Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 09/06/2013 - 11:23

I understand that permafrost is a multiple foot deep layer of frozen earth and has now recently been starting to melt due to the rising temperatures. My question is that because of this melting, there must be a place where all of the melted ice and soil to go. I saw a river of water, large chunks, of ice, and soil in the video and I was curious as to where it went. Does it collect in a lake or possibly the Arctic Ocean? If so, what impact would this have on the fish and other aquatic life living in these areas? -Carl B.

Anonymous

Carl -
Good question. In flat places the thawed permafrost can just sit there until it freezes again, but where it's on a slope it will flow into groundwater and/or surface water and eventually flow to the Arctic Ocean. This is a natural process that the fish are pretty well adapted too, it's just that it's happening at an increased rate as the climate warms. A major thermokarst event could have a more serious short-term impact.
- Mr. T