TITLE:
Ion Exclusion at the Ice-Water Interface Differs from That at the Hydrate-Water Interface: Consequences for Methane Hydrate Exploration
AUTHORS:
P. W. Wilson, A. D. J. Haymet
KEYWORDS:
Tetrahydrofuran Hydrate, Ion Exclusion, Chlorine Anomaly, Ice, Exploration
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.8 No.10,
October
26,
2017
ABSTRACT:
When water-ice grows into salt solutions ion species are excluded by the ice
differentially due to non-identical solubility in the ice lattice. This causes an
electrical potential across the interface during the ice growth process, initially
named the Workman Reynolds Freezing Potential, and may be one of the
causes for lightning. However, by measuring the voltage between the ice and
water, we have found that when tetrahydrofuran hydrate crystals are grown
into salt solutions all ion species are excluded equally and the potential does
not manifest. When considered together, this marked difference in ion exclusion
scenarios may have ramifications for hydrate exploration because of the
chlorine anomaly, which is often used as an indicator of the presence of hydrate
reserves.