Meeting room "Glova", 4 floor, Integrated Research Building
Abstract
Methane hydrate, a clathrate compound, consists of cages formed by hydrogen-bonded host water molecules, with guest methane molecules in the cages. It is the most popular gas hydrate called burning ice, because it is expected as a clean and fruitful energy resource for the next generation. While, methane is a greenhouse gas even more potent than carbon dioxide at causing global warming. Actually, during the evolution of the earth, a great deal of effects on the catastrophic climate-changes was caused by methane hydrate, e.g. an extinction event at the Permian-Triassic boundary and recovery from “snowball earth” in Neoproterozoic. In the solar system, methane hydrate is thought to be an important constituent of outer giant icy planets and their satellites, such as Uranus, Neptune, and Titan. On the other hand, CO2 hydrate exhibits exotic properties different from other gas hydrates.
CO2-reduction in the atmosphere is one of the most urgent subjects of mankind. A number of advancements that work to seclude excess CO2 on the ocean floor as CO2 hydrate or CO2 fluid have been developed. In the solar system, a possible existence of CO2 hydrate in and beneath Martian permafrost has been predicted. As described above, both hydrates are thought to be key materials for overcoming global environmental problem and energy dispute and for understanding formation of icy bodies in the solar system. In this seminar, general knowledge of methane hydrate is reviewed at the former part, and common behavior of gas hydrates under high pressure and characteristic behavior of CO2 hydrate reported recently are shown at the latter part.
For inquiry：Taku Tsuchiya TEL:（089）927-8198
E-mail takut@sci.ehime-u.ac.jp
