Russian scientists figured out how salt penetrates permafrost

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Russian scientists have found out what physical and chemical processes are responsible for the penetration of salt into permafrost. Article about it published The press service of Skoltech in Geosciences and Energy and Fuels reported this.

Many methane hydrates or clathrate deposits are known to exist in the Arctic Ocean. These are compounds of methane and water that hold a stable form at low temperatures and high pressures, just as at the bottom of the northern seas. Now these deposits are losing their stability due to global warming, and the introduction of salt into them aggravates the situation as it lowers the melting temperature of the ice. Large volumes of methane emissions will lead to further climate warming.

Researchers from Skoltech conducted a series of experiments with different samples of marine permafrost and found that salt accelerated the melting of deposits with only methane. Subsequent experiments and calculations showed that the rate of methane permafrost decay was highly dependent on how strongly the sea was pressing on the ground.

In addition, scientists have followed the impact of various types of salts and ions on permafrost in the sea. These experiments showed that ordinary table salt and magnesium chloride contributed most to the degradation of methane hydrate residues, while sodium and potassium sulfate accelerated their dissolution less.

As a result, the experts calculated exactly how the penetration of salt into the soil affects the temperature in the permafrost. It turns out that the penetrating ions of sodium, magnesium and chlorine cause the appearance of many point foci at high and low temperatures. The authors hope this will make it possible to predict and control the consequences of permafrost thaw.

ancient scientists solveHe said that Greenland’s melting glaciers could raise sea levels by 78 centimeters.

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