At the current rate of global warming, permafrost degradation in the Svalbard archipelago may begin in the next 30 years.
Scientists from the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute obtained new data after resuming observations of frozen soils in the area of the Russian villages of Barentsburg and Pyramid.
According to researchers, the rate of permafrost subsidence will reach 12.5 cm per year in 30 years. It is noted that in Barentsburg, the average annual air temperature is growing twice as fast as the average in Russia, and in the coming decades it may roll over to positive values.
The research will not only help collect permafrost facilities construction and operation data, but also to implement a permafrost monitoring system. Thanks to it, scientists will be able to assess trends in the temperature state of soils.
Based on the data obtained, it will be possible to make a decision on equipping buildings with thermostabilizers that can lower the temperature of the soil, b-port.com reports.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished
