Tectonic Uplift Destabilizes Subsea Gas Hydrate: A Model Example From Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand

Rising ocean temperatures and falling sea level are commonly cited as mechanisms of marine gas hydrate destabilization. More recently, uplift-both isostatic and tectonic-has been invoked. However, the effect of tectonic shortening and uplift on gas hydrate stability zone extent has not been validated via integrated computational modeling. Here, modeling along the Hikurangi margin of New Zealand illustrates the mechanism of tectonic uplift as a driver of gas hydrate destabilization. We simulate how tectonic uplift and shortening affect the presence and decrease the extent of a gas hydrate stability zone. We suggest that resultant gas hydrate destabilization in the marine realm may impact the global carbon cycle and oceanic chemistry over geologic time.