PERMAFROST
COLLAPSE -INDIA’S ARTIC EXPEDITION:
GEOGRAPHY
NEWS
:
Glaciologist digs deep into permafrost to gauge future disasters
WHAT’S IN THR NEWS ?
Glaciologist S.N. Remya from
Kerala, currently part of India’s Arctic Expedition at
the Himadri research station in Norway, is studying permafrost
collapse—a significant concern due to climate change. Her
research focuses on the potential disaster risks from melting permafrost in
the Himalayas and aims to provide early warnings to vulnerable
communities.
Permafrost:
- Ground that stays frozen (0°C or lower) for at
least two years, mainly found in Arctic regions (Greenland, Alaska,
Canada, Russia, Eastern Europe).
Composition:
- Permafrost consists of soil, rocks, and sand
held together by ice. It remains frozen all year but is not always
snow-covered.
Impact of
Global Warming:
- Rising temperatures are causing permafrost to
thaw, destabilizing the ground.
Relevance of Permafrost
in the Himalayas:
·
Permafrost
collapse is a growing concern in the upper Himalayas, though its link to recent
disasters like the South Lhonak glacial
lake flood is still unclear.
Lhonak
Lake:
- A glacial-moraine-dammed lake in northwestern Sikkim, it is one of the 14 lakes
at risk of a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF).
Himadri
Station:
- India's first permanent Arctic research
station, located 1,200 km from the North Pole in Svalbard, Norway.
Gruvebadet
Observatory:
- India's atmospheric science facility in the
Arctic, housing atmospheric observation networks.