Numerical Simulation of Deep Sea Gas Hydrate Plumes

Abstract

Plume is closely related to the presence of gas hydrates which can often be found in plume development area. By acoustic detection, plumes of bubbles in the seawater from shallow gas have been found by marine surveying instruments in some areas over the world. Based on the existed theory of plume porosity, acoustic echo profile of sedbed seep plumes are numerically calculated. Within the simulation results, according to the pattern of gas bubble change and movement in the seawater, process of methane plumes generation is simulated and directs the distribution of bubble radius and plume boundary as depth. Acoustic features of plume bubbles seeping from shallow gas are shown to be consistent with the field results.