Permafrost layers

Abrupt thawing and thermokarst, which is a fast process of permafrost degradation but varies significantly depending on local conditions, can emit substantial amounts of carbon to the atmosphere very quickly, even in a matter of days. These processes risk mobilising the deep, legacy carbon sequestered in yedoma. Yedoma is a type of permafrost that formed between 1.8 million and 10 000 years ago, and is particularly rich in organic material, so a significant source of atmospheric methane. A paper published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment describes how scientists from Europe and the US are working together to better tracking permafrost carbon dynamics. This includes gaining a better understanding of the mechanisms that lead to abrupt thaws, the use of key observations of carbon release and developing models to predict permafrost–carbon feedback.

Read full story: Permafrost thaw: it’s complicated