Uncovering the Mystery of Exploding Craters in Siberia

Photo of large crater
Large craters in the tundra on Russia’s Yamal Peninsula are formed by a combination of warming and osmosis, according to new research in Geophysical Research Letters. Credit: Adobe Stock/Alexander Lutsenko

How Thawing Permafrost and Methane Release Are Creating Explosive Craters—and What It Means for Our Planet

Did you know that giant craters have mysteriously appeared in Siberia? Since 2014, researchers have discovered deep craters in the Yamal and Taymyr peninsulas, leaving scientists puzzled. What’s causing these formations? The answer lies in a surprising combination of natural processes involving melting permafrost and the release of methane gas—one of the most potent greenhouse gases linked to climate change.

What Is Permafrost?

Permafrost is ground that remains frozen for at least two consecutive years. It often holds ice and organic material like dead plants and animals. While it might seem unremarkable, permafrost plays a crucial role in storing methane, a gas produced when organic material breaks down without oxygen. Normally, permafrost traps this gas beneath the frozen ground, keeping it safely locked away. But what happens when the permafrost starts to thaw?

The Problem: Mysterious Craters

In 2014, the first massive crater was discovered in the Yamal Peninsula. This crater was so large and sudden that it alarmed local residents and scientists alike. As more craters appeared, scientists noticed that these holes emitted high levels of methane. It became clear that the formation of these craters was not just a random event but was linked to powerful forces beneath the ground.

The Science Behind the Explosions

Osmosis Explained

To understand what’s happening, we need to talk about osmosis. In simple terms, osmosis is the movement of water from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration. Imagine putting a dry sponge in water; the water naturally flows into the sponge until it’s soaked. A similar process happens deep underground in Siberia.

The Cryopeg Factor

Beneath the surface of the permafrost lies a cryopeg, which is a layer of salty, unfrozen water. This salty layer creates an osmotic gradient—essentially a pressure difference that draws water downward. During warmer months, when surface ice melts, water trickles down into the cryopeg, slowly raising the pressure below the surface.

Pressure Build-Up

As more water flows into the cryopeg, pressure builds up. The frozen soil above acts like a lid, holding the pressure in. Eventually, when the pressure becomes too great, the soil cracks open. This cracking allows methane hydrates—methane trapped within ice structures—to rapidly decompress and turn into gas. The result? A sudden, powerful explosion that forms a crater.

Illustration of permafrost explosion caused by warming
Warming causes melting in the active layer, which expands deeper into the permafrost. Meltwater then enters the salty cryopeg through osmosis, causing the expansion of the cryopeg, which cracks the overlying permafrost. When those cracks reach the surface, the rapid decrease in pressure in the cryopeg damages the methane hydrates below and triggers a rapid physical explosion. Images not to scale. Credit: AGU/Madeline Reinsel

The Release of Methane

When the soil fractures, methane that was trapped in the hydrate layer is released. This isn’t just a minor problem. Methane is about 25 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, making it a significant contributor to global warming. The sudden release of methane from these explosions adds to the greenhouse gases already present in the atmosphere, accelerating climate change.

Why This Matters

Understanding why these explosions occur is crucial. The Arctic is warming at twice the rate of the rest of the planet. As temperatures rise, more permafrost thaws, creating conditions ripe for these explosive events. The more methane released into the atmosphere, the greater the impact on climate change. This process creates a feedback loop: warming causes permafrost to thaw, releasing methane, which in turn speeds up global warming.

Key Takeaways:

  • Methane’s Impact: Methane contributes significantly to the greenhouse effect, making these explosive releases a serious environmental concern.

  • Climate Change Feedback Loop: Thawing permafrost leads to methane release, which further accelerates warming and creates more opportunities for explosions.

What Scientists Are Doing

Scientists are racing to understand the full extent of this phenomenon. Ongoing research involves monitoring permafrost temperatures, tracking methane levels, and studying the structure of cryopegs. Some teams are even modeling future scenarios to predict where new craters might form. By understanding how and when these methane releases occur, experts hope to improve climate models and develop better strategies to address global warming.

Summing Up

The discovery of these craters in Siberia has shed light on an unexpected consequence of climate change. As permafrost thaws and pressure builds beneath the surface, methane releases and explosions can occur. Understanding these processes not only helps explain the mysterious craters but also highlights the urgent need for action. How can we, as individuals and communities, contribute to slowing down global warming and preventing further methane releases?

Understanding these complex natural processes gives us insight into the interconnectedness of our environment and the urgent measures needed to mitigate climate change.


Source: Morgado, A. M. O., Rocha, L. A. M., Cartwright, J. H. E., & Cardoso, S. S. S. (2024). Osmosis Drives Explosions and Methane Release in Siberian Permafrost. Geophysical Research Letters.

Alaska’s Melting Permafrost: Unleashing Toxic Mercury into Our Ecosystem

Photo of permafrost thawing
Photo of permafrost thawing with ominous darkening effect surrounding the photo.

New Research Unveils Risks of Mercury Mobilization in the Yukon River Basin Due to Permafrost Thaw

The Arctic is heating up faster than anywhere else on Earth, and this rapid warming is causing a lot of problems. One big concern is the melting of permafrost—ground that has been frozen for thousands of years. When this frozen ground thaws, it can release harmful substances into our environment. recent study published in Environmental Research Letters looked at how mercury, a toxic metal, is being released from permafrost in the Yukon River Basin in Alaska. This is bad news for the environment, and it could also affect our health.

Why Mercury in Permafrost is a Problem

Mercury is a dangerous metal that can poison living things, including humans. It’s especially harmful because it can build up in the food chain. For example, small fish absorb mercury from their environment, and when bigger fish eat those smaller fish, the mercury accumulates. If humans eat those bigger fish, they can get sick. Mercury has been locked away in permafrost for a long time, but as the Arctic warms and the permafrost melts, this mercury is being released.

What the Study Found

Researchers studied two areas in the Yukon River Basin: Huslia and Beaver. Here’s what they discovered:

  • Mercury in the Soil: The study found that the soil in these areas contains mercury—about 49 nanograms per gram in Huslia and 39 nanograms per gram in Beaver. This may not sound like much, but it’s enough to be concerning, especially as it spreads into the environment.

  • River Erosion Releases Mercury: As rivers in the Yukon River Basin move and change course, they erode the riverbanks, which releases mercury into the water. Some of this mercury gets washed away, while some gets redeposited in new locations. The study found that more mercury is released in some areas, like Beaver, while in others, like Huslia, more is deposited back into the ground.

  • Impact on Communities and Wildlife: The release of mercury is especially dangerous for people who live in the Arctic and rely on fishing for food. When mercury enters the water, it can turn into a form that is even more toxic, called methylmercury. This can then build up in fish, which is a major part of the diet for many Indigenous communities in Alaska. Eating fish contaminated with mercury can lead to serious health problems.

Why This Matters

This study shows how climate change is not just about warmer temperatures—it’s also causing toxic substances to be released into our environment. The Yukon River Basin is a major waterway, and what happens here can affect larger ecosystems and even the Arctic Ocean. If we don’t address this issue, the mercury released from permafrost could have far-reaching effects on both wildlife and people.

What We Can Do

Understanding how climate change is impacting our world is the first step in taking action. This study highlights the importance of monitoring these changes and finding ways to reduce the risks. We need to pay attention to what’s happening in the Arctic and support efforts to protect our environment.

Summing Up

The melting of permafrost in the Yukon River Basin is releasing mercury into our environment, which poses serious risks to both nature and human health. As climate change continues to accelerate, it’s crucial that we understand these impacts and work together to find solutions. By staying informed and taking action, we can help protect our planet for future generations.

Call to Action

If you care about the environment and want to learn more about how climate change is affecting our world, read our weekly articles and follow us on X.com. Together, we can make a difference.


Study referenced: Smith, M. I., Ke, Y., Geyman, E. C., Reahl, J. N., Douglas, M. M., Seelen, E. A., Magyar, J. S., Dunne, K. B. J., Mutter, E. A., Fischer, W. W., Lamb, M. P., & West, A. J. (2024). Mercury stocks in discontinuous permafrost and their mobilization by river migration in the Yukon River Basin. Environmental Research Letters, 19(8), 084041. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ad536e

‘We must trigger social tipping points’

The risk of dangerous, cascading tipping points in natural systems escalates above 1.5°C of global warming, states a recent study.

By Yasmin Dahnoun, Ecologist (Creative Commons 4.0).

Multiple climate tipping points could be triggered if global temperature rises beyond 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, according to a major new analysis published in the journal Science.

Even at current levels of global heating, the world is already at risk of triggering five dangerous climate tipping points, and risks increase with each tenth of a degree of further warming.

An international research team synthesized evidence for tipping points, their temperature thresholds, timescales, and impacts from a comprehensive review of over 200 papers published since 2008 when climate tipping points were first rigorously defined. They have increased the list of potential tipping points from nine to sixteen.

Die-off

The research concludes that we are already in the danger zone for five climate tipping points: melting of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets, widespread abrupt permafrost thaw, the collapse of convection in the Labrador Sea, and massive die-off of tropical coral reefs.

The paper was published ahead of a major conference, Tipping Points: from climate crisis to positive transformation, at the University of Exeter, which will take place next week.

Four of these move from “possible” to “likely” at 1.5°C global warming, with five more becoming possible around this level of heating.

David Armstrong McKay, from Stockholm Resilience Centre, University of Exeter, and the Earth Commission, was the lead author of the report. He said: “We can see signs of destabilization already in parts of the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, in permafrost regions, the Amazon rainforest, and potentially the Atlantic overturning circulation as well.

“The world is already at risk of some tipping points. As global temperatures rise further, more tipping points become possible. The chance of crossing tipping points can be reduced by rapidly cutting greenhouse gas emissions, starting immediately.”

Safe

The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), stated that risks of triggering climate tipping points become high by around 2°C above preindustrial temperatures and very high by 2.5-4°C.

The new analysis indicates that earth may have already left a “safe” climate state when temperatures exceeded approximately 1°C above preindustrial temperatures.

A conclusion of the research is therefore that even the United Nations’ Paris Agreement goal to avoid dangerous climate change by limiting warming to well below 2°C and preferably 1.5°C is not fully safe.

However, the study provides strong scientific support for the Paris Agreement and associated efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C, as while some tipping points are possible or likely at this temperature level, the risk escalates beyond this point.

Liveable 

To have a 50 percent chance of achieving 1.5°C and thus limiting tipping point risks, global greenhouse gas emissions must be cut by half by 2030, reaching net zero by 2050.

Co-author Johan Rockström, the co-chair of the Earth Commission and director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said: “The world is heading towards 2-3°C of global warming.

“This sets earth on course to cross multiple dangerous tipping points that will be disastrous for people across the world.

“To maintain liveable conditions on earth, protect people from rising extremes, and enable stable societies, we must do everything possible to prevent crossing tipping points. Every tenth of a degree counts.”

Decarbonising 

Tim Lenton, director of the Global Systems Institute at the University of Exeter and a member of the Earth Commission, was a co-author of the report. He said: “Since I first assessed climate tipping points in 2008, the list has grown and our assessment of the risk they pose has increased dramatically.

“Our new work provides compelling evidence that the world must radically accelerate decarbonizing the economy to limit the risk of crossing climate tipping points.

“To achieve that, we now need to trigger positive social tipping points that accelerate the transformation to a clean-energy future.

“We may also have to adapt to cope with climate tipping points that we fail to avoid, and support those who could suffer uninsurable losses and damages.”

Collapse

Scouring paleoclimate data, current observations, and the outputs from climate models, the international team concluded that 16 major biophysical systems involved in regulating the earth’s climate (so-called “tipping elements”) have the potential to cross tipping points where change becomes self-sustaining.

That means even if the temperature stops rising, once the ice sheet, ocean, or rainforest has passed a tipping point it will carry on changing to a new state.

How long the transition takes varies from decades to thousands of years depending on the system.

For example, ecosystems and atmospheric circulation patterns can change quickly, while ice sheet collapse is slower but leads to an unavoidable sea-level rise of several meters.

The researchers categorized the tipping elements into nine systems that affect the entire earth system, such as Antarctica and the Amazon rainforest, and a further seven systems that if tipped would have profound regional consequences.

Interlinked 

The latter include the West African monsoon and the death of most coral reefs around the equator.

Several new tipping elements such as Labrador Sea convection and East Antarctic subglacial basins have been added compared to the 2008 assessment, while Arctic summer sea ice and the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) have been removed for lack of evidence of tipping dynamics.

Co-author Ricarda Winkelmann, a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and a member of the Earth Commission, said: “Importantly, many tipping elements in the earth system are interlinked, making cascading tipping points a serious additional concern.

“In fact, interactions can lower the critical temperature thresholds beyond which individual tipping elements begin destabilizing in the long run.”