地球上蕴藏着巨大的天然气水合物(GasHydrates)矿藏,它可作为一种新的烃类资源来开发利用。天然气水合物中CH4的释放影响全球气候变化。同时,天然气水合物是一种潜在的环境灾害诱发因素。天然气水合物的研究与开发目前在国内外成为研究热点。新一代地球观测信息,如已发射成功的TERRA中的MODIS、MOPITT信息以及即将发射的化学星CHEM为天然气水合物的研究与开发提供了新的技术方法。中国气候观测系统中观测台站观测信息的共享,加速了开发利用新一代地球观测信息的速度,也必将促进新一代地球观测信息在天然气水合物研究中发挥更大的作用。

Volumes of gas hydrates stored on earth could be developed and used as a kind of clean fuel.The release of methane from the gas hydrate can lead to the global climate changes,and the environmental disasters can be induced by the gas hydrate.Therefore,the studies and exploitation of the gas hydrates have becom e a focus of attention at home and abroad.New EOS(Earth Observing System)information,including the launched EOS-AM1(MODIS and MOPITT)and the will be launched CHEM can offer a new kind of technological tools for the study and development of the gas hydrates.They could be applied to the gas hydrates by the information characters of MODIS and MOPITT.