Siberia's 'Gateway to Hell' Triples in Size: Climate Change Impact Sparks Alarm Among Experts
As experts warn about the consequences of climate change and people across the globe struggle with extreme weather conditions, a phenomenon in Siberia is splitting Earth's surface to open a window into the future of the planet. First spotted in the 1960s the 'Gateway to Hell' in Siberia has expanded thrice its original size in the past 30 years, according to Greek Reporter.
The 'Gateway to Hell' is essentially a hole that is tearing up a Siberian landmass. It is in the shape of a stingray, and it has become so massive over the years that it can be viewed from space.
The 'Gateway to Hell' is a term used for the Batagaika Crater, which was formed when permafrost in the region started melting. It first caught the eye of researchers in the 1960s by appearing as a sliver in satellite images, HowStuffWorks explained.
Since then, it has become surrounded by cliffs that are visible from space. Experts are shocked because they had not estimated that the hole could expand so much within three decades, but climate change has caused the permafrost or frozen sediment to melt faster than anyone anticipated.
The Gateway to Hell's growth showcases the effects of an environmental crisis that is triggering major changes across globe, Greek Reporter reported. Researchers believe that the unprecedented expansion is the direct result of the Arctic heating up faster than the rest of the Earth. This implies that the permafrost is rapidly thawing or melting and giving way to “craters” like the one in Siberia.
Permafrost is defined as the permanently frozen layer found below the Earth’s surface, according to National Geographic. It includes soil, gravel, and sand, which are generally bound together by ice.
The 'Gateway to Hell' has been identified as the world’s largest retrogressive thaw slump, as per Greek Reporter. The 'hole' was first formed when the ground caved in due to the melting of permafrost and has been growing by 35 million cubic feet every year. The pit grows in size as the pace of melting increases because of the effects of global warming.
There are many thaw slumps all across the Arctic but Siberia's 'Gateway of Hell' stands out among them because of its massive size, which has earned it the moniker of 'mega slump,' according to New Atlas.
The melting of permafrost is a problem that needs to be seriously reviewed by authorities as per experts, as per the Greek Reporter. This phenomenon also causes all the dead organisms stored in the permafrost to break free before they begin to decompose.
The decomposition process in turn releases carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, which is harmful to the environment. If the permafrost continues to thaw at this pace then this phenomenon could emit as much carbon dioxide as a large industrialized country by 2100.