Siberia, a vast area of frozen landhides a secret that is increasingly difficult to ignore: rapid melting of permafrost. This once immobile region is now the scene of a dramatic transformation with global implications. The Batagaï Crater, rightly nicknamed “gate of hell”, symbolizes this growing threat.
Extraordinary crater
The thermokarst crater of Batagaï, also called Batagaika, appeared in the 1960s. This crater is located 660 kilometers to the northeastt from Yakutsk, growing at an astonishing rateand releases thousands of tons of greenhouse gases, such as CO2 and methane, each year. Its rapid development worries scientists.
Recent studies published in the journal Geomorphology have for the first time produced striking data. Since its formation, the gap of Batagaï expanded by approximately 34.7 million cubic meters. One million cubic meters of permafrost melts annually, releasing 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes of organic carbon, previously trapped in ice.
As temperatures rise and human pressure intensifies, we will see more and more of these mega-cuts form until all the permafrost is gone. Nikita Tananayev, senior researcher at the Melnikov Permafrost Institute.
In 2023, this giant sinkhole covered 87.6 hectares and measured 990 meters long, an increase of 200 meters compared to 2014. It is the largest sinkhole of its type in the world.
Batagay megaslump progress geology and analysis. Characteristics in comparison of Canadian and other megaslumps. Permafrost layers and analysis.https://t.co/eX3MIPnnSI pic.twitter.com/BbV7SWyocp
— Mark Plackett (@MarkPlackett1) 1 August 2023
Massive deforestation in central Siberia in the last century exposed permafrost to the suncausing it to overheat and collapse. Combined with taiga fires and technogenic disturbances, this action accelerated the process of permafrost degradation.
High-tech surveillance
Researchers use cutting-edge technologies, especially drone surveys and 3D modelling, to closely monitor and predict the evolution of craters, such as Batagaika.
The crater continues to expand at a staggering rate, reaching up to 12 meters per year. It reveals the collected data this phenomenon is not limited to a single placebut is a leading indicator of what could happen in other similar areas.
Climate and health hazards
Permafrost stores approximately twice as much CO2 as the Earth’s atmosphere. Its melting contributes more to global warming. This vicious cycle exacerbates extreme weather conditions and disrupts ecosystems.
In addition to greenhouse gases, permafrost contains ancient viruses, some dating back thousands of years. While some of these viruses can be harmless, others can cause major pandemics. The release of these pathogens adds a worrying health dimension to the current environmental crisis.
Solutions
The Batagaï crater, by transforming a little more every year, insistently reminds us that the fight against global warming is a race against time. The question is not only whether we are ready for the future, but whether we are ready to act now to shape it differently.
Melting permafrost in Siberia is a clear warning: it’s time to rethink our relationship with nature. To achieve this, it is important to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, protect Siberian forests and invest in permafrost research. Governments and international organizations must cooperate to develop strategies for the sustainable management of Arctic areas.
Reference : Kizyakov, AI, Korotaev, MV, Wetterich, S., Opel, T., Pravikova, NV, Fritz, M., Lupachev, AV, Günther, F., Shepelev, AG, Syromyatnikov, II, Fedorov, AN, Zimin , MV, & Grosse, G. (2024). Characterization of Batagay megaslump topography dynamics and material fluxes at high spatial resolution using a multidisciplinary approach of permafrost field observations, remote sensing and 3D geological modelling. Geomorphology, 455, 109183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109183
