Can Large Concentrations of Crystalline Methane Hydrate Really Sink Ships?

          Scientists have discovered large concentrations of crystalline methane hydrate deposits on the ocean floor. Crystalline methane hydrate deposits are caused by decomposing sea organisms which settle on the ocean floor. This produces methane gas which is accumulated as highly concentrated methane ice, or gas hydrates. The layers of ice then trap the methane gas. However, sometimes these methane gas pockets rupture. If a ship is in the area of the blowout, the water beneath the ship would suddenly become filled with air. Could this sink a ship? Watch this to see what scientists did to answer the question “Can Large Concentrations of Crystalline Methane Hydrate Really Sink Ships?”.

          In the video, scientists attempt to duplicate a 500 ft. freighter with a 7000 ton load. They pump 25% air into the water which should represent a large gas eruption. Then they put the boat where they are forcing the air into the water. After a few minutes, they discover the upward force, due to the flow of the water, is keeping the boat buoyant. They then decide to move the boat to the edge of the bubble field where the upward force is weaker. This causes the front of the boat, the lighter end, to rise up and the back (stern), the heavier end, to sink because the front of the boat is in more dense water then the back of the boat. Once the back of the boat fills with water, the whole boat sinks in less than thirty seconds. The scientists in the video did discover that large concentrations of crystalline methane hydrate really can sink ships. 

          Scientists have also discovered that crystalline methane hydrate can cause a plane to fall from the sky. If the bubbles are dense enough, they could cause the air and methane around the plane to catch fire which would cause the plane’s engines to catch fire and the plane would fall from the sky. 

          If scientists from all over the world can duplicate the results from this test, to see if crystalline methane hydrate can sink ships,  I believe this might just be the answer to the, not so mysterious, Bermuda Triangle mystery.  

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/06/050615000715.htm

http://salem-news.com/articles/august062010/bermuda-triangle-ta.php

http://www.neatorama.com/2010/08/08/bermuda-triangle-mystery-solved/

http://mysite.du.edu/~jcalvert/econ/hydrates.htm