After 15,000 years, it's waking up
Physics Girl・2 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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