Global Warming Is Shrinking Alaska
Global warming is eroding the creation of permafrost in Alaska. This shrinks the size of the state.
“In the Northern Hemisphere, much of the ground is permafrost, which is frozen year-round. Permafrost is a delicate natural resource. If it is lost faster than regenerated, we endanger infrastructure and release carbon, which can warm the atmosphere,” said Nathan D. Brown, assistant professor of earth and environmental sciences at UT Arlington.
The study examined the Koyukuk River, which flows into the Yukon River. Researchers found that permafrost formation varies substantially by temperature and happens over hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. “Under a warming climate, permafrost formation is expected to take longer, while thawing permafrost riverbanks will become more susceptible to erosion. The net result will be loss of permafrost and carbon contribution to the atmosphere.” The loss of this permafrost will shrink Alaska’s size.
This is another example of how climate change can radically change what have been permanent parts of both land and sea. The New York Times recently reported Ben Henley, a paleoclimatologist at the University of Melbourne, said, “If we don’t divert from our current course, our generation will likely witness the demise of one of Earth’s great natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef.” Seas are warming so rapidly that the change of course will almost certainly not happen. Global warming could cost $75 trillion to repair.
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