YAKUTSK, April 28. /TASS/. Russian scientists suggested organizing the federal government’s agency on the permafrost, which could have an analytical center to monitor the cryolithozone. The experts have addressed to the country’s government. TASS obtains a copy of this document.
The address was inked by representatives of the Melnikov Permafrost Institute, the Institute of the Earth’s Cryosphere (the Academy of Sciences’ Siberian Branch), the Institute of Geo-Ecology (the Russian Academy of Sciences), the Moscow State University, the Geological Prospecting University and of Yakutia’s Academy of Sciences.
"Due to the scale of the cryolithozone in Russia and the new climate challenges, the reorganization of existing ministerial systems to monitor the cryolithozone requires a new management structure and a new financing system. Such a structure could be a federal permafrost agency under the government of the Russian Federation, and it could be authorized to create an inter-ministerial monitoring system in the Arctic and Subarctic. This agency could integrate networks of various ministries and enterprises, and the relevant legislative rights," the address reads.
The scientists insist on a federal analytical center with at least six branches in major Arctic cities. The data about hazardous cryogenic processes in the environment and at industrial and civil facilities will be collected at special sites. "In the Russian Arctic zone, from the European North to Chukotka, they must be at least 15. Only such an approach can ensure scientifically sound forecasts of the permafrost’s background and geo-technical conditions throughout the Arctic regions," they wrote.
Shortage of specialists
The scientists point to a shortage of specialists to study and monitor the permafrost. The situation in the Russian Arctic zone, related to the permafrost studies, is critical, they say, explaining it by a "lack of systematic state approach to the problem, and by fewer research institutes and trained specialists."
"Noteworthy, not a single Russian official is a specialist in geo-cryology. The country, where two-thirds of the territory is taken by the cryolithozone, should employ with respective authorities specialists in permafrost studies, but in reality fewer people have been trained lately (at the Moscow University), and some universities have closed such departments (the North-Eastern Federal University)," the scientists wrote.
Geo-technical monitoring
Earlier, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin ordered to the government to make necessary changes to the legislation to organize the state system for perennially frozen grounds’ monitoring. Minister of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov’s opinion is the state system will be organized at the Russian hydrometeorology service (Roshydromet).
However, Director of the Melnikov Permafrost Institute Mikhail Zheleznyak on behalf of the initiative committee told TASS Roshydromet would not be able to provide for the permafrost’s comprehensive monitoring, scientific studies and forecasts. "First of all, when we speak about cryolithozone’s response to the changing climate, we can see how scenarios vary depending on landscape conditions. For the purpose of project solutions, we must obtain a range of changing parameters, including temperatures and soil humidity," he said. "Roshydromet has never been involved in geo-technical systems, and without this any permafrost monitoring would be unbalanced."
Using meteorology stations for making a new monitoring system is absolutely incorrect, he continued. "It is only a partial solution," he explained. "Meteorology stations are situated in similar geo-morphological conditions, and thus it would not be correct to analyze the permafrost’s changes and features using the data from 30-meter wells."
Roshydromet’s key task is to watch the climate changes, temperatures of soils at the depths of up to 3.5 meters, which usually are in certain similar conditions, like terraces, he said. "In every location there are conditions, where temperatures and responses differ. Our approach is different. By using it we can demonstrate how the permafrost behaves in various regional, natural and soil conditions. The studies must be aimed at upper and lower border conditions, as well as at the environment features. This is what forecasts must be based on, and this is not what Roshydromet has been doing so far."
Consequences from permafrost thawing
The scientists say higher temperatures of the cryolithozone’s upper horizons, which take 65% of the country’s territory, will cause less stability of buildings’ foundations and of engineering structures. These processes have continued intensively: the share of deformed buildings has approached 40%.
Cryogenic factors cause 23% of failures in technical systems of the oil and gas industry and are responsible for 29% of lost hydrocarbon production. The potential damage to buildings and structures from the permafrost melting in the Russian Arctic zone is estimated at 5-7 trillion rubles ($70-98 billion) until 2050, including 700 billion rubles ($9 billion) to the housing sector.