Astronomy Picture of the Day - Methane Bubbles Frozen in Lake Baikal

NASA ^ | 29 Dec, 2024 | Image Credit & Copyright: Kristina Makeeva

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: What are these bubbles frozen into Lake Baikal? Methane. Lake Baikal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Russia, is the world's largest (by volume), oldest, and deepest lake, containing over 20% of the world's fresh water. The lake is also a vast storehouse of methane, a greenhouse gas that, if released, could potentially increase the amount of infrared light absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, and so increase the average temperature of the entire planet. Fortunately, the amount of methane currently bubbling out is not climatologically important. It is not clear what would happen, though, were temperatures to significantly increase in the region, or if the water level in Lake Baikal were to drop. Pictured, bubbles of rising methane froze during winter into the exceptionally clear ice covering the lake.

[telescope115]

DESPITE the fact that this has nothing to do with astronomy. But, that’s NASA…

[Tilted Irish Kilt]

telescope115 "DESPITE the fact that this has nothing to do with astronomy. But, that’s NASA…"
"It's NASTA .. no," it' NASTAY !
All this and no one has a match. GO figure !

[Pete from Shawnee Mission]

Mt. Climber; It is amazing that the lake surface froze so smoothly. Eerie to look down into the darkness and see the bubbles that have risen from the depths below. Thanks for posting!

**Interesting fact; Lake Baikal is the home to the the only freshwater seals in the world.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

If anyone reads the ‘Arkady Renko’ spy novels by Martin Cruz Smith, Arkady regularly p*sses off his bosses and gets banished to the Lake Baikal area/Siberia for menial police work from time to time. ;)

[Deaf and Discerning]

20% of the planet’s fresh water is impressive

That is a lot. Another 20% of fresh water in the world are the Great Lakes, which is 90% of the U.S. fresh water supply.

[Charles Martel]

Fortunately, the amount of methane currently bubbling out is not climatologically important. It is not clear what would happen, though, were temperatures to significantly increase in the region, or if the water level in Lake Baikal were to drop.

This lake, despite being in southern Siberia, is not frozen year-round. What difference does it make if the level of the lake changes, when gases will simply bubble all the way to the surface? Idiot propagandists.

[MtnClimber]

0bama’s legacy. A woke NASA focusing on climate change and muslim outreach.