The world's oceans may be playing a larger role in climate change than scientists once realized, quietly boosting global warming through processes that are only now coming into focus. A new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals an important driver of methane production in the open ocean. Researchers at the University of Rochester, including Thomas Weber, an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, along with graduate student Shengyu Wang and postdoctoral research associate Hairong Xu, identified a mechanism that could become more active as the planet warms. This raises concerns about a feedback loop that could intensify climate change. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas. For years, scientists have been puzzled by a contradiction. Surface ocean waters, which contain plenty of oxygen, consistently release methane into the atmosphere.…