After 15,000 years, it's waking up
Physics Girl・15 minutes read
The permafrost tunnel in Alaska, created during the Cold War, holds crucial research materials from the last ice age and helps study the impact of permafrost degradation on global systems, including greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists use advanced technology to map thawed and frozen areas, highlighting the importance of understanding permafrost changes for predicting future impacts on the planet and making significant research investments for infrastructure repairs.
Insights
- The tunnel in Alaska, created by the U.S. government during the Cold War, houses pristine frozen ground from the last ice age, containing mammoth tusks and bones from the late Pleistocene era, making it a unique and valuable research site.
- Thawing permafrost in the tunnel can release harmful microbes and impact global water, food supply, and travel infrastructure, highlighting the urgent need to study permafrost changes for predicting future impacts on the planet, including greenhouse gas emissions and global temperatures.
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Recent questions
What is permafrost?
Frozen subsurface for two years or more.
Why is the permafrost tunnel significant?
Unique research site with mammoth bones.
How does permafrost degradation impact the environment?
Leads to sinkholes, unstable ground, and infrastructure damage.
What tools do scientists use to study permafrost?
Electrical resistivity tomography and ground-penetrating radar.
What is the impact of melting permafrost on CO2 levels?
Mass release of redox active elements into watersheds.
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Summary
00:00
"Alaskan Tunnel Reveals Permafrost's Global Impact"
- The tunnel is 60 feet underground in a frozen Alaskan hillside, dug by the U.S. government 60 years ago, with tightly controlled access.
- Permafrost, permanently frozen subsurface for two years or more, is crucial for research due to its global impact.
- The tunnel was a Cold War project by the U.S. Army to test permafrost as an insulator for equipment.
- Permafrost is found in about a fifth of the land in the Northern Hemisphere, including Alaska, and the tunnel is a unique research site.
- The tunnel holds pristine frozen ground from the last ice age, with mammoth tusks and bones from the late Pleistocene era.
- Thawing permafrost can release microbes, like those causing an anthrax outbreak in Siberia due to rising temperatures.
- Permafrost degradation can lead to sinkholes, unstable ground, and infrastructure damage, impacting global water, food supply, and travel.
- Research in the tunnel involves studying carbon release from thawing permafrost, affecting greenhouse gas emissions and global temperatures.
- Scientists use tools like electrical resistivity tomography and ground-penetrating radar to map thawed and frozen areas in the permafrost.
- Understanding permafrost changes is crucial for predicting future impacts on the planet, leading to significant research investments and infrastructure repairs.
15:02
Permafrost Impact: Redox Elements and Environmental Changes
- Late September to early October marks a significant period for the mass release of redox active elements into watersheds due to melting permafrost, impacting CO2 levels and unexpected factors like iron content in water. This influx alters various characteristics, affecting freezing patterns, microbial content, carbon release or sequestration, and plant survival, prompting the testing of tools to understand and adapt to rapid environmental changes. The permafrost tunnel reveals the profound impact of permafrost on daily life and the planet's future, showcasing unique research opportunities, including mammoth bones and NASA collaborations, emphasizing the critical role of this singular research site in advancing scientific understanding and solutions for global challenges.
