Detection Of Oceanic Gas Hydrates By Satellite Remote Sensing

Gas hydrates, recently, are becoming one of the most interesting research fields. In order to discuss the method of detection of oceanic gas hydrates by satellite remote sensing, firstly, the feasibility of the detection of sea surface methane concentration using satellite remote sensing is discussed. Secondly, the author discusses the performance of sea surface air temperature derived from satellite data using Artificial Neural Network. Finally, the relationship between the sea surface air temperature anomalies and the distribution of oceanic gas hydrates is analyzed in the Gulf of Mexico as a proving ground, and the probability that whether there are gas hydrates or not in the Qiongdongnan basin is analyzed. The results show that ① it is feasible to dectect sea surface methane concentration anomalies by the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere instrument by which prospective oceanic gas hydrates zones are dectected; ② it is a alternative means that satellite data (total Precipitable Water Vapor, Surface Wind Speed, Cloud Liquid Water and the sea surface temperature) combines with Artificial Neural Network to estimate daliy arveage sea surface air temperature; ③ the Artificial Neural Network method has better performance and regional applicability compared with other conventional methods; ④ the phenomenon that the sea surface air temperature anomalies appear frenquntly over oceanic gas hydrates before the one earthquake bursts out and several earthquakes burst out shows that these anomalies relate with the gas hydrates in seafloor possibly; ⑤ it is encouraging to discover gas hydrates in the Qiongdongnan basin of the South China Sea as a prospective zone.