During the summer, the permafrost thaws just enough to let plants grow and reproduce, but because the ground below this is frozen, the water cannot sink any lower, and so the water forms the lakes and marshes found during the summer months. Source: Internet
And the center says part of Tuckerman Ravine is now officially off-limits -- an annual closure due to spring thaws that create falling water and dangerous crevasses. Source: Internet
As the soil thaws, carbon stored on ice for centuries escapes. Source: Internet
For example, if the permafrost thaws, as it has already begun to do in parts of the Arctic, and releases vast amounts of trapped methane gas, a greenhouse gas 20 times as potent as CO2, the resulting temperature rise might soar off the current charts. Source: Internet
"It shows permafrost represents a huge source of mercury, and if it thaws due to climate change the mercury could be released and could significantly add to the global mercury burden." Source: Internet
When the researchers calculated the amount of mercury likely stored in both the permafrost and the layer of soil that sits above it (and routinely thaws for part of the year), they estimated there is a total of 1,656 gigagrams. Source: Internet