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Scientists at Université Laval in Quebec have been tracking the movement of permafrost in the area and have found it's receding at an alarming rate.
Aerial photos of the James Bay region between the 51st and 53rd parallels taken in 1957 were compared to those taken in 2004 and 2005. The photos showed the permafrost line (recognizable by distinct oval-shaped land elevations that form over permafrost) had retreated 80 miles and was deteriorating as far north as the 55th parallel.
The James Bay area makes up the southernmost part of Hudson Bay. Warming temperatures -- a rise of as much as 3 to 4 degrees in recent decades -- is causing tundra disappearance in the area as well.
via Yale e360
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written by Luis, February 19, 2010
How come people can be so cynical these days, no wonder mankind has driven the planet in this direction.
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written by DenisR, February 19, 2010
Actually Fred (this is a common misconception), trees and shrubs actually grow on the permafrost areas. Areas that have deeper permafrost (further down into the ground from the surface) become saturated in the summer, too saturated in fact for the brushes and trees to grow on (as a result they die from rotting and disease). Therefore decreasing the amount of overall oxygen production.
Also, thawing of permafrost allows Methane (CH4) to escape from underground due to the accelerated decomposition of foliage that is buried. Methane is a much much more powerful greenhouse gas than Carbon dioxide (CO2).
Yes this thawing may be 'natural' and it seems like its no different than what happened in the past, but the fact remains, the release of this unwanted and unexpected methane (in ginormous quantities all over arctic lands) will accelerate the greenhouse effect far beyond what we put out into the atmosphere.
We just done know what will happen to our climate and our civilization.
Also, thawing of permafrost allows Methane (CH4) to escape from underground due to the accelerated decomposition of foliage that is buried. Methane is a much much more powerful greenhouse gas than Carbon dioxide (CO2).
Yes this thawing may be 'natural' and it seems like its no different than what happened in the past, but the fact remains, the release of this unwanted and unexpected methane (in ginormous quantities all over arctic lands) will accelerate the greenhouse effect far beyond what we put out into the atmosphere.
We just done know what will happen to our climate and our civilization.
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written by c, February 25, 2010
Scare-mongering tactics are easy to spot...This article is a typical example....Why are you showing a picture of a SMALL bog in Canada.Is this supposed to be proof???Show me the old photographs of the Artic Permafrost area,side by side with the Modern photographs...If there is real difference then it should be obvious to see when comparing the photographs..This article STINKS of SCAREMONGERING...I think the ECO-SCAREMONGERS are the biggest OBSTACLE to progress the world faces(i'm starting to wonder if they are doing it on purpose)..The public are sick of self-important twerps ignoring what the public want and constantly blaming the publc for everything...The only consensus among AGW priests is that they should all be given jobs for life and enough money to do what they want for ever....To partly quote George Bush"fool me once,shame on you",fool me twice SHAME ON ME...
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written by Ame C, February 26, 2010
Guys, if you have nothing nice to say .. rather say nothing at all.
You just come across like a bunch of old, snippy, snipey old ladies at a WA meeting trying to sound more clever than the biddy next door.
You just come across like a bunch of old, snippy, snipey old ladies at a WA meeting trying to sound more clever than the biddy next door.
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written by wtf, March 12, 2010
The summer thaw in the Arctic allows shipping lanes to open to Asia, easier access to drilling for oil and natural gas,the expansion boundary lines for some nations do to the ice melt and their desire for drilling rights,larger fishing areas and if your afraid of polar bears it decreases the population.I hope you can find all the positive things I wrote about to your satisfaction.
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If you are going to report second hand science press releases you should at least understand science and refrain from using unscientific language.
There have been numerous extensive scientific studies of permafrost thaw in previous warm epochs. The general conclusions are that permafrost was ephemeral (a big word which means that something only lasts for a short time or is episodic) during the middle Pliocene and early Pleistocene periods and was totally absent during interglacials prior to the current planetary cooling. There was much more widespread ground thaw in Alaska and Siberia only 120,000 years ago.
There is absolutely nothing to indicate that the current permfrost thaw is 'special' in any way whatsoever.