Scientists uncover cause of explosive craters in Siberia
A new study reveals that warming temperatures in Siberia are triggering explosive methane gas releases, creating mysterious craters.
Kate Ravilious reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- The craters are caused by methane gas bursts from underground ponds of salty water known as cryopegs, which destabilize as permafrost thaws.
- As the soil above these cryopegs defrosts, cracks open, leading to a sudden release of methane gas.
- While seldom experienced, the climate impacts of these potent greenhouse gas releases cannot be shrugged off as inconsequential.
Key quote:
“Although infrequent, the explosions release large amounts of methane and could have a significant warming impact.”
— Report from Geophysical Research Letters
Why this matters:
The explosive craters popping up across Siberia are another eerie signal of our warming planet. These methane time bombs, hiding beneath permafrost, have been stable for millennia, but rising temperatures are changing that. It’s an uncommon but dramatic reminder of how climate change is altering even the most remote corners of the planet, with methane—one of the most potent greenhouse gases—escaping into the atmosphere, amplifying the very cycle that caused the explosion in the first place. Read more: People are flocking to see melting glaciers before they're gone—bringing both benefit and harm.
