Methane emissions from subglacial meltwater of three alpine glaciers in Yukon, Canada

Abstract

Subglacial meltwater of land-terminating glaciers in Greenland and Iceland are sources of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere, but sparse empirical data exist about the spatial distribution of subglacial CH4 production and emission from glaciers in other regions of the world. This study presents the first measurements of CH4 emissions from the subglacial meltwater of three outlet glaciers of the St. Elias Mountains in Yukon, Canada. Dissolved CH4 concentrations were highly elevated at 45, 135, and 250 times compared to the atmospheric equilibrium concentration in the meltwater of Dusty, Kluane, and Donjek glaciers, respectively. Dissolved CO2 concentrations were depleted relative to the atmospheric equilibrium. This points to the meltwater being a source of CH4 and a sink of CO2. Stable carbon (13C) and hydrogen (2H) isotopic signatures of the subglacial CH4 were depleted compared to atmospheric CH4 at all sites, indicating both biotic and abiotic sources and possible alteration from bacterial CH4 oxidation in the meltwater. No relation was found between CH4 concentrations in the meltwater and the meltwater chemistry or the size of the glaciers in this study. These findings suggest that CH4 emissions from subglacial environments under alpine glaciers may be a more common phenomenon than previously thought.