Hydrocarbons Associated with Fluid Venting Process in Monterey Bay, California

Site Map

Poster Layout

Introduction

Index Map

Cold Seep Hydrocarbon Gases

Sediment Hydrocarbons

Cooperators

Credits

Caveat

Data

Carbon Isotopic Compositions
of Methane and Carbon Dioxide in Sediment Gas

Most sample sites fall outside typical boundaries, likely because of carbon recycling of light carbon between methane and carbon dioxide by different bacterial populations. An alternative explanation for the isotopically heavy methane (thermogenic methane?) is the oxidation of a small pool of methane which leaves isotopically heavy methane behind.