Methane Anomalies in Ragay Gulf Seawaters: Vertical Distribution and Atmospheric Flux

Nine measurement locations in the Ragay Gulf, Philippines, show methane supersaturation in the top 5 meters of the sea averaging 206±16.5%. The dataset, hosted by the Australian Ocean Data Network, contains vertical distribution measurements of methane, revealing mid-water and bottom-water plumes between 80 and 100 meters thick. It was last updated on 2026-06-23.

Use Cases

• Modeling methane sea-to-air flux based on reported average flux estimates of 101 nmole.cm-2.y-1.
• Analyzing the relationship between methane plumes and thermocline structure based on described plume confinement to steep temperature-depth gradients.
• Comparing natural fossil methane fluxes from seepage to anthropogenic or biogenic sources using the provided flux comparisons.
• Investigating the origin of methane anomalies using the described geochemical and geological evidence suggesting a thermogenic source.

Strengths

• Includes specific quantitative measurements such as methane supersaturation (206±16.5%) and estimated sea-air flux (101 nmole.cm-2.y-1).
• Provides detailed spatial context, describing plume thickness (80-100 m) and confinement depths (100-220 m) in the Ragay Gulf.
• Compares measured fluxes to other natural and anthropogenic sources, such as the Barents Sea and the Texas/Louisiana shelf.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to data_gov_au, focusing on a specific semi-enclosed basin.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Vertical distribution measurements of methane in the water column.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-06-23 01:51:23.300870; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Ragay Gulf, Philippines archipelago