Peculiarities of the distribution of methane concentration and methane fluxes at the water-air interface in the Tatar Strait of the Sea of Japan

The spatial distribution ofthe methane content in the sea water in the Tatar Strait ofthe Sea of Japan is investigated using the data of expeditionary studies in 2012-2013. The developed model enabled computing methane fluxes at the water-air interface. Identified are the water areas of active methane emission in the area of underwater gas blowouts. Revealed is the abnormal concentration of methane in the areas of emission of natural gas bubbles on the western shelf and on the slope of Sakhalin Island. These bubbles give rise to the upwelling of bottom water to the overlying layers. It is discovered that the formation of the cold subsurface layer (CSL) of sea water being especially active in the area of gas blowouts is caused by phase transitions as a result of the hydrophobic hydration of natural gas molecules.