Spatial and temporal analysis of gas seep activity in Eckernförde Bay

Highly elevated methane concentrations in Eckernförde Bay bottom waters during a ship cruise with RV »Alkor« (AL447) raised attention. Earlier studies focused on pockmarks and groundwater seepage to be a possible driver controlling methane concentration in the water column. This thesis presents high-resolution bathymetry data for three pockmark clusters, high-frequency sub-bottom profiles for methane-rich sediments, a spatial activity distribution grid of gas seepage and a time series of in situ monitored gas seepage events. It aims to analyse pockmark morphology, estimate the spatial distribution of shallow gas accumulations, examine the spatial and temporal activity of gas seepage, find possible trigger mechanism and estimate a gaseous methane flux to the water column of Eckernförde Bay.

Gas seepage | methane | multibeam bathymetry | pockmarks | water column data