Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 08/11/2007 - 08:45
Forums
Alaska Climate Variation

Hi Peggy,

I'm loving reading your journals. What an amazing experience and beautiful plcae! I loved your description of watching a bear slide around as it walked down a slope. I wouldn't have expected that.

And what fabulous MUD you found on August 5! I was surprised when you said that the gas bubbling through there is 55% methane, since I think of methane as very reactive. Is there enough that it would be dangerous to light a match there?

You also mentioned that cold salt water flows through there -- and that it's a water source for animals in the winter. Does the salt content go down in the winter so that animals can drink it? They're able to drink from it despite all that mud? Wow. If I were stuck there in the winter without anything to drink, I wonder if I would be able to do the same...

Thank you so much for sharing this experience with us!

-julie edwards

Thu, 08/16/2007 - 09:56

Peggy Foletta

Hi Julie.  Good question.  We wondered the same thing about the methane, so we experimented.  We lit a match near the bubbles over and over again.  They did not light, but there was also a pretty strong breeze at the time.  So, that question is not yet resolved....The literature I read about the salt content did not mention the % of salt in the water.  Sea water is 3.5% salt on average. The percentage is diluted a bit with some melting of snow.  I'm sure they drink a share of mud with the water, but  it beats no water at all!  Thanks for asking,
Peggy