Insights on Methane and Carbon Dioxide Concentrations in Glacial Meltwater from Athabasca, Dome and Robertson Glaciers: Canadian Rockies
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
This study addresses the research gap in the understanding of CO2 and CH4 dynamics in alpine glaciers, where limited studies have been conducted, particularly in terms of spatial and temporal coverage. Previous research often focused on single-point sampling in the glacial forefield over a few consecutive days during the melt season, leaving significant uncertainty about the broader patterns and controls on dissolved gasses in glacial environments. To overcome these limitations, this study conducted extensive sampling during the 2023 melt season at Athabasca, Dome, and Robertson Glaciers in the Canadian Rockies. Four locations at each glacier were sampled during three different visits spread throughout the melt season, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the temporal and spatial variability in dissolved gas concentrations. The study analyzed a range of parameters, including: dissolved CO2 and CH4 concentrations through headspace equilibration, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), major ions, pH, electrical conduc-tivity, dissolved oxygen, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), and suspended sediment concentration. A spearman r correlation matrix was used to further investigate geochemical relationships to greenhouse gas concentrations. The re-sults revealed that CO2 was consistently undersaturated across all sites, suggesting a net uptake of atmospheric CO2 by the meltwaters. Low CO2 likely relates to mineral weathering reactions with the carbonate-based bedrock. In contrast, CH4 was found to be supersaturated at 41 of the 49 sites, with the remaining eight sites having CH4 concentrations below the detection limit. CO2 concentrations were lowest at Athabasca Glacier and varied across the melt season, with increases correlated to parameters that suggest longer meltwater residence times. Methane concentrations were inversely correlated with ORP, indicating that more reductive conditions in subglacial environments may enhance CH4 production or limit its oxidation. This study provides new insights into the biogeochemical processes governing CO2 and CH4 dynamics in glacial meltwaters and underscores the significance of extensive spatial and temporal sampling in understanding these dy-namics. The findings contribute to the understanding of the role of alpine glaciers in carbon cycling and the potential release of greenhouse gasses.