Permafrost and Draining Lakes in Arctic Alaska
In the Arctic, the ground is frozen most of the year. Only the top layer of soil thaws each summer. This frozen ground, called permafrost, contains a lot of frozen water (ice). There are many small lakes in the Arctic, in low spots formed from melted ice. But melting ice does not just create lakes,...
| Published in: | Frontiers for Young Minds |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | unknown |
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Frontiers Media SA
2022
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frym.2022.692218 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2022.692218/full |
| Summary: | In the Arctic, the ground is frozen most of the year. Only the top layer of soil thaws each summer. This frozen ground, called permafrost, contains a lot of frozen water (ice). There are many small lakes in the Arctic, in low spots formed from melted ice. But melting ice does not just create lakes, it can destroy them too. Melting permafrost can create gullies that let the water drain out of a lake. Most lakes in the Arctic are far from where people live, so we watch them using pictures taken from satellites. Recently, we have seen the water drain out of many lakes, which can affect plants and animals. We measure the number and size of drained lakes caused by thawing permafrost to understand how the Arctic is changing. |
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