Gas hydrate is an ice-like substance formed when methane

gas is incorporated into a crystal lattice of water molecules.

Recent findings indicate that marine deposits of gas hydrate 

comprise a staggeringly large global pool of hydrocarbon. This

 hydrocarbon may interact with Earth’s atmosphere to influence

climate cycles and is a potential source of energy.

Although most gas hydrate is buried under hundreds of meters 

of marine sediment, the Gulf of Mexico is one place where it exists

at or near the seafloor, where it can be sampled and studied.

Gas hydrate is a component of the natural hydrocarbon system of

the Gulf of Mexico; other components—known primarily from the 

northern Gulf—include oil seeps that produce natural oil “spills”

visible from space and lush communities of chemosynthetic tubeworms

and mussels.  Natural oil seeps also occur in the southern Gulf of

Mexico on the Campeche Escarpment and, in theory; these sites should

also harbor chemosynthetic fauna and possibly gas hydrates. However,

to this date, scientists and educators have been unable to explore

large areas of the region.  The SONNE cruise will fill in gaps and

provide reconnaissance in advance of future research cruises.