Surely you have ever heard of permafrostThis is a layer of subsoil found in the Earth's crust that is permanently frozen due to its nature and the climate where it is located. Its name comes from this permanent freezing. Although this layer of subsoil is permanently frozen, it is not continuously covered in ice or snow. It is found in areas with very cold and periglacial climates.
In this article, we'll tell you all about the characteristics, formation, and possible consequences of permafrost melting. You can also learn more about the permafrost on the Tibetan Plateau.
Key features
The permafrost has a geological age in addition to 15 thousand years. However, as climate change increases average global temperatures, this type of soil is at risk of melting. The continued thawing of this permafrost can cause various consequences, which we will discuss later in this article. This is one of the greatest dangers we've encountered in terms of climate change this decade, and is related to the fact that with every degree of warming, nearly 4 million square kilometers of permafrost are lost, which is alarming. due to the environmental impact this generates.
The permafrost is divided into two layers. On the one hand, we have the pergelisol. This is the deepest layer of this soil and it is completely frozen. On the other hand, we have the molisol. Molisole is the most superficial layer and can be thawed more easily with a change in temperatures or the present environmental conditions.
We must not confuse permafrost with ice. It does not mean that it is a ground covered with ice, but that it is a frozen ground. This soil can be extremely poor in rock and sand or very rich in organic matter. That is, this soil can have a large amount of frozen water or it can contain almost no liquid.
It is found in the subsoils of almost the entire planet in colder areas. Specifically We find it in Siberia, Norway, Tibet, Canada, Alaska and islands located in the southern Atlantic Ocean. This soil only occupies between 20 and 24% of the Earth's surface and is somewhat smaller than that occupied by deserts. One of the main characteristics of this soil is that life can develop on it. In this case, we see that the tundra develops on permafrost soil, which is an ecosystem affected by the climate change.
Why is permafrost thawing dangerous?
You have to know that for thousands and thousands of years permafrost has been responsible for accumulating large reserves of organic carbon. As we know, when a living being dies, its body decomposes into organic matter. This soil absorbs this organic matter, holding a large amount of carbon. This has allowed permafrost to accumulate approximately 1.85 trillion metric tons of organic carbon.
When we see permafrost begin to melt, a serious problem arises. The process of ice melting means that all the organic carbon retained by the soil is released into the atmosphere as methane and carbon dioxide. This melting is causing an increase in greenhouse gases. Remember that carbon dioxide and methane are two greenhouse gases capable of retaining heat in the atmosphere and causing an increase in average global temperatures. Furthermore, thawing is also linked to the methane released in the Arctic.
There is a very useful study that is responsible for recording the increase in temperatures as a function of the change in the concentrations of these two types of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The main cause of this study is analyze the immediate consequence of melting permafrost iceTo understand this temperature change, researchers must drill into the interior to extract a few samples to record the amount of organic carbon present there.
Depending on the amount of these gases, climatic variations can be recorded. With the sharp rise in temperatures, these soils, which have remained frozen for thousands of years, have begun to thaw at an unstoppable rate. This is a self-reinforcing chain. In other words, thawing permafrost causes an increase in temperatures, which, in turn, will cause even more permafrost to melt. Then, we reach the point where average global temperatures will rise dramatically.
Consequences of melting permafrost
As we know, climate change is driven by rising average global temperatures. These average temperatures can lead to changes in weather patterns and even cause extraordinary events. Dangerous events such as prolonged and extreme droughts, increased frequency of floods, cyclones, hurricanes, and other extraordinary phenomena.
In the scientific community it was established that an increase in the global average temperature of 2 degrees Celsius would cause the loss of 40% of the entire surface occupied by permafrostSince the thawing of this soil causes the loss of structure, this becomes a very serious issue, as the soil supports everything above it and all life. The loss of this soil means the loss of everything above it. This also affects human-made structures, forests, and the entire related ecosystem.
The permafrost in southern Alaska and southern Siberia is already thawing. This makes this entire area more vulnerable. There are colder and more stable portions of permafrost in the higher latitudes of Alaska and Siberia. These areas appear to be somewhat better protected from extreme climate change. Drastic changes were expected over the next 200 years. but as the temperature is rising they are seeing each other ahead of time
Rising temperatures from the Arctic air are causing permafrost to thaw more rapidly, causing all organic material to decompose and release all its carbon into the atmosphere in the form of greenhouse gases. You can also read about how this affects Spain in our article on the melting of the Arctic to Spain.
I hope this information helps you learn more about permafrost and the consequences of its melting.