Do microcrystalline dolomite inclusions provide fossil evidence for the onset of gas hydrate formation?: Isotopic and biogeochemical investigations of methane hydrate in Joetsu Basin, Sea of Japan.

2018 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K05712
• Research Institution: Meiji University
• Principal Investigator: Snyder Glen 明治大学, 研究・知財戦略機構, 特任教授 (90751777)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鈴木 庸平 東京大学, 大学院理学系研究科(理学部), 准教授 (00359168) ; 松本 良 明治大学, 研究・知財戦略機構, 特任教授 (40011762) ; 佐野 有司 東京大学, 大気海洋研究所, 教授 (50162524) ; 戸丸 仁 千葉大学, 大学院理学研究院, 准教授 (80588244)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: microdolomite / biomarker / phylogenetic / gas hydrate / stable isotope / Japan Sea

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

Research activities for FY2018 included: (1)Anyalysis of gas hydrate oil concentrations (at Stephen Bowden Lab, University of Aberdeen, Scotland). Organic and biomarker chemistry was determined. (2)DNA extractions Phylogenetic m-RNA analysis of microbial life inside of microdolomite with Yohey Suzuki Lab (University of Tokyo). Sectioned grains were also stained and imaged for microbial DNA.(3)Sampling identification of microdolomites in deep porosity-filling gas hydrates from the Gulf of Mexico, U.S.A with Steve Phillips of University of Texas, Austin Campus gas hydrate lab and as part of the Joint Industrial Project (JIP)(4)EPMA quantitative mapping of microdolomite grains at AORI, University of Tokyo Kashiwa Campus lab with Kentaro Tanaka.(5)nano-SIMS trial mapping of microdolomite grains for organic composition at AORI, University of Tokyo Kashiwa campus with Naoto Takahata.(6)Determination of clumped-isotope composition of microdolomite grains at Tokyo Tech. with Naizhong Zhang. (7) Determination of stable isotopic composition of hydrate gases in Yuji Sano's Lab at AORI, with Naoto Takahata..
Outreach activities included: (1) Gave Several Conference talks and poster presentations (2)Internet Press Release: https://www.livescience.com/64532-microbes-inside-gas-hydrate-crystals.html

Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

The first of four manuscripts on this topic is nearly ready for submission. Microbial analysis at Suzuki Lab is still ongoing, since we want to confirm our genomic results with more sample analysis. Nano-sims analysis at AORI lab had some problems with sample preparation and we are currently working on resampling and new preparation techniques. Bowden lab in Scotland is currently looking at dissolved organic composition of the hydrate waters, since not all hydrate samples had oil in them.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

Interpretation and publication of results is the major emphasis of our work in this final year of the grant. We still wish to detainee the organic matter composition inside of the dolomite grains, which will depend on further nanoSIMS analysis at AORI. Initial results of microbial analyses were quite interesting (Bacteriodetes species and no sulfate reducing bacteria or methane reducing archea)...so we want to analyze more samples to confirm the initial results. Finally, we hope to confirm the presence of microdolomites in other marine environments which host gas hydrate. These will include, hopefully, gas hydrates from Tatar Strait which we hope to sample this year, as well as analyses of samples already collected from Gulf of Mexico

Remarks

Web Article is a result of a press conference carried out at the American Geophysical Union Annual Fall Meeting in Washington, D.C., December 2018.

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] Jackson School of Geosciences/University of Texas Austin/U.S.A. (StephenPhillips)(米国)
  • Country Name: U.S.A.
  • Counterpart Institution: Jackson School of Geosciences/University of Texas Austin/U.S.A. (StephenPhillips)
• [Int'l Joint Research] School of Geosciences/University of Aberdeen/Scotland (Stephen Bowden)(英国)
  • Country Name: UNITED KINGDOM
  • Counterpart Institution: School of Geosciences/University of Aberdeen/Scotland (Stephen Bowden)
• [Journal Article] Clumped isotope signatures of methane-derived authigenic carbonate presenting equilibrium values of their formation temperatures (2019)
  • Author(s): Zhang, N., Lin, M., Snyder, G.T., Kakizaki, Y., Yamada, K., Yoshida, N., Matsumoto, R.
  • Journal Title: Earth and Planetary Science Letters Volume: 512 Pages: 207-213
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.02.005
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Publication dateData report: water activity of the deep coal-bearing basin off Shimokita from IODP Expedition 337. (2018)
  • Author(s): Tanikawa, W., Ohtomo, Y., Snyder, G., Morono, Y., Kubo, Y., Iijima, Y., Noguchi, T., Hinrichs, K.-U., and Inagaki, F.
  • Journal Title: Proceedings of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, 337: Tokyo (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International, Inc.). Volume: 337 Pages: 1-12
  • DOI: doi:10.2204/iodp.proc.337.204.2018
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Microbial microdolomite aggregates found within massive gas hydrate: Implications for the Earth's deep biosphere and for extraterrestrial life? (2018)
  • Author(s): Glen Tritch Snyder, Yohey Suzuki,Takumi Imajo, Ryo Matsumoto, Yoshihiro Kakizaki, Hitoshi Tomaru, Aya Iguchi, Yuji Sano, Naoto Takahata, Naizhong Zhang
  • Organizer: American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Clumped isotopic signatures of methane-dervied authigenic carbonates and gas hydrate-derived microcrystalline dolomite in the Sea of Japan (2018)
  • Author(s): Naizhong Zhang, Glen Tritch Snyder, Keita Yamada, Yoshihiro Kakizaki, Akihiro Kano, Naohiro Yoshida, Ryo Matsumoto
  • Organizer: American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Stable isotopic composition of microdolomitic aggregates associated with saline inclusions within Japan Sea massive gas hydrate G (2018)
  • Author(s): Glen Snyder, Yoshihiro Kakizaki, Ryo Matsumoto, Naizhong Zhang, Yohey Suzuki, Yuji Sano, Naoto Takahata, Kentaro Tanaka, Takumi Imajo, Hitoshi Tomaru, Aya Iguchi
  • Organizer: International Sedimentological Congress
• [Presentation] Microdolomitic evidence for deep biosphere contained inside of the saline inclusions within Japan Sea massive gas hydrate (2018)
  • Author(s): Glen Snyder, Yohey Suzuki,Takumi Imajo, Ryo Matsumoto, Yoshihiro Kakizaki, Hitoshi Tomaru, Aya Iguchi, Yuji Sano, Naoto Takahata, Naizhong Zhang
  • Organizer: Japan Geoscience Union (JPGU) Annual Meeting
• [Remarks] Extreme Microbes Found in Sea of Japan crystals
  • URL: https://www.livescience.com/64532-microbes-inside-gas-hydrate-crystals.html