The Arctic is sinking very fast

No doubt. This is confirmed by a new study from George Washington University. It shows that frozen ground is sinking at an alarming rate in the cold high-altitude and high-latitude regions of the Arctic. The Arctic is sinking very quickly and there does not seem to be a simple answer to the problem.

The study is based on diverse data from regions in North America and Eurasia. He found that thawing subsidence is widespread. It occurs at an increasingly rapid pace, with serious consequences. For example, alterations to the ecosystem, infrastructure and landscape, according to a statement from the university.

The Arctic is sinking very fast. That's several centimeters a year.
The Arctic is sinking very fast. That’s several centimeters a year.

Permafrost in danger

Additionally, wildfires and human activities such as construction accelerate this process, according to the study. The study authors indicate that more widespread and systematic monitoring of thawing subsidence is urgently needed. The study was published in Environmental Research Letters.

Cold high-altitude and high-latitude regions are affected by climate warming and permafrost degradation. One of the main concerns associated with permafrost degradation is thawed subsidence (TS). This is due to the melting of excess ground ice and the associated consolidation of snowmelt. Field observations, remote sensing and numerical modeling are used to measure and estimate the extent of the phenomenon.

This would have catastrophic consequences in a few years.
This would have catastrophic consequences in a few years.

Frightening

The Arctic is sinking very fast. Data synthesis included in the new research from various permafrost regions in North America and Eurasia confirms this. It is a widespread problem throughout the pan-Arctic permafrost domain. It has rates of up to 2 cm per year in areas with low ice content and more than 3 cm per year in regions with ice-rich permafrost. Areas with human activities or areas affected by wildfires exhibited higher subsidence rates.

The findings suggest that permafrost landscapes are undergoing geomorphological changes. They are affecting hydrology, ecosystems and human infrastructure. Developing a systematic sea surface temperature monitoring system is urgently needed. They hope to achieve consistent and continuous data exchange between different permafrost regions, according to the study.

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