Permafrost is a ground that remains continuously frozen for two or more years located under the land or under the ocean. It can be an inch to miles below the ground or into the earth's surface. Most of the permafrost is present in high mountains like the Himalayas, Northern hemisphere, and the Southern hemisphere. Although the ground is frozen the permafrost region is not always covered by snow.
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| The layers of permafrost. Photo credit: Benjamin Jones, USGS. Public domain (modified) |
Permafrost made of
Permafrost made of a combination of soil, rock, and sand that are frozen or held together by ice.
The permafrost soil consists of a large number of organic carbons which is the material left over by the dead plants and animals that couldn't decompose or rot away due to the ice. The lowest permafrost layer is made up of minerals.
The top layer of the permafrost does not stay freeze all through the year this layer is called an active layer. It is warm during the summer months and cold during the winter months. The layer is very thin of the thickness of 4 to 6 inches. In some areas, it can also be several meter thicknesses.
Permafrost gets affected by climate change
As the temperature rises around the world due to global warming it affects the permafrost and leaving behind water and soil.
This permafrost melting has a huge impact on our planet and our surrounding. Most of the houses, buildings, and infrastructures in the northern hemisphere are built above the permafrost because it is stronger than concrete. But if they start to melt it affects the infrastructure of the region.
Plants and animals are trapped inside and does not decompose or rot away. As microbes begin to decompose this material which releases a large number of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere.
This Permafrost also has some ancient bacteria and viruses which may affect humans and make us sick. Researches say that there may be thousands of year old viruses may be trapped inside and some virus has been discovered which is very big.
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