Overview
- Scientists report gas hydrate mounds at roughly 3,640 meters on the Molloy Ridge in the Greenland Sea, verified in Nature Communications.
- ROV surveys from the Ocean Census Arctic Deep–EXTREME24 expedition documented methane flares that rise about 3,300 meters, the tallest recorded.
- The Freya mounds host dense chemosynthetic communities with species also seen at nearby hydrothermal vents, indicating ecological connectivity.
- Researchers describe the features as dynamic structures shaped by tectonics and deep heat flow, with evidence of thermogenic methane and crude oil migration.
- Authors urge protections from future deep-sea mining, noting Norway’s parliamentary pause on such plans and the need to monitor climate-sensitive methane stores.