In a recent research published in the Geophysical Research Letters, researches from University of Georgia Skidaway and Institute of Oceanography observed the ancient carbon that has been stored in the Arctic for many millenniums. It is now being converted to carbon dioxide and released into the atmosphere.
Climatologists have been closely monitoring the level of CO2 in the atmosphere for quite some time and now this discovery alters their assumptions and observations. The Arctic is home to frozen soil, which stores huge amounts of carbon, which is derived from dead plants and animals over 20,000 years ago, according to Science Daily.
Unlike in other parts of the world where this matter would decompose, in the Arctic it just remains frozen. Alan Stubbins, part of the research team, likens it to freezing of food in the refrigerator, which doesn't allow bacteria to decay this matter. He also noted that this permafrost carbon is a form that microbes can use, according to Science Codex.
Robert Spencer of Florida state, who is a lead author added that the composition of the thawed permafrost is quite unique. This unique form makes it attractive to the microbes. The study is in line with findings of a previous study conducted in Siberia by this team on the banks of the Kolyma River, which contains permafrost. They were also able to assess the effect of microbes on this thawed organic matter.
Now researchers are of the opinion that carbon contained in the arctic is a staggering 10 times more than the carbon used by mankind since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and they also observed that there is more than two times more carbon in store than that currently can be found in the atmosphere today.
The carbon being released would aid the global climatic changes that the world is undergoing. Now researches would have to adapt and account for this carbon emission other than what mankind emits to the atmosphere.