Published: Nov. 12, 2021
Colloquium Poster with title, time

Kevin Schaefer
National Snow and Ice Data Center
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Nov 12, 2021
GUGG 205, 3:30 PM

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Permafrost in the high northern latitudes contains a vast reservoir ofÌýMercury (Hg),Ìýmore thanÌýthe atmosphere, the ocean, and the rest of the land surface combined. The naturally-occurringÌýHg bonds to organic matter and has accumulated in permafrost over thousands of years. AsÌýtemperatures rise in the future, the permafrost will thaw and the organic matter will decay,Ìýreleasing Hg into the environment.Ìý

Here, we quantify the amount of Hg in permafrost andÌýexplain how it got there. WeÌýestimate future releases of Hg from thawing permafrost forÌýmultiple scenarios of potential future climate and explore howÌýthis may increase HgÌýconcentrations in fish, a key food source.

Thawing permafrost could release Hg in magnitudesÌýcomparable to annual anthropogenic emissions from burning coal, indicating an irreversible tipping point of the Arctic system that will impact the global Hg cycle for centuries.