| Summary: | This chapter examines the warming of permafrost found in the Earth’s coldest regions. It relates how this warming results in the release of large amounts of methane gas from gas hydrates buried in frozen grounds and discusses the implications for climate change of this release. The chapter outlines the categories of permafrost and the role that thawing and freezing cycles play in the local environment. It also describes how to use online GIS tools to locate permafrost regions on the Earth. Finally, the chapter reviews the common impacts of melting permafrost such as subsidence, sinkholes, destruction of infrastructure, as well as the possible release of human and animal disease agents.
|
|---|