Article initially published on September 02, 2024
Ray -shaped (Myliobatoidei), the giant hole lost in the middle of Siberia that has been nicknamed “wearing hell” does not stop growing. If it is probably not a sign that a buried creature could soon make its appearance on the surface of the earth, it is in any case an important alert concerning climate change in the Arctic Circle.
A hole in the earth that has more than tripled in size in 33 years
Visible from space thanks to satellite images, the “door of hells” of Siberia has not stopped growing in the middle of Permafrost.
The images revealed by theUS Geological Survey allow you to attest. Instead, look at the size difference of this geological structure between 1991 and 2024.
© US Geological Survey The “door of hell” in Siberia captured on August 13, 1991
© US Geological Survey The “door of hell” captured on June 4, 2024
Seen from the top, it looks like the growth of a creature. But no, it is a hole in the earth that continues to grow again and again. According to a study published on June 15, 2024 in the journal Geomorphologythis gigantic pit would grow a million cubic meters per year.
The other name of this gigantic hole is Batagay Craterin reference to Batagaï, the Russian city closest to the “door of hell”. But the enlargement of this hole, in addition to it to fear the worst for the superstitious who would have read a little too much science fiction, is also a visible sign of the warming of our planet.
Permafrost warms up
This is a notion that we could compare to an oxymoron. Permafrost or permafrost is the equivalent, on the ground, of the eternal snow of the mountains. It is a soil which is constantly frozen and which is supposed to remain so.
Except that, in recent years, the average increase in temperatures on the surface of the Earth has made it difficult to maintain this soil freely frozen. And the expansion of the “door of hell” is the witness. Indeed, if some define it as a crater, this is not the case.
As reported Sciencein a resumption of Business Insiderthe “door of hell” is actually a pit that is caused by the Dégel du Pergélisol. When he warms up, the terrain that was frozen collapses. Thus, when this happens at the level of Batagay Craterthe ground which was frozen at the edges collapses, continuing to dig the pit increasingly widely. However, the fact is that this pit continues to grow, then leaving a concern about the future landscape of the region.
But that's not all. An even more serious risk weighs on the environment of the entire planet.
The “door of hell” releases thousands of tonnes of CO2 in the atmosphere each year
To understand why we have to do at a significant environmental risk, we must pay attention to what permafrost contains.
Besides the earth, which still represents the majority of what can be found there, the permafrost contains corpses of plants and animals trapped for hundreds or even thousands of years. As long as they are frozen, well, they do not decompose. A bit like when you put food in your freezer.
Except that if the environment in which they are locked up is suddenly heating up, these fossils kept in the open air and imprisoned in the ice will be rotting, released two highly responsible gases responsible for global global warming: the CO2 and methane.
It is the snake that is eaten its tail. The more the permafrost deletes, the more it releases gas warming the planet, the more it dears etc.
It was estimated in the study published in June 2024 that the “Porte des Enfers” would release nearly 5,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year in the atmosphere. Science Compare this figure by believing that this would correspond to the carbon footprint of nearly 2,000 homes in the United States over a year.
And to glimpse an unprecedented natural disaster, the American media recalls in particular that the entire permafrost in the northern hemisphere represents 15% of its total surface. If it disappeared, the rejections of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere would be unimaginable.
Source : Science / Business Insider
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
