{
  "id": 6256608,
  "title": "Melting Svalbard glaciers may flush ancient methane from rocks beneath the ice",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/melting-svalbard-glaciers-may-flush-ancient-methane-from-rocks",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-08T09:00:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-svalbard-glaciers-flush-ancient-methane.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Meltwater rivers from glaciers in Svalbard carry ancient methane from rocks beneath the ice into the atmosphere, according to new research published in Nature Communications. As the Arctic continues to warm, this feedback loop may worsen, releasing more powerful greenhouse gas methane. Gabrielle Kleber, a researcher at the iC3 Polar Research Hub in Tromsø, Norway, led the study, which analyzed 148 water samples from 19 glacier-fed rivers across central Svalbard. Every river contained methane, with the highest levels reaching 425 times the expected atmospheric concentration. The methane is not produced by microbes under the ice but comes from the region's geology, particularly shale layers rich in organic carbon. When glaciers melt and form rivers, they interact with the rocks beneath, flushing methane out into the water. The study found that glaciers with thawed, wet, and active beds are more effective at picking up methane, while those frozen to the bed are less connected to the underlying rocks. The research estimates that land-terminating glaciers in Svalbard may transport 182 to 368 tonnes of methane per year in meltwater, highlighting a widespread and undercounted pathway for ancient carbon to reach the atmosphere.",
  "summary": "Meltwater rivers flowing from Svalbard glaciers are carrying ancient methane from rocks beneath the ice into the open air, new research published in Nature Communications shows.",
  "key_points": [
    "Meltwater rivers from Svalbard glaciers transport ancient methane into the atmosphere.",
    "Study led by Gabrielle Kleber analyzes 148 water samples from 19 glacier-fed rivers.",
    "Glaciers with thawed, wet, active beds are more effective at releasing methane."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Melting glaciers in Svalbard are tapping into ancient methane stored in rocks beneath the ice, potentially worsening a feedback loop that releases more of the powerful greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}