Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Russian research team explores giant Siberian sinkhole

Russian research team explores giant Siberian sinkhole
Team of scientists climbs into 35-metre hole that appeared in remote northern Russia after mystery explosion
sinkhole russia
A Russian scientist climbs down into a 35 metre crater that opened in the Yamal peninsula in Siberia this summer, to explore the cause. Photograph: Vladimir Pushkaryov/Corbis
A Russian research team including scientists, a medic and a professional climber has descended to the bottom of a giant sinkhole in northern Siberia in an attempt to discover its origins.
The 35-metre deep sinkhole was discovered in July after an unexplained eruption that flung soil and rock 120 metres from the site. It was initially thought it might be related to fossil fuel exploration, as it is 25 miles from the largest gas field in the region, but after a radar scan of the ground the team said it was most likely to be due to natural causes that would require further research.
The sinkhole was discovered and filmed from a helicopter this summer by oil and gas technicians on the Yamal peninsula, which in the language of its indigenous inhabitants who live north of the Arctic circle means end of the world. Two more unexplained sinkholes have since emerged in the far north of Russia.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/12/research-climb-giant-siberian-sinkhole

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