Mystery of Siberia's craters uncovered: Human-linked explosions

Mysterious craters that began appearing in Siberia ten years ago puzzled scientists from around the world. Recent research has brought a breakthrough. Finally, the origin of the structures some call "gates to hell" has been determined.

The first crater was observed on the Russian Yamal Peninsula in 2014. At its widest point, it had a diameter of about 230 feet. In subsequent years, several more very similar, enormous gaps in the ground appeared in Siberia and the Gydan Peninsula.

The research results, published in the journal "Geophysical Research Letters," shed new light on what is happening in Siberia. Scientists from the University of Cambridge concluded that the craters were formed as a result of powerful explosions, indirectly caused by humans.

The researchers linked everything to climate change. Its effects, which are also felt in Siberia, combined with the region's unique geology, initiated a process that, in certain situations, leads to the release of methane, which is stored under Siberia's permafrost in geological layers called cryo-pegs. The accompanying rapid changes in pressure can lead to powerful explosions.

"There are very, very specific conditions that allow this phenomenon to occur," said one of the study's authors, engineer Ana Morgado from the University of Cambridge.

Climate warming makes it possible to observe not only the alternating freezing and thawing of the upper soil layer in Siberia. Meltwater begins to penetrate deeper, reaching the cryopegs where there isn't enough space to accumulate it. This increases pressure, causing the cryopegs to expand and fractures to form in the permafrost. When such fractures reach the surface, the sudden pressure spike causes the methane below to trigger an explosion.

Scientists are trying to determine how often such situations occur, but they say it may be very difficult. It is possible that the period preceding such explosions spans decades. This correlates with the rise in climate warming, which began to accelerate significantly in the 1980s.

"This might be a very rare phenomenon, but the amount of methane released could have a significant impact on global warming," said Ana Morgado.