Doctor of Geographical Sciences, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Igor Semiletov shared important discoveries that were made as a result of extensive Arctic research.
One of the main directions in the study is the role of methane emissions and the danger associated with this gas, especially in terms of permafrost melting. During the research that is being held since the early 2000s, scientists have confirmed that the permafrost on the shelf is a source of massive methane emissions.
Scientists have documented more than 2,000 large areas of methane release into the water and atmosphere in the region, while in 2022 two new craters were identified in the Kara Sea, which were formed as a result of explosions of underground gas reservoirs.
According to the expert, such explosions occur when solid gas hydrates, molecular compounds of water and methane are heated, which persist at low temperatures and high pressure. When the temperature rises, the destruction of gas hydrates and subsequent methane emissions occur.
Despite the fact that carbon dioxide is considered to be the main threat to the planet, methane is also considered a greenhouse gas and it has more activity than carbon dioxide, csn-tv.ru writes.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
