New Craters in the Siberian Tundra

Seven craters have been identified in the Siberian tundra. Scientists are not sure what has caused them. Russian investigations suggest they are due to escaping methane gas that has blown holes in the Siberian tundra. (See photos here.)

Yamal, a large peninsula jutting into Arctic waters, is Russia's main production area for gas supplied to Europe.

Recently reindeer herders northwest of the village of Seyakha in Siberia's far north reported seeing an eruption of fire and smoke on the morning of June 28 — an event caught on seismic sensors at 11 a.m. local time, according to The Siberian Times. Scientists visiting the site photographed a fresh crater blown into the banks of a river.

Another theory involves global warming.  Warmer temperatures in the region which may have caused the ice plug (pingos) that form near the surface to melt. When an ice plug melts, the ground collapses and a crater is formed. However, the process does not explain the explosions seen by the reindeer herders. Rocks ejected by the explosion have been found around the craters.

Young lady with a golden flower. Yamal Peninsula near the Kara Sea
Photo credit: Lara Danilova

Here, near the Kara Sea in the Arctic, people live 70 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. At this latitude the sun is visible for 24 hours during the summer solstice.

Related reading: 7,000 Gas Bubbles May Explode in Siberia