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Melting permafrost in arctic ponds: An unfolding factor for climate change

Published: 14 February 2024

Article by: Yejin Lee, The TribuneÌý

"Peter Douglas, an assistant professor in ¿´Æ¬ÊÓƵ’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and his team recently published aÌýresearch paperÌýon greenhouse gas emissions from tundra ponds in northern Canada, aiming to understand one of the most important environmental processes for predicting future climate shifts.Ìý

The study focuses on small ponds in the arctic that are formed by the thawing ofÌýpermafrost—a permanently frozen layer under Earth’s surface. These ponds are known for emitting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), but the specific sources of these gases remain poorly understood.Ìý

The researchers investigated how erosion caused by thawing permafrost, especially at the edges of these ponds, influences greenhouse gas emissions. This cycle of thawing, erosion, and emission may form a positive feedback loop for climate warming,Ìýalthough this has yet to be studied thoroughly."Ìý

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