 EPOD - a service of USRA

The Earth Science Picture of the Day (EPOD) highlights the diverse processes
and phenomena which shape our planet and our lives. EPOD will collect and
archive photos, imagery, graphics, and artwork with short explanatory
captions and links exemplifying features within the Earth system. The
community is invited to contribute digital imagery, short captions and
relevant links.


 Methane Bubbles Frozen in an Alaskan Marsh

   January 25, 2021

    Pm_bubbles_epod

   Photographer:  Gabrielle Tepp
   Summary Author:  Gabrielle Tepp

   Before the winter snow starts falling, a frozen marsh or lake can be a
   beautiful sight.  Bacteria living off the organic matter at the
   bottom of the marsh releases  methane gas, which creates white
    bubbles when frozen in ice, as shown above. How the bubbles appear
   in the frozen ice is dependent on the  rate of the gas release and
   also the rate at which the ice forms. If the gas release is relatively
   slow,  the bubbles will freeze in a vertical stream with layers of
   ice in between bubbles, as in the center photo. If the gas is released
   faster than the ice freezes, the gas bubbles build up and grow into
   larger bubbles or more complex patterns, as seen in the right photo.
   The frozen bubble streams can also capture a snapshot of just how the
   water was flowing as the ice was expanding. I enjoy skating or walking
   around the marsh to see how the bubbles differ in each pond. Photos
   taken on November 3, 2020, at  Potter Marsh in Alaska.
     * Potter Marsh, Alaska Coordinates:  61.0561, -149.7972

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    Methane Bubbles Frozen in an Alaskan Marsh  Dark Spots and
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    More...

Cryosphere Links

     *  Guide to Frost
     *  What is the Cryosphere?
     *  Bentley Snow Crystals
     *  Glaciers of the World
     *  Ice, Snow, and Glaciers: The Water Cycle
     *  The National Snow and Ice Data Center Google Earth Images
     *  Snow and Ice Crystals

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   Earth Science Picture of the Day is a service of the  Universities
   Space Research Association.

https://epod.usra.edu
 
