Methane clathrate

Blocks of Methane Clathrate can be set on fire, burning the Methane held within.

In this 3-d model of Methane Clathrate, there is a single dark gray ball at the centre, representing the Carbon atom, at the centre of a Methane molecule. All the red balls represent the Oxygen atoms in the water ice molecules that surround the Methane. Each water molecule also contains two small light grey balls, representing the water's Hydrogen, while the Methane molecule contains four Hydrogen atoms. The dashed yellow lines represent the covalent bonds between the molecules of water.

Methane clathrate is a solid that gives the surface appearance of water ice, where molecules of water ice enclose a molecule of Methane.

To remain permanently stable Methane Clathrate requires a pressure higher than regular atmospheric pressure. If a deposit of Methane Clathrate is exposed to normal atmospheric pressure, the enclosed Methane will, gradually escape. But this is not immediate.

Methane Clathrate forms naturally, deep in Planet Earth's oceans, deep in permafrost deposits, on Earth's surface, and is believed to form within icy moons, like Europa.

Earth's permafrost deposits are melting, due to global warming, and this will expose deposits of Methane clathrate, which will, in turn, release Methane to the atmosphere. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, and experts anticipate this release will accelerate the rate of global warming.

This is a photo of a deep undersea colony of life fueled by chemosythesis. Note a large clathrate deposit under the rock encrusted with clams, harnessing chemosynthetic bacteria. Scientists don't yet understand how the chemosynthetic life formed this Methane clathrate outcropping.