Swamp Gas: To Be, or NotTo Be: That is the Question.
Swamp gas has been known by several names: ignisfatuus, will-o’-the-wisp, corpse candles, jack-o’-lantern, and marsh gas. A multitude of reliable references to anddescriptions of this natural phenomenon have been found in prestigious journalssuch as Nature, Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, and Symons MonthlyMeteorological Magazine. Some of these references are global in scope and spanthe years from the 19th century to modern times.<![if !supportFootnotes]>[1]<![endif]>
Characteristically, swamp gas is found in peat bogs, mud flats,marshes, and swamps—wherever stagnant water coincides with the decay of organicmatter. The following reference demonstrates a typical observation:
“The water of the marsh is ferruginous,and covered with an iridescent crust. During the day bubbles of air were seenrising from it, and in the night blue flames were observed shooting from andplaying over its surface. As I suspected that there was some connection betweenthese flames and the bubbles of air, I marked during the day-time the placewhere the latter rose up most abundantly, and repaired thither during thenight; to my great joy I actually observed bluish-purple flames, and did nothesitate to approach them. On reaching the spot they retired, and I pursuedthem in vain; all attempts to examine them closely were ineffectual. On anotherday, in the twilight, I went to the place, where I waited the approach ofnight; the flames became gradually visible, but redder than formerly, thusshowing that they burnt also during the day; I approached nearer and theyretired. Convinced that they would return again to their place of origin, whenthe agitation of the air ceased, I remained stationary and motionless, and observedthem again gradually approach. As I could easily reach them, it occurred to meto attempt to light paper by means of them, but for some time I did not succeedin this experiment, which I found was owing to my breathing. I therefore heldmy face from the flame, and also interposed a piece of cloth as a screen; ondoing which I was able to singe paper, which became brown-colored, and coveredwith a viscous moisture. I next used a narrow slip of paper, and enjoyed thepleasure of seeing it take fire. The gas was evidently flammable, and not aphosphorescent one, as some have maintained. But how do these lights originate?”<![if !supportFootnotes]>[2]<![endif]>
Indeed, how do they originate? In spite of all the observationsmade of this natural oddity, it remains a puzzle to science. Assumptions havealways been made that methane (CH4), a odorless, colorless, andhighly flammable gas, is the primary constituent of swamp gas. In nature, swampgas results from the breakdown of fats, cellulose, and proteins by anaerobicbacteria (those not requiring oxygen) in mud and sediment on the marsh floor.The gas is lighter than air and will burn with a pale blue or yellow flame. Ata stagnant pool, bubbles of swamp gas can be induced to ignite with a lightedmatch. The gas will burn with a brief flame and often emit a ‘pop’ like report.
Bored with the chemistry yet? Cheer up,it gets worse.
The fabled will-o’-the-wisp and jack-o’-lantern are said to bemanifestations of swamp gas. However, since methane does not ignitespontaneously, we suddenly find that this phenomenon of nature has become morephenomenal. Sounds redundant, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not nearly as redundant asusing a mystery to explain away other mysteries. So, to account for thewill-o’-the-wisp how does the gas ignite to provide the necessary flame? Amisconception occasionally stated in chemistry texts and books dealing withthese phenomena is that the spontaneous ignition of methane could result fromthe additional presence of phosphine (PH3) in the swamp gas. Phosphine (phosphorus trihydride),a highly poisonous gas also evolved from waterlogged soils, results from thedecay of protein, bone, and other phosphate-bearing matter. Interestingly, purephosphine is notself-igniting either. In order for it to spontaneously inflame, it must be contaminatedwith a small amount of phosphorous tetrahydride (P2H4).Recently, however, some of these “given” operating conditions for swamp gashave been challenged in the laboratory. Demonstrations have shown that if the tetrahydride-bearing phosphine isinjected into a stream of methane—and if self-ignition occurs—the resultantflame will be a bright green color, accompanied by copious smoke and a distinctodor. Nevertheless, despite these findings, it is generally agreed thatjack-o’-lanterns do not produce stinking, green contrails. Accordingly,laboratory experiments devoted to the synthesis of self-igniting swamp gashave, thus far, been unsuccessful. In fact, recent tests using soil/phosphatemixtures have evolved flammable, though not self-igniting gasses. Additionally,in the same series of experiments, vapor phase chromatography (a sensitiveanalysis technique) failed to detect even part-per-million traces of phosphine in the laboratory samples.<![if !supportFootnotes]>[3]<![endif]>
The final analysis of this little chemistry lesson infers thatin spite of “established facts” and learned opinions on the subject, muchremains unclear about the evolution and characteristics of swamp gas in Nature.Furthermore, if the technicalities are still so vague, then perhaps morereservation should be exercised before swamp gas is assigned as the explanationfor so many nocturnal luminous phenomena.
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(The abovearticle is an excerpt adapted from StalkingThe Mysterious Lights by Michael A. Frizzell &
George F. Walls and was originally publishedin Pursuit Magazine, Volume 20, Fourth Quarter, 1987)
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© 2005 M.A. Frizzell & G.F. Walls -All Rights Reserved.
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<![if !supportFootnotes]>[1]<![endif]> Corliss, William R. Lightning,
<![if !supportFootnotes]>[2]<![endif]> This account took place in Newmark,Germany and was documented in an 1832 edition of the Edinburgh NewPhilosophical Journal and was recaptured for posterity by William R. Corliss inLightning, Auroras, Nocturnal Lights andRelated Luminous Phenomena , pp. 168, 175.
<![if !supportFootnotes]>[3]<![endif]> Chemistry in
