Frozen ground is sinking at an alarming rate in the Arctic

Jan. 15 () –

A new study from George Washington University shows that frozen ground is sinking at an alarming rate in the cold high-altitude and high-latitude regions of the Arctic.

The study, based on diverse data from regions in North America and Eurasia, found that thawing subsidence (the sinking or settling of frozen ground, also known as permafrost, as it thaws) is widespread and occurs at a rate increasingly faster, with serious consequences, such as alterations to the ecosystem, infrastructure and landscape, according to a statement from the university.

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). due to melting of excess ground ice and associated melt consolidation. Field observations, remote sensing, and numerical modeling are used to measure and estimate the extent and rates of TS over broad spatial and temporal scales.

Data synthesis included in the new research from various permafrost regions of North America and Eurasia confirms the existence of widespread TS throughout the pan-Arctic permafrost domain with rates of up to 2 cm year in areas with low ice content and more than 3 cm 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 experiencing geomorphological changes that are affecting hydrology, ecosystems and human infrastructure. Developing a systematic sea surface temperature monitoring system is urgently needed to achieve consistent and continuous data exchange between different permafrost regions, according to the study.

Integrating coordinated field observations, remote sensing and sea surface temperature modeling at a variety of scales would contribute to a better understanding of rapidly changing permafrost environments and resulting climate feedbacks, the authors add.