Russian scientists have developed an installation for modeling gas dynamic processes, which allows predicting natural explosions in the Arctic, osnmedia.ru informs.
According to the researchers, explosions that constantly occur in the Russian Arctic may have a power comparable to tactical nuclear charges.
These explosions occur when gas hydrates - frozen mixture of methane and water formed during the glaciation of the Earth - are heated. When it happens, such hydrates come to the surface with a powerful release, creating large funnels.
The installation for modeling and forecasting explosions has already been successfully tested. In particular, scientists were able to determine the critical temperatures at which the soil becomes more permeable to gas hydrate, which may indicate the possibility of its breakthrough.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished
