cc.fireice-第51部分

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der　the　seafloor　when　they　were　doing　seismological　studies　at　the　Blake　Ridge。　In　the　1980s；　the　Woods　Hole　submersible　Alvin　found　stone　undersea　chimneys　formed　by　escaping　methane。　I　was　on　the　first　big　survey　back　in　the　mid…1990s。　That's　when　we　discovered　the　deposits　in　the　Blake　Ridge。　They're　only　a　fraction　of　what's　out　there。　The　potential　is　vast。〃
　〃Where　are　the　major　deposits？〃
　〃Mostly　along　the　lower　slopes　of　the　world's　continental　shelves；　where　the　seabed　drops　from　four　hundred　feet　or　so　into　the　abyss　several　miles　deep。　There　are　major　pockets　off　both　U。S。　coasts。　As　I　said；　you　can　find　them　in　Costa　Rica；　Japan；　India；　and　under　the　arctic　permafrost。　The　sheer　size　of　the　deposits　is　astounding。　The　most　recent　estimates　are　ten　thousand　gigatons。　That's　double　the　total　amount　of　all　known　reserves　of　coal；　oil　and　natural　gas。〃
　
　Jenkins　let　out　a　low　whistle。　〃Waiting　there　to　be　tapped　when　we　suck　our　petroleum　reserves　dry。〃
　〃I　wish　it　were　so　easy；〃　Reed　said　with　a　sigh。　〃A　few　technical　problems　have　to　be　ironed　out　before　extraction　is　practical。〃
　〃Is　it　dangerous　to　drill？〃
　
　〃The　first　time　a　ship　drilled　into　a　pocket　was　in　1970。　Nothing　happened；　but　drillers　were　afraid　for　years　afterward　that　they'd　get　blown　out　of　the　water。　Eventually；　a　few　experimental　bores　showed　that　research　drilling　was　safe。　Getting　hydrates　to　the　surface　to　heat　your　home　or　run　your　SUV　is　another　question。　The　environment　is　extremely　hostile　in　the　deep　water　where　hydrates　are　found；　and　the　stuff　simply　fizzes　when　we　bring　it　up。　The　deposits　may　be　another　few　hundred　feet　below　the　seafloor。〃
　〃That　sounds　like　a　tough　neighborhood　for　rigs　to　operate　in。〃
　〃Absolutely。　A　number　of　countries　and　panies　are　working　on　the　problem；　though。　One　method　is　pumping　steam　or　water　down　the　drill　hole。　This　melts　the　hydrate　and　releases　methane。　Then　you　pump　the　methane　to　the　surface　of　the　seafloor　through　another　drill　hole。　Next　es　the　question　of　what　you　do　with　it。　When　you　remove　the　hydrate；　the　seafloor　destabilizes。〃
　〃There　goes　your　expensive　pipeline。〃
　
　〃A　good　possibility。　Which　is　why　engineers　have　e　up　with　a　scheme　to　put　a　production　facility　on　the　seafloor。　You　pump　the　hydrate　out　and　bine　it　with　water。　The　mix　goes　into　big　tanks　shaped　like　dirigibles。　Submarines　would　tow　them　to　the　shallows；　where　the　hydrates　would　be　safely　broken　down　into　fuel　and　water。〃
　〃With　any　of　those　methods；　it　sounds　like　mining　hydrates　is　going　to　be　like　walking　on　eggshells。〃
　〃Even　more　difficult。　Now　back　to　your　original　question。〃
　〃About　hydrates　as　a　source　of　earthquakes　and　big　waves。〃
　〃It's　highly　possible。　There　is　evidence　that　the　natural　melting　has　destabilized　seafloor　slopes。　They've　found　massive　submarine　landslides　off　the　U。S。　East　Coast；　Alaska　and　other　countries。　The　Russians　found　unstable　hydrate　fields　off　Norway。　They　think　one　of　the　biggest　releases　ever　recorded　caused　the　Storrega　submarine　landslide：　Eight　thousand　years　ago；　more　than　a　thousand　cubic　miles　of　sediments　slid　for　miles　down　the　slope　of　the　Norwegian　continental　slope。〃
　〃I'　m　acquainted　with　Storrega；〃　Jenkins　said。　〃Then　you'd　know　that　the　huge　mud　slide　caused　unimaginable　tsunamis。　The　Grand　Banks　and　Rocky　Point　would　have　been　bathtub　waves　by　parison。〃
　
　Jenkins　nodded。　〃What　about　man…made　landslides。　Possible？〃
　〃I'd　say　they're　plausible；　sure。　A　drilling　platform　inadvertently　cause　a　deposit　to　collapse；　triggering　a　landslide。〃
　
　Jenkins　held　his　breath；　then　released　it。　〃Inadvertently；　yes。　But　could　something　like　that　be　triggered　deliberately？〃
　
　The　tone　grabbed　their　attention。　Reed　said；　〃What　are　you　saying；　Dr。　Jenkins？〃
　
　Jenkins　squirmed　in　his　chair。　〃It's　been　driving　me　crazy。　My　gut　instinct　has　been　in　conflict　with　my　scientific　training；　which　says　gather　all　the　evidence　before　ing　to　a　conclusion；　especially　one　as　wild　as　this。〃
　
　Reed　scratched　his　chin。　〃Maybe；　but　as　a　scientist；　I'm　like　you　…　I　can't　make　that　leap　from　conjecture　to　conclusion　without　a　bridge　of　facts。〃
　
　Yaeger　got　into　the　discussion。　〃Poetically　said；　Doc。　Let's　see　if　Max　can　help　us。　Were　you　eavesdropping；　my　love？〃
　
　The　auburn…haired　image　of　a　woman　reappeared。　〃It's　hard　not　to　listen　in　when　I　have　six　supersensitive　microphones。　Where　would　you　like　me　to　take　you？〃
　
　Yaeger　turned　to　the　two　scientists。　〃Gentlemen；　it's　all　yours。〃
　
　Reed　had　been　giving　it　some　thought。　〃Max；　please　give　us　an　idea　of　the　undersea　methane…hydrate　deposits　along　the　U。S。　coasts。〃
　
　The　face　vanished　and　they　were　looking　at　a　three…dimensional　rendering　of　the　sea　bottom　to　the　east　and　west　of　the　United　States；　plete　with　mountains　and　canyons。　Pulsating　patches　of　crimson　appeared　in　the　shimmering　blue　sea　off　the　Atlantic　and　Pacific　coasts。
　
　〃Now　let's　isolate　this　to　the　East　Coast。〃　The　shoreline　between　Maine　and　the　Florida　Keys　appeared。
　
　〃Good。　Please　zero　in　on　Maine　and　show　us　the　continental　shelf。〃
　
　They　were　looking　at　the　long　irregular　coastline　of　the　Pine　Tree　state　stretching　from　Canada　to　New　Hampshire。　A　wavy　line　appeared　off　the　coast；　running　through　the　red　patches　of　hydrates。
　
　〃If　I　may；〃　Jenkins　interjected；　〃could　you　highlight　Rocky　Point？〃
　
　A　cornflower　blue　bull's…eye　indicated　Jenkins's　hometown。　A　close…up　aerial　view　of　the　town　showing　its　bay　and　river　appeared　in　the　lower　right…hand　er　of　the　screen。
　
　〃Not　bad；〃　Jenkins　said；　noting　the　extra　touch。
　
　〃Thank　you；〃　purred　a　disembodied　voice。
　
　Jenkins　gave　Max　his　boat's　position　when　he　had　first　seen　the　nascent　tsunami。　A　silhouette　of　a　fishing　boat　appeared　in　the　holographic　sea。
　
　〃Now　we　need　a　diagram　showing　the　major　undersea　faults。〃
　
　A　spidery　network　of　white　lines　appeared。　The　boat　appeared　to　be　in　between　Rocky　Point　and　a　major　fault　due　east　of　the　town。
　
　Yaeger　said；　〃That　was　great；　Max。　While　you're　in　profile　mode；　let's　go　back　to　the　continental　shelf　at　the　epicenter　of　the　shock。〃
　
　Displayed　on　the　screen　was　a　cross…section　of　the　ocean　floor　showing　a　wavy　line　representing　the　ocean's　surface　and　a　lower　one　that　was　the　sea　bottom。　The　continental　shelf　dropped　off　sharply。　At　the　edge　of　the　shelf　was　a　thick　fault　that　angled　down。　The　fault　intersected　a　variegated　line　that　represented　the　methane…hydrate　deposit　under　the　limestone　crust。

　
　〃There's　our　trouble　spot。　Show　us　what　happens　when　methane　hydrates　are　released。〃　A　methane　plume　rose　from　the　ocean　floor。　The　sea　bottom　along　the　slope　of　the　continental　shelf　collapsed。　A　depression　occurred　in　the　water　surface　where　the　landslide　occurred。　The　surface　of　the　water　cratered　above　the　slide。
　
　The　water　tried　to　stabilize；　creating　a　bump　that　moved　along　the　ocean　surface。
　
　〃There's　the　genesis　of　the　big　wave；〃　Reed　said。
　
　〃Let　me　try　something；〃　Yaeger　said。　〃You　heard　what　Dr。　Jenkins　said　about　the　Richter　scale　reading　at　that　location。　Please　give　us　a　simulation　of　what　happened。〃
　
　Ripples　that　represented　waves　began　to　travel　out　from　the　area　immediately　around　the　slide。　Max　zoomed　in　on　the　wave　heading　for　Rocky　Point。　When　the　moving　arc　was　close　to　shore；　the　close…up　of　Rocky　Point　enlarged　to　fill　the　whole　screen。　The　wave　could　be　seen　rolling　into　the　harbor；　onto　the　shore　and　up　the　river。
　
　Without　being　asked；　Max　split　the　screen　showing　the　side　view　displaying　the　profile　of　the　wave。　The　tsunami　grew　as　it　approached　land；　morphed　into　a　giant　watery　claw；　and　crashed　down　on　the　sleepy　harbor。　There　was　silence　in　the　room　as　Max　repeated　the　scene　again　and　again　in　fast　and　slow　motion。
　
　Yaeger　swiveled　in　his　chair　and　said；　〃ments；　gentlemen？〃
　〃We've　established　effect；〃　Jenkins　said。　〃The　big　question　is　whether　the　cause　was　man…made。〃
　〃It's　happened　before；〃　Reed　said。　〃Remember　what　I　said　about　a　drill　platform's　collapsing　after　accidentally　releasing　a　plume。〃
　〃Max；　I　know　you've　worked　hard；　but　I　wonder　if　you　could　do　me　a　favor。〃
　〃Of　course；　Dr。　Jenkins。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Go　back　to　your　map　of　the　East　Coast　and　show　us　weak　spots　similar　to　those　off　Maine。〃
　
　The　map　appeared　again　with　pulsating　bull's…eyes　of　varying　sizes。　The　biggest　were　off　the　New　England　coast；　New　Jersey；　Washington；　Charleston　and　Miami。
　
　〃Max；　please　simulate　what　would　happen　if　the　continental　shelf　collapsed　at　the　major　intersections　with　methane…hydrate　deposits。〃
　
　Within　an　instant；　waves　rippled　out　from　the　larger　epicenters；　reaching　a　height　of　thirty　feet；　hitting　the　coast　and　flowing　into　bays　and　up　rivers　and　far　onto　land。
　
　Reed's　eyes　blinked　rapidly　behind　the　thick　lenses。　〃Good…bye　Boston；　New　York；　Washington；　Charleston　and　Miami。〃
　〃Meth　is　death；〃　Yaeger　said　softly。　Seeing　the　puzzled　faces　of　the　older　men；　he　explained；　〃It's　an　old　hippie　saying；　meant　to　warn　people　of　the　dangers　of　using　methamphetamines　to　get　high。〃
　
　Reed　said；　〃This　is　worse　than　any　drug；　my　friend。〃　Jenkins　cleared　his　throat。　〃There　was　something　I　didn't　mention。〃　He　told　them　about　the　encounter　with　the　huge　ship　the　same　day　as　the　Rocky　Point　tsunami。
　
　〃It　sounds　as　if　you　think　the　ship　had　something　to　do　with　the　landslide　and　the　tsunami；〃　Yaeger　said。
　
　Jenkins　nodded。
　
　〃Were　there　any　markings　on　it？〃
　〃Yes；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　The　ship　was　registered　in　Liberia；　as　a　lot　of　them　are；　and　the　name　on　the　hull　was　Ataman　Explorer　I。　I　checked　the　dictionary。　It　means　the　head　man　of　a　bunch　of　Cossacks。〃
　〃Ataman？　Are　you　sure？〃
　〃Yes；　does　the　name　ring　a　bell？〃
　〃Possibly。　How　long　are　you　in　Washington；　Dr。　Jenkins？〃　Yaeger　asked。
　
　〃I　don't　know。　As　long　as　I　have　to　be　I　guess。　Why？〃
　
　Yaeger　rose　from　his　chair。　〃I've　got　a　couple　of　people　I　want　you　to　meet。〃
　
　…27…
　THE　SUNLIGHT　STREAMING　through　the　tinted　floor…to…ceiling　window　washed　the　sharp　features　of　Admiral　James　Sandecker　in　a　sea…green　patina　that　made　；　his　face　look　like　a　bronze　bust　of　Father　Neptune。　From　h