World’s Biggest Permafrost Crater Thaws Due to Climate Change

The Batagaika crater in Russia’s Far East is posing a serious threat to cities and towns in the northern and northeastern regions of Russia. This crater is not ordinary; it’s the most giant permafrost crater in the world.

Unfortunately it’s starting to thaw, which has scientists pretty worried. They’re calling it a “mega slump.” The huge crater is made of frozen ground, but its melting is a big deal because it can cause the ground to collapse and sink, which can be dangerous for the people living nearby.

What is a permafrost crater?

A permafrost crater is a type of crater formed in the ground that stays frozen at or below zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) continuously for at least two years. This frozen ground is a mix of soil, rocks, and sand, all held together by ice.

Permafrost is most commonly found in areas close to the North and South poles and covers large parts of the Earth. Surprisingly, almost a quarter of the land in the Northern Hemisphere has permafrost beneath its surface. It’s worth noting that even though the ground remains frozen, the regions with permafrost aren’t always covered in snow.

Gateway to the underworld

The Batagaika crater, stretching one kilometer long, is nicknamed the “gateway to the underworld” by the nearby residents. This massive gash in the Siberian landscape first emerged in the 1960s due to deforestation in the area. As a result, the ground lost its frozen ice, causing erosion and the land to sink.

A local resident and crater explorer, Erel Struchkov, explained that the locals call it “the cave-in.” Initially, it appeared as a ravine in the 1970s. However, with the heat of sunny days causing the frozen ground to thaw, it expanded over time.

The locals have been closely observing the crater’s growth, and they’ve noticed it’s expanding rapidly. Just two years ago, the edge of the crater was around 20-30 meters away from a certain path, but now it has moved much closer.

Why is the crater melting?

According to a report, Russian scientists have found that the country is warming up at least 2.5 times faster than the rest of the world. This rapid global warming is causing the once-frozen tundra, covering about 65% of Russia, to melt.

Nikita Tananayev, a lead researcher at the Melnikov Permafrost Institute in Yakutsk, considers the expansion of this slump a dangerous sign. The impact is visible as roadways are buckling, houses are splitting apart, and pipelines are being disrupted.

The situation is worsened by vast wildfires growing more intense lately. These wildfires are making the problem even worse. Tananayev warns that with rising temperatures and increasing human activities, more mega-slumps will form until all the permafrost is gone.

The world's biggest permafrost crater is expanding. Experts say we could see more of these mega-slumps forming as global temperatures rise. pic.twitter.com/JNBF0RNGKf

— DW News (@dwnews) July 24, 2023

Although the exact expansion rate for the Batagaika crater is unknown, Russian scientists have discovered that the soil beneath, which can be as deep as 100 meters in some areas, holds a massive amount of organic carbon.

As the soil thaws, this organic carbon is being released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases, further adding to the planet’s warming. According to Nikita Tananayev, “With an increasing air temperature we can expect (the crater) will be expanding at a higher rate.”