Ancient Permafrost and a Future, Warmer Arctic

Climate models predict extensive and severe degradation of permafrost in response to global warming, with a potential for release of large volumes of stored carbon. However, the accuracy of these models is difficult to evaluate because little is known of the history of permafrost and its response to...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science
Main Authors: Froese, Duane G., Westgate, John A., Reyes, Alberto V., Enkin, Randolph J., Preece, Shari J.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2008
Subjects:
Arctic
Canada
Global warming
Ice
permafrost
Subarctic
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1157525
https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1157525
Description
Summary:Climate models predict extensive and severe degradation of permafrost in response to global warming, with a potential for release of large volumes of stored carbon. However, the accuracy of these models is difficult to evaluate because little is known of the history of permafrost and its response to past warm intervals of climate. We report the presence of relict ground ice in subarctic Canada that is greater than 700,000 years old, with the implication that ground ice in this area has survived past interglaciations that were warmer and of longer duration than the present interglaciation.

Similar Items