Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Context: Siberia’s “gateway to the underworld,” the Batagay crater, is expanding at an alarming rate of 35 million cubic feet (1 million cubic meters) annually due to permafrost thaw.
What is Batagaika Crater?
Located in Russia’s Far East is the world’s largest permafrost crater, formed by melting permafrost dating back to the Quaternary Ice Age. It began to form in the 1960s when surrounding forest clearance triggered permafrost thaw, causing the land to sink. However, thawing permafrost poses environmental risks, as the release of organic carbon into the atmosphere could exacerbate global warming.
Permafrost is permanently frozen ground that remains below the freezing point of water for two or more consecutive years. It is typically found in polar regions, such as the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as in high-altitude mountainous areas.
