Arctic Sinkholes I Full Documentary I NOVA I PBS
NOVA PBS Official・28 minutes read
Scientists are studying the thawing permafrost in the Arctic, releasing greenhouse gases like methane and posing a threat to communities in Alaska. Fossil methane trapped beneath the surface could intensify global warming, underscoring the importance of addressing climate change and reducing emissions promptly.
Insights
- Thawing permafrost in the Arctic, signaled by methane craters and Esieh Lake emissions, releases potent greenhouse gases like methane, contributing significantly to global warming and potentially accelerating climate change through positive feedback cycles.
- Alaskan communities, exemplified by Gordon Brower's Inupiaq community, face severe impacts from thawing permafrost, necessitating adaptations like alternative food storage methods and innovative housing solutions to mitigate the effects of changing landscapes and protect longstanding cultural traditions.
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Recent questions
What is permafrost and why is it important?
Permafrost is a layer of frozen earth covering a significant portion of the Northern Hemisphere's land mass. It is crucial because it is starting to thaw due to rising Arctic temperatures, releasing over half a billion tons of carbon annually. This thaw poses a threat to local communities and ecosystems, as it can lead to the release of potent greenhouse gases like methane, contributing to global warming.
How are Alaskan communities impacted by thawing permafrost?
Thawing permafrost is causing dramatic changes in the landscape of Alaskan communities, affecting forests, human settlements, and infrastructure. The melting sea ice that used to protect the shore from storms has led to erosion and permafrost thaw, endangering communities with longstanding connections to the region. This highlights the urgent need to address global warming and reduce emissions to prevent further environmental deterioration.
What are the potential consequences of methane release from permafrost?
Methane released from permafrost is a potent greenhouse gas, around 30 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. The release of greenhouse gases, including methane, from thawing permafrost is not adequately accounted for in current climate models, potentially leading to underestimations of future warming. This could accelerate climate change through positive feedback cycles, emphasizing the need for urgent action to reduce emissions.
How do Native Alaskan communities adapt to thawing permafrost?
Native Alaskan communities, like that of Inupiaq whaling captain Gordon Brower, are adapting to thawing permafrost by finding alternative storage methods for food, such as walk-in freezers, due to the melting of ice cellars carved out of permafrost. Rising temperatures are causing threats to these communities, impacting their traditional hunting practices and food availability. Innovative solutions like portable sled-base homes and potential relocations are being considered to address sinking infrastructure caused by permafrost thaw.
What is the significance of the methane craters in the Arctic?
The methane craters found in the Arctic, like the ones in Siberia and Alaska, signify unprecedented changes in the region. These craters are linked to thawing permafrost and the release of potent greenhouse gases like methane. The potential release of fossil methane stored beneath the Arctic could intensify global warming, impacting human emissions targets and accelerating climate change. This highlights the urgent need to address global warming and reduce emissions to prevent further environmental deterioration.
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Summary
00:00
Melting Permafrost: Arctic Craters and Methane Emissions
- In 2014, a helicopter crew flying over Siberia discovers a mysterious crater more than 80 feet wide and deeper than a 15-story building.
- More Siberian craters have been found since, with evidence suggesting they may also appear in Alaska.
- Scientists globally are racing to understand permafrost, a layer of frozen earth covering a quarter of the Northern Hemisphere's land mass.
- Permafrost is beginning to thaw, releasing over half a billion tons of carbon annually and posing a threat to local communities.
- The craters may serve as warnings for future climate changes, with the Arctic warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet.
- In Alaska, Esieh Lake is found to be emitting over ten tons of methane daily, the highest flux methane seep discovered in the Arctic.
- The lake's methane bubbles are traced to a hole in the lake floor, indicating methane activity beneath the surface.
- Both the Yamal craters and Esieh Lake are linked by their location on permafrost, which is starting to thaw due to rising Arctic temperatures.
- In Interior Alaska, the permafrost thaw is causing dramatic changes in the landscape, affecting forests and human settlements.
- Utqiagvik, the northernmost city in the US, is also impacted by the thawing permafrost, leading to significant changes in the community's environment.
17:42
Thawing Permafrost: Threats and Urgent Action
- Gordon Brower, a Native Alaskan Inupiaq whaling captain, emphasizes the preservation of his people's culture and traditions that have existed for thousands of years.
- Brower and his community rely on hunting for food, including seals, whales, belugas, ducks, geese, caribou, and wolves, due to limited fresh food availability in winter.
- Generations of Native Alaskans have used ice cellars carved out of permafrost to store food, but thawing permafrost has led to the need for alternative storage methods like walk-in freezers.
- Rising temperatures are causing threats to Alaskan communities, including melting sea ice that used to protect the shore from storms, leading to erosion and permafrost thaw.
- Thawing permafrost poses a significant threat to Arctic communities, with estimates suggesting between 30% and 70% of near-surface permafrost could be lost in the future.
- Permafrost contains vast amounts of organic matter, including carbon, which, when thawed, releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane, contributing to global warming.
- Methane, released from permafrost, is a potent greenhouse gas, around 30 times more powerful than carbon dioxide, and its emissions are a growing concern for climate scientists.
- The release of greenhouse gases from permafrost, including methane, is not adequately accounted for in current climate models, potentially leading to underestimations of future warming.
- Positive feedback cycles from permafrost regions, where thawing leads to more warming, could accelerate climate change, emphasizing the need for urgent action to reduce emissions.
- Understanding the dynamics of thawing permafrost and its impact on greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for predicting and mitigating the effects of climate change on a global scale.
34:05
Thawing permafrost releases ancient fossil methane
- Methane released by thawing permafrost has a unique chemical fingerprint originating from deep fossil methane reservoirs miles beneath Earth's surface.
- Alaska, the most seismically active state in the U.S., has a network of geological fault lines near Esieh Lake, allowing fossil methane to rise through cracks in Earth's crust.
- Geophysicist Nick Hasson uses Very Low Frequency technology to scan permafrost beneath Esieh Lake, revealing a thaw chimney allowing fossil methane to escape to the surface.
- Thawing permafrost releases methane, while thaw chimneys provide a pathway for fossil methane trapped for millions of years to reach the atmosphere.
- Scientists estimate 1.3 trillion tons of methane are stored beneath the Arctic, with concerns rising about the impact of fossil methane escaping.
- Small seeps of fossil methane are being discovered across the Arctic, with over 70 sites found in Alaska alone.
- The potential release of fossil methane could intensify global warming, impacting human emissions targets.
- Northeast Siberia's Batagaika megaslump showcases how human impacts can trigger a feedback cycle in permafrost, leading to irreversible changes.
- Scientists are studying the potential tipping point for permafrost thaw, with concerns about irreversible processes already observed in some areas.
- Alaskan communities are facing sinking infrastructure due to permafrost thaw, prompting innovative solutions like portable sled-base homes and potential relocations.
50:30
Arctic methane craters signal urgent climate crisis.
- Methane craters in the Arctic signify unprecedented changes, endangering communities with longstanding connections to the region, highlighting the urgent need to address global warming and reduce emissions to prevent further environmental deterioration.
