi:10.2973/odp.proc.ir.164.1996
Ruppel, C., R.P. Von Herzen, and A. Bonneville, 1995, Heat flux through an old (~175 Ma) passive margin: offshore southeastern USA, Journal of Geophysical Research, 100,20,037-20,058. Doi: 10.1029/95JB01860
Santamarina, J.C. and C. Ruppel, 2010, The impact of hydrate saturation on the mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of hydrate-bearing sand, silts, and clay (Chapter 26), In: Riedel, Willoughby, Chopra (eds), Geophysical Characterization of Gas Hydrates, Society of Exploration Geophysicists Geophysical Developments, vol. 14, 373-384
Trehu, A.M., C. Ruppel, J. Dickens, D. Goldberg, M. Holland, M. Riedel, P. Schultheiss, and M. Torres, 2006, Gas hydrates in marine sediments: lessons from ocean drilling, Oceanography, 19, 124-143, 2006.
Yun, T.S., G. Narsilio, J.C. Santamarina, and C. Ruppel, 2006, Instrumented pressure testing chamber for characterizing sediment cores recovered at in situ hydrostatic pressure, Marine Geology, 229, 285-293. doi: 10.1016/j.margeo.2006.03.012.
Yun, T.S., F. Francisca, J.C. Santamarina, and C. Ruppel, 2005, Compressional and shear wave velocities of uncemented sediment containing gas hydrate, Geophysical Research Letters, 32, L10609. doi: 10.1029/2005GL022607.
Nimblett, J. and C. Ruppel, 2003, Permeability evolution during formation of gas hydrates in marine sediments, Journal of Geophysical Research, 108, 2420, doi: 10.1029/2001JB001650.
Waite, W.F, deMartin, B.J, Kirby, S.H., Pinkston, J., Ruppel, C.D., 2002, Thermal conductivity measurements in porous mixtures of methane hydrate and quartz sand, Geophysical Research Letters. doi: 10.1029/2002GL015988
Ruppel C. (2000) Thermal State of the Gas Hydrate Reservoir. In: Max M.D. (eds) Natural Gas Hydrate. Coastal Systems and Continental Margins, vol 5. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-4387-5_4
Xu, W. and C. Ruppel, 1999, Predicting the occurrence, distribution, and evolution of methane gas hydrate in porous marine sediments from analytical models, Journal of Geophysical Research, 104, ,5081-5096
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
USGS scientists contribute to new gas hydrates monograph USGS scientists contribute to new gas hydrates monograph
The recently-published monograph entitled World Atlas of Submarine Gas Hydrates on Continental Margins compiles findings about gas hydrates offshore all of Earth’s continents and also onshore in selected permafrost regions.
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