Permafrost

Question 1

How much of the earths surface is covered in permafrost

Answer 1

25%

Question 2

What is released when permafrost thaws

Answer 2

Carbon dioxide CO2 or Methane CH4

Question 3

How much carbon is frozen in the permafrost

Answer 3

roughly 1700 gigatonnes

Question 4

What are the issues with thawing permafrost

Answer 4

• Released co2 and methane
• Effects global climate
• Unstable ground resulting in erosion and ground sinking
• Coastline erosion

Question 5

What are indicators of permafrost

Answer 5

-Polygonal ground and pingos
- Ice Wedge
- thermokarst lakes
-Taliks

Question 6

Polygonal Ground

Answer 6

Honeycomb network caused by shallow troughs underlain by vertical ice wedges

Question 7

Pingos

Answer 7

Ice Cored hills typically conical in shape

Question 8

Thermokarst Lakes

Answer 8

Collapses and depressions in the earth caused by the thawing of permafrost

Question 9

Taliks

Answer 9

unfrosen sones within permafrost
- closed = bounded by permafrost
- open = connected between unfrozen zones

Question 10

What is early stage thaw?

Answer 10

-Climate warming increases active layer thickness
-Groundwater flow paths deepen over time

Question 11

What is Late stage thaw?

Answer 11

-Complete thawing of permafrost
-Re-circulation of deep regional groundwater flows
-Changing flow paths