Arctic's new threat from sea methane

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The new global warming threat is thought to have been discovered in massive deposits of sub-sea methane.

The preliminary findings of research scientists working in the region suggest the gas is bubbling to the surface as the Arctic region gets warmer and its ice retreats.

It has been claimed that in the past few days researchers have seen areas of sea foaming with gas bubbling up through "methane chimneys" rising from the depths of the ocean.

Methane is about 20 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. The scientists have warned that it is likely to be linked with the rapid warming the region has experienced in recent years.

Dr Orjan Gustafsson, one of the leaders of the expedition, said: "The conventional thought has been that the permafrost 'lid' on the sub-sea sediments on the Siberian shelf should cap and hold the massive reservoirs of shallow methane deposits in place.

"The growing evidence for release of methane in this inaccessible region may suggest that the permafrost lid is starting to get perforated and thus leak methane."