Methane Fluxes on the Water-Atmosphere Interface in the South China Sea
摘要
This chapter presents the results of a study of the spatial distribution of methane fluxes at the water-atmosphere interface along two profiles extending from the Taiwan Strait to the Sunda shelf and carried out in the 2017 and 2019 expeditions. The study showed a significant variability in the methane flux depending on the presence of the methane source and the state of the sea surface. The methane flux at the water-atmosphere interface varies from absorption to emission. The maximum flux to atmosphere was observed in the southern South China Sea in 2017 and in the Taiwan Strait in 2019. The emission of methane into the atmosphere is likely related to the migration of methane from hydrocarbon deposits along fault zones. The data obtained indicates that the South China Sea is an important “carbon test site”.