Comment 14: ''Mysterious craters appeared in Siberia''

 

Permafrost is a permanently frozen layer below Earth’s surface which consists of soil, gravel, and sand. Permafrost can be found on land and below the ocean floor, where temperatures rarely rise above freezing. That is why permafrost is often found in Arctic regions such as Greenland, the U.S. state of Alaska, Russia, China, and Eastern Europe.

There are two types of permafrost. One is from glacier ice, left over from the last Ice Age, and the other one is ice that has formed in the ground itself. An area can have continuous, discontinuous, sporadic, or isolated permafrost. The part of Russia known as Siberia has continuous permafrost, which means that there is a continuous sheet of frozen material.

A Russian TV crew flying over the Siberian tundra this summer spotted a massive crater 30 meters (100 feet) deep and 20 meters wide. Although scientists link it to climate change, they are not sure exactly how the huge hole formed.

Permafrost, which amounts to two-thirds of the Russian territory, is a huge natural reservoir of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and recent hot summers in the region may have played a role in creating these craters. Studies show that gases, mostly methane, can accumulate in the upper layers of permafrost and create pressure that is strong enough to create a crater.

In conclusion, it is shown that global warming is causing an important impact on our planet due to the release of high quantities of CO2 of the permafrost melting. As the global temperature keeps rising, I think scientists must research the crater formation phenomenon urgently to prevent possible disasters.

Summer comment 2020: ''It is what it is''

Climate change is one of the greatest environmental threats facing the planet. The entire planet is experiencing a climate change which has an enormous impact on people’s lives and ecosystems.

To begin with, it has been reported that the average global temperature has risen by one degree in the last 30 years. Increases in ocean temperature and the Earth´s surface temperature, widespread melting of snow and ice, and the rising of sea level are some of the evidences regarding climate change.

What's more, scientists worry that climate change brings a real threat to the permafrost. Permafrost is defined as any type of ground that has been frozen continuously for two years or more. It contains massive amounts of carbon which are likely to be released as climate change heats up the world. Around a quarter of the northern hemisphere is covered by permafrost. According to a new study, the absence of sea ice in the Arctic is closely connected to the melting of permafrost.

All in all, climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face these days. Global warming will cause an important impact on our planet due to the release of high quantities of CO2 of the permafrost melting. It´s important that we all take the appropiate steps to reduce both air and earth pollution in order to save the planet from the consequences of global warming.