The mysterious giant sinkholes of Siberia

A new hypothesis wants to explain its origin. What are the mysterious giant sinkholes in Siberia due to? To powerful underground gas explosions. They were first detected in 2012 in the Siberian permafrost desert. They reach about 50 meters deep and about 20 meters in diameter.

The cause would be a leak of hot natural gas from underground reserves. The area is known for its vast reserves of natural gas. It says Helge Hellevang, main author of the study and professor of Environmental Geosciences at the University of Oslo (Norway).

The mysterious giant sinkholes in Siberia intrigue science.
The mysterious giant sinkholes in Siberia intrigue science.

weak permafrost

Permafrost is the layer of permanently frozen soil. It can store large amounts of organic matter, and gas is just that. As temperatures rise, permafrost melts. This releases methane stored for thousands of years.

Hellevang and his colleagues suggest that another mechanism exists. Hot natural gas, seeping through some type of geological fault, accumulates under the frozen layer of soil. Then it warms the permafrost from below. They weaken it from within, making it weaker and more prone to collapse.

“This explosion happens if the permafrost is so thin and weak that it breaks,” says Hellenvang. This creates the perfect conditions for the gas to be suddenly released, triggering an explosion or mechanical collapse caused by the gas. This is how the mysterious giant sinkholes of Siberia are formed. The explosions can be heard 100 kilometers away. The hypothesis was published in EarthArXiv and has not yet been validated by scientific peer review.

These craters are appearing more frequently.
These craters are appearing more frequently.

Danger in the atmosphere

If the hypothesis is correct, it could pose a problem for climate models. Natural gas is full of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. This could mean that the craters are acting like huge chimneys. The gas could be released into the atmosphere.

“A lot of methane is being released in a very short time,” he declares, quoted by New Scientist. Hellenvan is cautious. If this phenomenon only exists in such a limited area, the impact on a global scale may be negligible. There is likely a large amount of methane stored in underground reserves. But it's unclear how much of that could make it outside.

Click to rate this entry!
(Votes: 0 Average: 0)
Share!

Leave a Comment