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Batagay Crater in Siberia grows rapidly and releases 5 tons of CO₂ per year, warning about the impact of global warming
A giant stingray-shaped crater continues to grow in Siberia. Despite its frightening appearance, it is not a sign of some supernatural danger, but rather a very real threat: the global warming.
An impressive growth of the crater
A Batagay Crater has increased in size alarmingly over the past three decades. Satellite images released by the U.S. Geological Survey show that the structure has more than tripled in size since 1991.
According to a study published on June 15, 2024 in the journal Geomorphology, the well grows at a rate of one million cubic meters per year. Seen from above, it resembles the outline of a creature, but it is the result of natural processes accelerated by climate change.
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What is permafrost?
The crater is formed by the thawing of permafrost — a type of frozen soil that, in theory, should remain that way permanently. The term, derived from the English “permanent frost”, describes a soil rich in organic matter, such as remains of plants and animals trapped there for thousands of years.
However, global warming is melting this soil, causing penetration and widening the well. The website ScienceAlert, in material reproduced by Business Insider, explains that melting causes the crater's edges to collapse, enlarging the cavity year after year.
Global environmental risk
In addition to transforming the local landscape, the melting of permafrost has a much more worrying consequence: the release of greenhouse gases.
When frozen organic matter begins to decompose, it releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄), two of the main contributors to global warming.
It’s a vicious cycle. Melting releases more gases, which heat the atmosphere even more, accelerating the melting process. This process is considered a “point of no return” by many climate experts.
According to research published in June 2024, the Batagay Crater emits around 5.000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. The portal ScienceAlert compares this volume to the carbon emissions of approximately 2.000 homes in the United States during the same period.
What might happen if the permafrost disappears?
Today, permafrost covers about 15% of the Northern Hemisphere. If it were completely cleared, the amount of CO₂ released would be enormous, intensifying global warming to unprecedented levels.
For experts, this scenario calls for urgent measures to contain the rise in global temperatures. Otherwise, events like the growth of the Batagay Crater will become more common — and with increasingly serious consequences for the planet.
With information Science & Life.
“Goodbye my pampa”
Interesting and very informative article, congratulations to the site.
How big is the giant crater? The information is not included in the article…