The first data on the concentration and emission of methane and carbon dioxide in the underground sources of the Peshernaya beam of Lake Baskunchak

Abstract

For the first time, full-scale measurements of methane and carbon dioxide emissions by the chamber method were carried out in summer for groundwater sources discharged in the valley of the creek of the Peshernaya beam, located in the north-west of Lake Baskunchak. The values of pH, temperature, concentration of basic ions and methane were determined in the water of the sources. A detailed description of the identified groundwater sources was carried out, their primary morphometric and morphological characteristics were measured, as well as the flow rate. It has been established that more than ten ascending karst groundwater sources are discharged in the Peshernaya gully, five of which were active during the research period and were mainly confined to the left branch of the gully. The active sources of the left side of the beam are characterized by a small flow rate and are sodium chloride brines with a mineralization of 93.9–107.1 g/l. The concentration of methane in the water of active sources varied between 26.3–38.4 µl/l and was on average more than 2 times higher than in the waters of the stream fed by them and an inactive source. The specific flow of methane from the water surface of active sources varied in the range of 0.6–1.5 mg/(m2·hour), which is 2 orders of magnitude lower than the specific flow of CO2, which is 46.4–106.1 mg/(m2·hour).