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> Thermokarst
Abby Davis
post Jun 21 2005, 11:43 AM
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Hey Tom, Great pictures. What is thermokarst and what causes it?

Abby
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Tom_Crumrine
post Jun 21 2005, 03:06 PM
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Hello Abby Davis,

I hope that you are doing well. I'm thinking of you in New York City and me here--fairly different places.

A thermokarst is caused when underground ice melts. The ice in the high arctic tends to be closer to the surface than down near Fairbanks and as temperatures become warmer that ice can start to melt. As you know ice takes up more space than water. When the ice melts that leaves water and extra space that was once filled by ice. On a large scale this means unsupported ground above the former ice. The ground gives way allowing more of a space for water to flow. More water, means more of a hole--and so on. The researchers from last year placed flags at the edges of the thermokarst and some of those flags have been totally subsumed this year as the thermokarst enlarged.

We'll have to go for a hike when I return.

Tom
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