Ak Permafrost Research Paper

The rapidly increasing amount of carbon dioxide may be one of the factors that cause climate change. As Hillman states, “Concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are increasing, and have done so since the Industrial Revolution.” An atmospheric CO2 concentration, research shows that there is a dramatic increase from 280 parts per million (ppm) in 1750 to 373 ppm in 2002, a rise of the third. Furthermore, the linear chart demonstrated the trend of annual global CO2

Does the high level of Carbon Dioxide (C02) possibly harm the Earth’s planetary biosphere, or has it already done so; in fact, many worldwide scientists have protested that the Earth is at its ‘tipping point’ but no efforts have been adapted to save the biosphere? A support of this controversial topic; congressional meeting and testimony, is from one of the top U.S. climate scientists, James Hansen to Former Vice President Al Gore, with an emphasis on the cause of C02. Beyond the ozone layer is atmospherically holey, Earth’s temperature is rising, and the climate changing conversely, one that people trivialized the most is: Global warming. Increasingly, subject to concern not only via online discussion, magazine and

Although the increase in permafrost temperature seems like a small change, the possibility of vegetation being unable to thrive in these areas would be life changing for both people and wildlife. The melting of permafrost is also having a direct impact on weather patterns around the world. Bursts of abnormally cold weather in the Eastern U.S. and Europe during the winter have been linked to Arctic warming. Jennifer Francic and Stephen Vavrus “proposed that warming of the Arctic can modify the shape of the jet stream- the fast flowing air currents that circle the planet- enough to directly influence the weather at midlatitudes.” As these drastic changes are occurring in the Arctic region, the area is close to reaching a tipping point. A tipping point is a series of small changes that have a large enough impact to make a big, important change. When conditions in the Arctic reach this tipping point, causing rapid environmental impacts, a new equilibrium must be developed (Oleg Anisimov et al). Climate change is melting Arctic sea ice, which is causing changes in weather patterns in several other

This decrease has been not only increasing the sea level at an unnatural rate, but also endangering many arctic species. As these species are forced to change their hunting habits, the native villages are starving themselves, knowing only how to hunt the animals in the pattern they moved before. While the polar ice caps melt more and more, the purity of the water is negatively affected which, in turn, directly affects the air purity, too. According to experts from the Environmental Protection Agency, greenhouse gases are emitted mostly from electricity, industry, and transportation (epa.gov/climatechange). Even though the amount of greenhouse gases have been rising very unsteadily the past 100 years, these gases have been and always will be crucial to our survival on this planet, as long as there is a steady balance between greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide. When we emit carbon dioxide into the air, the atmosphere becomes more acidic; this causes the greenhouse gases to become further amplified and more likely to break down the ozone layer, which in turn pollutes the air even further, creating an endless

The arctic Tundra is normally around 10 to 29 degrees fahrenheit. Rainfall may vary in different regions of the arctic. Yearly precipitation, including melting snow, is 6 to 10 inches. Soil is formed slowly. The biggest threat to the Tundra is global warming. Many scientists believe global warming caused by greenhouse gases may eliminate Arctic regions, including the tundras there, forever. Another concern is that about one third of the worlds soil-bound carbon is in the tundra permafrost. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions by switching to alternative energy uses is key to protecting Earth's tundra habitats. The Tundra is located at the top of the earth by the North Pole. Switch to alternative energy

(See Appendix 2: Figure 2) The tundra biome has an extremely long winter, spanning 8-10 months. During these months there is an average temperature of -34°C, there is also layer of frost permanently covering the ground, known as permafrost. (UCMP, 2014) Tundra has a very short summer period of 8-10 weeks, with temperatures between 5° and 13°C. However, this summer period coincides with days consisting of 24 hour sunlight, and as a result, there is a burst of plant growth and animal breeding. (Marietta College, 2012) Tundra, on average, receives less than 100 milimetres of precipitation annually. (See Appendix 2: Figure 3) This combined with strong, dry winds makes tundra the driest

Scientific American, in “Carbon dioxide: From nuisance to resource?” contends that in order to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released in the atmosphere scientists should figure out a way to recycle it. Scientific American continues this discussion by stating that a prize should be offered in 2020 to award a science team that comes up with the best way to capture the carbon dioxide and turn in into the building blocks to create something else. This author proposes this plan in order to ensure that the effects of global warming can be reduced, and that carbon dioxide will not continue to hurt the Earth. These educators urge scientists to discover a way to stop the effects of carbon dioxide on the Earth.

The author of the article “Implications of Arctic permafrost thaw,” published on March 2012, written by Ian Dunlop a former international oil, gas and coal industry executive. He was chaired at the Australian Coal Association in 1987-88. After years, he was chaired to the Australian Greenhouse office Experts Group on Emissions Trading 1998-2000. He was also the CEO of the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 1997-2001. A chairman of Safe Climate Australia and a Member of the Club of Rome. His article was published in a magazine which, informs people about the personal opinion Ian Dunlop has about the climate change. This source is relative for my thesis because it explains the impact of the melting ice, on the environment/humans.

Climate change or colloquially known as global warming, now pose a new threat to civilization as the levels of greenhouse gases (GHG) are soaring to new levels. The most significant contributor to greenhouse gasses would be Carbon Dioxide (Co2). The levels of Carbon Dioxide (Co2) gas have risen to levels civilization has not seen before. As such, the effects of these levels are not known to civilization as data gathered from the ice cores drilled in the Antarctica only shows data up to 650,000 years ago. However we can conclude that present CO2 concentrations are higher compared to any time in the last 650,000 years (IPCC 2007). Current carbon dioxide concentrations are hovering around 389 parts per million (ppm) as of September 2011,

However, proxies show that the initiation of IRD ~46.25 Ma at site 306, correspond to a >1000 ppm decrease in CO2 gases in the atmosphere (See Figure 5. Note. From ‘Cenozoic ice-rafting history of the central Arctic Ocean: Terrigenous sands on the Lomonosov Ridge’ (St. John 2007)). This correlation between IRD and pCO2 is critical since it leads us to the hypothesis that a decline of pCO2 could have driven the climate in the polar regions over a temperature threshold, which enabled the onset of continental glaciers and ice sheets on the surface of the Arctic Sea (St. John 2008). This is only one of many possible reasons of the NHG onset, where other potential causes suggested for the initiation of the NHG are: events of mountain building; plateau uplift in southern Asia and the American West; Volcanic triggering, resulting in aerosols in the atmosphere; and the closure of Panama Seaway, which would have changed the whole ocean circulation and distribution of cold vs. warm ocean water (St. John et al.

In the article “What they don’t tell you about climate change,” authors discuss the issues related to climate change while describing key suggestions to help combat the issue. As stated in the text, there has been a global goal to keep global temperature “well below 2°C hotter than pre-industrial times.” This goal had not been met, while carbon dioxide emissions are simply not enough to “limit the rise in temperature successfully.” Moreover, the authors have claimed that “Stopping the flow of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere is not enough. It has to be sucked out, too.” This process, however, is very difficult and “nearly improbable.” Other alternatives including mass chemical filters, carbon dioxide binds to from carbonated rocks, and

Passive thermosiphons operate without external power, utilizing the vaporization of a pressurized gas in its liquid phase at the lower, buried end of the tube, which rises through an adiabatic middle- section and condenses on the walls of the top. This liquid, then releases its latent heat to the wall (and thus the outside air), cools and runs back down to the bottom of the tube by gravity. Passive thermosiphons are the most common in Alaska, but are limited by their inability to withdrawal heat from the ground when it is cooler than the air temperature. While this may be a serious limitation in warmer climates, the temperature during the winter in central Alaska typically hovers around -15 to -25 °F (-26 to -32 °C), so ground temperature can be greatly reduced during the winter. Additionally, during summer nights, temperatures can get cold enough for thermosiphons to function, aiding in the refreezing of permafrost. Hybrid and active thermosiphons use a heat pump to cool the ground during times when the air is warmer than it, increasing their effectiveness, but also requiring an energy

Scientists have come up with some observations to support this theory, as follows scientists believe that most of the carbon dioxide which is trapped in the atmosphere is caused by human activities such as using cars, planes and electricity which allows it to lead to emission of very harmful gasses into the atmosphere. Before humans existed, the temperature of the Earth increased as it began to age only which took a very long time, however since humans existed the process of temperature rising on the Earth has sped up. Factors such as deforestation has also affected the temperature of the Earth as loss of trees release excessive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which also affects plants and trees which use that emitted carbon

The thawing global ice caps have occurred for many years during the progression of global warming (as mentioned in part 1 and ). Soot or black carbon is emitted from burning fossil fuels, diesel engines, and wood. Black carbon is strongly absorbs radiation from the sun which causes global warming. These particles can easily flow into the global winds across the earth and has possibility of settling in the icy regions. Arctic ice caps tend to melt even faster because of soot/black carbon. If the consumption of the natural resources we remove reduces, less soot could be produced into the atmosphere. Diesel engines could be upgraded and function in ways of less black carbonation releases. Deforestation also is a cause of great amounts of black

• Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a greenhouse gas that warms the atmosphere. • Since pre-industrial times, atmospheric CO2 concentrations have increased from about 280 parts per million (ppm) to over 380 ppm. Current concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases are unprecedented in at least the last 650,000 years, based on records from gas bubbles trapped in polar ice. • Independent measurements demonstrate that the increased CO2 in the atmosphere comes