BATAGAI, Russia, July 21 (Reuters) – Stunning drone footage has revealed details of the kilometer-wide Batagai crater in far eastern Russia that forms the world’s largest crater of permafrost.
In the video, two explorers climb through uneven terrain at the base of the depression, characterized by irregular surfaces and small hillocks, which began to form after the surrounding forest was cleared in the 1960s and the subterranean permafrost began to thaw, causing the ground to sink.
“We locals call it (the cave),” Ariel Strushkoff, a local resident and explorer of the crater, told Reuters as he stood on the edge of the crater. “It developed in the ’70s, first as a valley. Then, melting in the heat of the sunny days, it began to expand.”
Scientists say Russia is warming at least 2.5 times faster than the rest of the world, thawing the long-frozen tundra that covers about 65% of the country’s landmass and releasing greenhouse gases stored in the thawed soil.
The “gateway to the underworld,” as some locals in the Russian Republic of Sakha call it, has a scientific name: colossal stasis.
Although it may attract tourists, the expansion of the recession is “a sign of danger,” said Nikita Tananayev, principal investigator at the Melnikov Permafrost Institute in Yakutsk.
[1/5]A view of the Batajica crater, where permafrost is melting causing a massive clump in the eroding landscape, in Russia’s Sakha Republic in this still image from video taken July 11 or 12, 2023. Reuters TV via Reuters
“In the future, as temperatures rise and human pressure rises, we will see more and more of these huge masses until all the permafrost is gone,” Tananayev told Reuters.
The thaw of the permafrost has already threatened cities and towns in northern and northeastern Russia, muddying roads, dividing homes, and disrupting pipelines. Extensive forest fires, which have intensified in recent seasons, are exacerbating the problem.
The local population of Sakha noted the rapid growth of the crater.
“(Two years ago the edge was) about 20-30 meters from this road. Now it seems much closer,” said Strochkov.
Scientists aren’t sure of the exact rate of expansion of Patajica Crater. But Tananaev says the soil under the recession, which is about 100 meters (328 feet) deep in some areas, contains an “enormous amount” of organic carbon that will be released into the atmosphere as the permafrost thaws, further warming the planet.
“As the air gets warmer, we can expect it (the crater) to expand at a higher rate,” he said. “This will lead to more and more warming of the climate in the coming years.”
Reporting by Reuters. Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Andrew Osborne and David Holmes
Our standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
“Subtly charming student. Pop culture junkie. Creator. Amateur music specialist. Beer fanatic.”