Permafrost thawing may allow greenhouse gases to escape at a much higher rate than previously thought, and this could further accelerate climate change. Experiments by University of Leeds researchers, published in AGU journal Earth’s Future, have shown that thawing of permafrost makes it between 25 and 100 times more permeable, allowing more climate change forcing […]
A team of scientists working with local residents has detailed the rapidly accelerating “catastrophic” permafrost thawing and infrastructure damage at the northern Alaska coastal community of Point Lay. The rapid ground subsidence, caused by human actions and a changing climate, has extensively damaged local infrastructure and caused other public health and safety hazards, according to […]
Warming soil unleashes metals deadly to fish and food chains In Alaska’s Brooks Range, rivers once clear enough to drink now run orange and hazy with toxic metals. As warming thaws formerly frozen ground, it sets off a chemical chain reaction that is poisoning fish and wreaking havoc on ecosystems. As the planet warms, a […]
Researchers developed a method that uses high-resolution satellite imagery and deep machine learning to double the mapped infrastructure of Alaska and more accurately project economic risks associated with permafrost thaw In the Arctic, permafrost plays a crucial role in building infrastructure. However, as the region warms and permafrost thaws, infrastructure is threatened as the ground […]