Airborne imaging explores a mosaic of thawing permafrost

AI Summary

Researchers have developed an airborne imaging method to map the thickness and distribution of thawing permafrost across Arctic and subarctic regions. Better mapping could clarify risks to infrastructure and ecosystems, while thawing ground can release greenhouse gases.

Permafrost in many of Earth's northern regions is thawing, a process that unlocks greenhouse gases, threatens infrastructure, and could alter landscapes and ecosystems. The Arctic and subarctic are vast, and gaining a comprehensive picture of permafrost distribution is difficult, as it requires seeing under the ground. Now, with a new method that can map permafrost from the air, researchers may get a much more spatially cohesive view of permafrost thickness and distribution.