Sniffing out methane in the deep sea

On a recent cruise to Guaymas Basin, sensors developed by the Chemical Sensors Lab were used to detect methane in the deep sea. “We’re developing this as a tool for exploration,” says Anna Michel, chief scientist for WHOI’s National Deep Submergence Facility and the expedition. “There are a lot of places where methane is being released in the seawater, but we don’t necessarily know where they all are. Our goal is to be able to use these kinds of technologies to actually sniff out what’s happening in these environments.”