title: ESR investigation of gamma-irradiated natural methane hydrate from Blake Ridge Diapir, off east North America in ODP Leg 164.
abstract: Natural methane hydrate under deep ocean floor in Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 164 was studied by electron spin resonance (ESR) after gamma-ray irradiation. The methyl radical (g=2.0024+/-0.0005, A=2.3+/-0.1 mT) as well as an unidentified signal was observed. Although the parameters and the thermal stability were very similar to those in a synthetic sample, the signal intensity was about one eightieth of that in synthetic one because methane hydrate had partially changed to ice. ESR signal intensity of the methyl radical after gamma-ray irradiation could be used to estimate the amount of methane hydrate in a sample mixed with ice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan. takeya@pumice.ess.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeya
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yada
authors.forename: Motoji
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeya