Methane in the Arctic

Scientific instruments flown on planes over the Arctic Ocean during the 2009 and 2010 summers detected significant amounts of methane over the ocean. This methane is almost certainly coming from the ocean because it was more concentrated closer to the surface than higher up and was also more concentrated over areas of open ocean than over areas of ice. It is speculated that the source of the gas is microbes in water.

This is a double whammy for climate change. First, methane is a much more potent gas than CO2 so increased emissions of methane around the world will tend to increase global warming. Second, it becomes one more piece of evidence of climate change that the deniers simply cannot explain.

Ask the deniers, 'If the oceans aren't warming, how is it that there is a sudden surge in the growth of microbes, microbes that require warmth to grow?' Then, try to figure out what they say truly means. I'm sure, no matter what they say, it won't make sense on any level.

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