Permafrost warming in parts of Alaska is 'unbelievable'

BBC News

One of the world's leading experts on permafrost has told BBC News that the recent rate of warming of this frozen layer of earth is "unbelievable".

Prof Vladimir Romanovsky said that he expected permafrost in parts of Alaska would start to thaw by 2070.

Researchers worry that methane frozen within the permafrost will be released, exacerbating climate change

The professor said a rise in permafrost temperatures in the past four years convinced him warming was real.

Permafrost Google Definition:

a thick subsurface layer of soil that remains frozen throughout the year, occurring chiefly in polar regions.

There are some real concerns coming out regarding the release of large volumes of methane in the Atmosphere to add to the issue of climate change.

I'm no expert in this area, but it seems more and more expert Scientists in this field of work are now getting concerned by this, and perhaps we should too...

Professor Peter Wadhams

All this controversy aside, what we observe now is the following:

Arctic methane and CO2 overburden — proxy indication of environmental release.
Increasing rates of release, indications of increasing release, or possibly increasing release from single sources such as thermokarst lakes, peat bogs, wildfires, and sea bed hydrates and submerged tundra.
A multiplication of observed or discovered methane release sources — thermokarst lakes, methane blow holes, wildfires etc.
A ramping rate of atmospheric methane accumulation at reporting stations throughout the Arctic (most but not all stations).
A ramping rate of atmospheric methane accumulation from global proxy monitors like Mauna Loa and in the global atmospheric average.

Together, these observations represent a troubling trend that, should it continue, will be proceeding along or near a worst-case climate sensitivity track. As such, these new ramping rates of increase in Arctic atmospheric monitors are a very unfortunate indicator.

a reply to: InnerPeace2012

It's rather cold, then warm.... But the temps go up and down. I have lived here for 30 years, nothing in weather patterns concerns me.

I'll be dead by then anyhow

Where you at on this Shred?

Buddy of mine lives in Kodiak. Fishing was unusually awsome this year. Warmer waters.

originally posted by: AK907ICECOLD
a reply to: InnerPeace2012

It's rather cold, then warm.... But the temps go up and down. I have lived here for 30 years, nothing in weather patterns concerns me.

I'll be dead by then anyhow

Where you at on this Shred?

I am in the South Pacific, we are already, feeling some bad weather "El Nino" that is, no rain for 6 months now. So much for being in the tropics, I just miss rain already.

We have to think very long term with global warming. 500yrs long.
Land will be lost and created, nations will change and fall in some instances. Think weather patterns and when they have settled and formed they will bring fresh water to all the planet like before. Arable lands will flourish and nature will change and we will all adapt.
No water shortages, no food shortages and more land created as the deserts become arable over time.
That is the long term plan from mother nature.
Or we could all just die.

a reply to: InnerPeace2012

You know those horror movies with the stupid, blonde teenager going down to the basement? The audience knows damn well what's gonna happen next, right? It's frustrating because it's unbelievable.

I wonder if we're the dumb blonde and the audience will be people in the future? They'll look back at blogs and news portals on the Wayback Machine. Books will be written about it. They'll be shaking their heads and wondering what made us go down to the basement.

a reply to: chewi

Yes, but the CO2 which will be released be the thawn permafrost will add up to the existing CO2-tonnage, as it is fossile CO2. And in the megaton-scope. Its not only Alasca, but Siberia, too!

So, this is another way we will be doomed. But heeeeeey, its not us, its only affecting our children and their children!

I have children.

I urge all to watch the 6 minute video of Prof. Peter Wadhams, he explains the effects in a nutshell on the climate effects and how this affects humans.

When asked by the interviewer what effects this has got on humans, he starts of as saying simply "chaos" ensues.

The effects according to him becomes chaotic or we see societial breakdown by around 20-25 years into our near future atleast as I understand from what he is saying.

Any increased methane in the atmosphere will only accelerate the effects of climate change and obviously affect our close neated framework of ecosystems that we rely on for our very survival.

Well, if there is any doom that holds water, this is pretty much it, backed by science sadely.

Well, I really don't have much to refute what this gentlemen are saying, since they study this sh!t for a living.

All I can say is, there is always a balance in nature and if you find that balance, by being at peace with your innerselves, you should be in the right place at the right time. Act now if you will.

Peace

Of all the things in the world to be scared of, I truly think the prospect of vast methane release from the perma-frost is probably the one to be most scared about.

This has catastrophe for all life on earth written all over it.

a reply to: Kandinsky

I don't know if it's that or people just don't care. "500 years!? Not my problem" and then throw away a plastic bottle only to go by another full of the same thing. People would rather buy tap water with a special name [ Which is all most bottled water is ], than put a filter on their faucet. Order something and instead of keeping the packing peanuts for use at Christmas or packing away old dishes, people just throw them out in a plastic bag, along with all the plastic bottles, aluminium cans, paper....................
It's just greed, stupidity and the "I got mine" mentality.

a reply to: InnerPeace2012

Who wants to Live in cold harsh winters anyway?

I'd rather be warm than cold and I'm sure many others would except maybe the CEO's of 'Gas Companies'!

Sounds like we may be about to reclaim some prime real estate. Go global warming!

a reply to: InnerPeace2012

Why is everything global warming scientists so alarming?

The melt is "unbelievable" - what from an increase in global temperatures of only 0.85 degrees since the early 1900's? Are you joking? Are we supposed to believe this

www.forbes.com...

he United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated very clearly, “Milder winter temperatures will decrease heavy snowstorms.” Well, winters are clearly not becoming milder or bereft of heavy snowstorms.

Many global warming activists are still attempting to defend the discredited IPCC prediction, claiming a single winter does not invalidate a long-term trend. As the Union of Concerned Scientists claimed, “Winters have generally been warming faster than other seasons in the United States and recent research indicates that climate change” is causing it. The problem with such an assertion is that last winter was exceptionally cold and snowy, too. And winters nationwide have been getting colder for the past 20 years. Objective scientific data show winters have been getting colder and colder throughout the United States for the past two decades. When global warming alarmists claim winters will become warmer and free of snow, yet their predictions are proven false for 20 years in a row, at some point logical people come to realize that global warming alarmists are selling snake oil.

If the planet were indeed that delicate, it is amazing that it lasted as long as it did!

montreal.ctvnews.ca...

The last time it was that cold in February was in 1889, and even that isn’t certain, as Environment Canada points out that data from that year is less reliable. To put that in perspective, in 1889 Sir John A MacDonald was the Prime Minister, Queen Victoria our head of state, and the Montreal Canadiens hadn’t yet been founded.

These scientists just love to keep us alarmed. Every year they announce the heat records. Have you ever googled the cold records?

Global warming has been on "pause" for the last 18 years and 8 months, contrary to all predictions. Atmospheric CO2 has risen but contrary to the predictions, global temperature has not.

www.sciencealert.com...

A new model that predicts the solar cycles more accurately than ever before has suggested that solar magnetic activity will drop by 60 percent between 2030 and 2040, which means in just 15 years’ time, Earth could sink into what researchers are calling a mini ice age.

Such low solar activity has not been seen since the last mini ice age, called the Maunder Minimum, which plunged the northern hemisphere in particular into a series of bitterly cold winters between 1645 and 1715.

I suppose that humans will be blamed for that as well.

Tired of Control Freaks

originally posted by: smirkley
Buddy of mine lives in Kodiak. Fishing was unusually awsome this year. Warmer waters.

I was in Kodiak for 6 months this year. The fishing is always awesome there and it was cold the whole summer.

Lots of snow when it should have been warm.

a reply to: AK907ICECOLD

I cant tell if you are supporting or not supporting my comment lol.

But I am very jealous of you. That place is on my bucket list.

a reply to: InnerPeace2012
This is quite telling, as Professor Wadham has described a 6.6C
rise in global temperatures over the projected period... and
answered in effect we are doomed while he was smiling about it.
Why would this almost jovial accounting lend to my concern?

a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

These scientists just love to keep us alarmed. Every year they announce the heat records. Have you ever googled the cold records?

Yes.
In the US, in the past 365 days, there have been 32 all time low temperature records set. There have been 163 all time high temperature records set.

Globally, in the past 365 days, there have been 58 all time low temperature records set. There have been 374 all time high temperature records set.

Seems the high temperature records are winning.
www.ncdc.noaa.gov...

Global warming has been on "pause" for the last 18 years and 8 months, contrary to all predictions. Atmospheric CO2 has risen but contrary to the predictions, global temperature has not.

False.
www.forbes.com...

originally posted by: Kandinsky
a reply to: InnerPeace2012

You know those horror movies with the stupid, blonde teenager going down to the basement? The audience knows damn well what's gonna happen next, right? It's frustrating because it's unbelievable.

I wonder if we're the dumb blonde and the audience will be people in the future? They'll look back at blogs and news portals on the Wayback Machine. Books will be written about it. They'll be shaking their heads and wondering what made us go down to the basement.

When will this happen? I ask because the dates keep getting pushed back. The predictions in the late 80-90's had all this happening already. Will the AGW religion still be calculating new dates for the apocalypse? My guess is yes.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

These scientists just love to keep us alarmed. Every year they announce the heat records. Have you ever googled the cold records?

Yes.
In the US, in the past 365 days, there have been 32 all time low temperature records set. There have been 163 all time high temperature records set.

Globally, in the past 365 days, there have been 58 all time low temperature records set. There have been 374 all time high temperature records set.

Seems the high temperature records are winning.
www.ncdc.noaa.gov...

 

Global warming has been on "pause" for the last 18 years and 8 months, contrary to all predictions. Atmospheric CO2 has risen but contrary to the predictions, global temperature has not.

False.
www.forbes.com...

The all seeing, all knowing give us the all time record temps. It's odd that you're usually such a skeptic, but then in cases like this you take on the other role.

a reply to: TiredofControlFreaks

Why is everything global warming scientists so alarming?

The melt is "unbelievable" - what from an increase in global temperatures of only 0.85 degrees since the early 1900's? Are you joking? Are we supposed to believe this

Have you even read the links provided in the OP, the methane release is will only accelerate the effects of global warming, whether global warming is real to you or not, I am more willing to listen to the real expert scientists who make up the International Permafrost Association than a rather broad group of scientists in the area of climate change. Please read the data provided, by Professor Peter Wadhams, and decide for yourself and its not only him saying this.

A new model that predicts the solar cycles more accurately than ever before has suggested that solar magnetic activity will drop by 60 percent between 2030 and 2040, which means in just 15 years’ time, Earth could sink into what researchers are calling a mini ice age.

Such low solar activity has not been seen since the last mini ice age, called the Maunder Minimum, which plunged the northern hemisphere in particular into a series of bitterly cold winters between 1645 and 1715.

So your saying we are going into a mini ice age with the same amount of disruption to eco systems that may see the same chaotic outcome or societial breakdown - LoL

If you understand how the "greenhouse" effect works than, you realise that a thick layer of green house gases will trap more sunlight and hence warm our planet.

As it evidence presented by IPA, suggests there to be a release of methane gas, and if it continues will surely be warming the planet with dire consequences. Who is even listening/reading this real data provided by expert scientists?

Perhaps it is just nature going through her cycles, so we pretty much have to come to terms with it, sadely.

How global warming works?

The primary cause of global warming is the greenhouse effect. Like global warming, this is a natural phenomenon. As sunlight hits the earth, some of the heat is reflected back into space, while some is absorbed by green house gases – naturally occurring atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide and methane.