Russian Journal of Earth Sciences Russian Journal of Earth Sciences Russian Journal of Earth Sciences 1681-1208 46558 10.2205/2020ES000723 ОРИГИНАЛЬНЫЕ СТАТЬИ ORIGINAL ARTICLES ОРИГИНАЛЬНЫЕ СТАТЬИ Comparison of methane distribution in bottom sediments of shallow lagoons of the Baltic and Black Seas Comparison of methane distribution in bottom sediments of shallow lagoons of the Baltic and Black Seas Ulyanova M Ulyanova M marioches@mail.ru Malakhova T Malakhova T Evtushenko D Evtushenko D Artemov Yu Artemov Yu Egorov V Egorov V Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences ru Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences ru A. O. Kovalevsky Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences ru 21 1 29 10 2021 https://rjes.ru/en/nauka/article/46558/view

In 2015, geoacoustic and gas-geochemical studies of bottom sediments of the Vistula Lagoon of the Baltic Sea and the Sevastopol Bay of the Black Sea were carried out. A comparative analysis showed differences in the particle size distribution and methane content in the sediments of the studied basins. Maximum methane concentrations were observed in the sediments of the central part of the Sevastopol Bay (1856 μ" role="presentation" style="position: relative;">μμ\\mumol dm3" role="presentation" style="position: relative;">33^{3}), characterized by the highest content of aleuropelite fraction. The diffusion flux of methane at the water-bottom interface was directed from the sediment to water and varied from 0.004 to 0.132 mmol/(m2" role="presentation" style="position: relative;">22^{2} day) in the Sevastopol Bay, and from 0.005 to 0.030 mmol/(m2" role="presentation" style="position: relative;">22^{2} day) in the Vistula Lagoon. The value of methane solubility in pore waters for the Vistula Lagoon, calculated for the average depth of the basin, is significantly lower compared to the same value for the Sevastopol Bay. Despite this, bubble outgassing was not recorded in the Vistula Lagoon, unlike the Sevastopol Bay.

In 2015, geoacoustic and gas-geochemical studies of bottom sediments of the Vistula Lagoon of the Baltic Sea and the Sevastopol Bay of the Black Sea were carried out. A comparative analysis showed differences in the particle size distribution and methane content in the sediments of the studied basins. Maximum methane concentrations were observed in the sediments of the central part of the Sevastopol Bay (1856 μ" role="presentation" style="position: relative;">μμ\\mumol dm3" role="presentation" style="position: relative;">33^{3}), characterized by the highest content of aleuropelite fraction. The diffusion flux of methane at the water-bottom interface was directed from the sediment to water and varied from 0.004 to 0.132 mmol/(m2" role="presentation" style="position: relative;">22^{2} day) in the Sevastopol Bay, and from 0.005 to 0.030 mmol/(m2" role="presentation" style="position: relative;">22^{2} day) in the Vistula Lagoon. The value of methane solubility in pore waters for the Vistula Lagoon, calculated for the average depth of the basin, is significantly lower compared to the same value for the Sevastopol Bay. Despite this, bubble outgassing was not recorded in the Vistula Lagoon, unlike the Sevastopol Bay.

 Methane diffusive flux methane solubility grain size Vistula Lagoon Sevastopol Bay Baltic Sea Black Sea Methane diffusive flux methane solubility grain size Vistula Lagoon Sevastopol Bay Baltic Sea Black Sea Acknowledgments Research in the Vistula Lagoon and analytical work on the Sevastopol Bay were done support of the state assignments (themes 0149-2019-0013 and "Molismological and Biogeochemical Bases of the Homeostasis of Marine Ecosystems", project no. AAAA18-118020890090-2), respectively, with partial support (field trips and samples analysis) from the RFBR (project No. 15-35-50778 mol_nr). The authors are grateful to T. Kanapatsky for the determination of methane in samples of the Vistula Lagoon.

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