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The first record of active methane (cold) seep ecosystem associated with shallow methane hydrate from the Indian EEZ

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Abstract

Here we report the discovery of cold-seep ecosystem and shallow methane hydrates (2–3 mbsf) associated with methane gas flares in the water column from the Indian EEZ for the first time. The seep-sites are located in the Krishna–Godavari (K–G) basin at water depths of 900–1800 m and are characterized by gas flares in the water-column images. The occurrence of methane gas hydrates at very shallow depths (2–3 mbsf) at some of the seep-sites is attributed to high methane flux and conducive P–T conditions, necessary for the stability of methane hydrate. Chemosymbiont bearing Bivalves (Vesicomidae, Mytilidae, Thyasiridae and Solemyidae families); Polychaetes (Siboglinidae family) and Gastropods (Provannidae family) are also identified from seep-sites.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the Director, CSIR–NIO and Secretary, MoES for supporting the gas hydrate program; National Gas Hydrate Program (NGHP) for scientific discussion, and background geology and ONGC for additional sites. Support from CSIR–NIO’s ship cell management team (Miliketan S Kerkar, M Kallathian, Kuldeep Kumar, Buddhadas Patole), Survey team (A W Gavin and S S Gaonker) and ship crew are sincerely acknowledged. Sincere thanks, Dr V V S S Sarma, Dr F Badesab and Dr M Rama Krishna for material support. Thanks to Mandar Nanajkar, Dr Ravail Singh, Mr Govardhan Sahu for useful discussion. This is CSIR–NIO contribution no. 6320.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gas Hydrate Research Group, Geological Oceanography, CSIR–National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, 403 004, India

    A Mazumdar, P Dewangan, A Peketi, S Gullapalli, G P Naik, D Shetty, S Pujari, S P K Pillutla, V V Gaikwad, D Nazareth, N S Sangodkar, G Dakara, A Kumar, C K Mishra, P Singha & R Reddy

  2. CSIR–National Geophysical Research Institute, Uppal Road, Hyderabad, 500 007, India

    M S Kalpana

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  1. A Mazumdar
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  2. P Dewangan
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  3. A Peketi
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  4. S Gullapalli
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Correspondence to A Mazumdar.

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Corresponding editor: N V Chalapathi Rao

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Mazumdar, A., Dewangan, P., Peketi, A. et al. The first record of active methane (cold) seep ecosystem associated with shallow methane hydrate from the Indian EEZ. J Earth Syst Sci 128, 18 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-018-1044-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-018-1044-y

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