Frozen Lake Columns: Bighorn Valley Mystery

Hidden beneath the frozen surface of a lake near the Bighorn mountain range lies an unusual phenomenon: stacks of methane gas, trapped in columns and spread across 20 miles. These gas pockets, formed each by a single methane bubble that froze in place, form what the video portrayal describes as a "situation of columns".

The Drowned Valley

A quarterback passing deep doesn't want a frozen lake, but winter reveals the lake bed of any water body. The ice forms columns during a slowly freezing winter. Each bubble rises from the lake floor, gets captured by the ice, and stays there. Adding and freezing in increments, each winter grows the vertical length. Large columns form from bubbles that floated further up from the bottom.

The Historical Backdrop

The lake where this occurs is not what you would expect. Created in 1972, this man-made lake resulted from a dam closing a valley and covering an area with water, specifically Bighorn Nation. Some locations flooded included cabins, pastures, and grave sites. The valley, part of the homeland of the Bighorn Band of the Stony Nakoda, vanished beneath the surface. When the valve closed and the valley filled up, gas trapped in plants broke down and released methane bubbles. Those that touched the ice formed one column. The next froze beneath it. The phenomenon repeats itself layer by layer, year after year.

Where Gas Columns Form

On the Lake Floor

This phenomenon is not just a peculiarity of this single spot on a lake. They appear when methane bubbles rise and become trapped in freezing water. The winter ice seals, and the next bubble freezes to the rising end of the frozen column. This process gets repeated each winter so that each column grows one more inch. These columns grow every winter, so the next time they show a stack.

The Mechanism

The process involves methane trapped in the descending plants of a river valley flooded at the point of damming 1972 Methane bubbles rise from the decaying plants. When they reach a freezer ice sheet in winter, the bubble freezes in place. The freezer limits the rise of the gas bubble that gets trapped in the ice. The next bubble gets trapped on top of the frozen one. The next is trapped, too. The process of this occurs every winter. Big bubbles that rise far get trapped and form large columns. Smaller bubbles form smaller columns. They never get released to the surface. The gentle and slow gas pressure only adds to the length of the column each winter.

The Geographical Layer

Those columns do not grow to the surface because they are not air bubbles. The bubble freeze stays trapped in the ice. The next bubble floats upward before ice traps it and seals it. The top and bottom of a column are likely separated by many winter growths. The stack thickens, more columns form, the area tends to increase. If the columns reach the surface, they pop and get released. Otherwise, they remain trapped.

The Danger

Not to mention the gas, this lake is a graveyard. Cabins, pastures, and gravesites all went under when the dam closed. The old ones sit close to the surface. This lake contains what are discreetly referred to as an overgrowth of the methane columns. People shouldn’t walk out on this lake. Overgrowing methane columns may leave people trapped or drown. The columns may not show themselves clearly, but they are there. The ice will stay frozen and hold methane gas bubbles.

Questions readers ask

What exactly are these methane gas columns, and how do they form?

Methane gas columns are vertical stacks of frozen methane bubbles trapped in the ice of a lake. They form when methane bubbles rise from decaying plants on the lake floor and get trapped in the freezing ice during winter. Each year, a new layer of ice forms, and new bubbles get trapped on top of the previous ones, making the columns grow longer each winter.

Why is this phenomenon occurring in this specific lake near the Bighorn mountain range?

The lake in question is man-made, created in 1972 when a dam was built, flooding a valley that was part of the Bighorn Band of the Stony Nakoda's homeland. The flooding trapped plants and other organic matter underwater, which then decayed and released methane gas. This gas gets trapped in the ice during winter, forming the columns.

Can these methane gas columns be found in other lakes as well, or is this unique to this location?

While the specific historical and geographical context of this lake is unique, the phenomenon of methane gas columns can occur in other lakes as well. Any lake with decaying organic matter at the bottom that freezes over in winter can potentially form these columns. However, the scale and visibility of these columns might not be as prominent as in this particular lake.

Is there any danger associated with these methane gas columns, and what are they doing with the old buildings and gravesites?

The lake is indeed a graveyard, with old cabins, pastures, and gravesites submerged beneath the surface. The methane gas columns themselves do not pose a direct danger, but they can indicate the presence of decaying organic matter. If disturbed, the trapped gas could potentially be released, which could be harmful. It is not clear what is being done with the old buildings and gravesites, but it is clear that their presence adds a layer of historical and cultural significance to the lake.

How do these columns grow, and why do they stay trapped in the ice?

The columns grow each winter as new layers of ice form and trap new methane bubbles on top of the existing ones. They stay trapped because the ice seals them in, preventing the gas from escaping to the surface. The gentle pressure of the rising bubbles only adds to the length of the column, making it grow over time.

What happens if these methane gas columns reach the surface of the lake?

If the methane gas columns reach the surface, they will likely pop and release the trapped gas. However, this is not a common occurrence, as the columns typically remain trapped beneath the ice. The growth of the columns is a slow process, and it is unlikely that they would reach the surface in a short period of time.

Is there any scientific research being conducted on these methane gas columns, and if so, what are the findings?

The article does not mention any specific scientific research being conducted on these methane gas columns. However, the phenomenon is interesting from a scientific perspective, as it provides insight into the decay of organic matter and the formation of methane gas. It would be interesting to see if any researchers are studying these columns and what they are finding.