Giant craters in Canada's melting permafrost impacting climate change: researchers - Action News
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Giant craters in Canada's melting permafrost impacting climate change: researchers

Researchers are investigating large craters of melting permafrost in northern Canada, which they say are both a consequence of climate change and a contributing factor.

Melting permafrost releasing carbon dioxide to atmosphere, contributing to greenhouse effect

FEATURE: Giant craters in Canadian north caused by global warming

7 years ago
Duration 2:37
Climate change dramatically impacting permafrost in Northwest Territories

Researchers are investigating large craters of melting permafrost in northern Canada, which they say areboth a consequence of climate changeand a contributing factor.

Scientists say warming temperatures are melting a previously frozen layer under the surface in Fort McPherson, N.W.T. Frozen organisms in that surface are now being exposed to the air, producingcarbon dioxide and contributingto the greenhouse effect.

"We know there is twice as much carbon locked up in permafrost as there is carbondioxidein the atmosphere," saysSuzanne Tank, a researcher and assistant professor at theUniversity of Alberta.

"So certainly there is the potential there for this carbon, if it's released as carbondioxide,to have a really huge effect on greenhouse gasses and climate warming."

Scientists are looking to collect samples from the craters to gain more information about the problem, which they call a "sleeping giant."

"There is this uncertainty associated with what this sleeping giant is going to look like," says Tank.