Figure 1 – methane bubbles in the ice in late winter, Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge, Sudbury, MA. (c) DE Wolf 2019.

Yes, it’s time for another reassuring moment in physics. I went with a friend to the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge this morning. It was much rougher that we anticipated due to last week’s foot of snow – but we did reward ourselves with an excellent Makimono Lunch afterwards. That, the good company, and the sunshine made the day!

I did notice these strange bubbles on in the ice, now slowly melting as spring inches in. These are methane bubbles. Methane released by decaying detritus becomes trapped beneath the ice and then trapped within it as winter progresses. Then as the ice begins to melt in the spring these bubbles literally pop releasing the foul smelling gas. Isn’t physics wonderful! And the physics of ice, as we have discussed before, is very complicated.Also it can be very artistic.

Further, these bubbles are very important to climate change naysayers. You see release of greenhouse gases is a natural process of the Earth. Well yes, as are cows passing gas in the breeze. But in the end, we are the arbiters of climate change. Once again, it is all physics, and in that case not so reassuring!