Experts Explore Hawaii’s Permafrost Before It Vanishes Due to Climate Change

The country of Hawaii is usually associated with tourist spots and other attractions related to tropical countries. It might be surprising to know that this group of volcanic islands in the Pacific Ocean is home to rare tropical permafrost. Mauna Kea, the tallest mountain in Hawaii, is the only place in the country where it is known to occur, and scientists are worried that the patches of snow and ice might likely die out due to climate change.

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Exploring the Tropical Permafrost

Researcher Norbert Schorghofer from the Planetary Science Institute focuses on studying other planets, such as Mars. Recently, he became interested in the strange permafrost in Hawaii due to its resemblance to alien topography.

There are also other locations in the tropics where permafrost can be found. It can also be observed in tall mountains in Mexico, the Peruvian Andes, and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Permafrost in the tropics occurs at an altitude of 17,000 feet. However, the permafrost in Hawaii is elevated at only 13,000 feet.

Based on the observations of Schorghofer and his team, the Hawaiian permafrost is in danger of melting due to climate change. Based on the geophysical surveys they conducted in 2016, they reported that the permafrost patches located in the two craters near the peak of Mauna Kea got shallower and smaller. This was highlighted again when they examined the permafrost thermal state in 2023 with the result published in Taylor & Francis Online.

It was also suggested that the shifts in the cycles of El Niño and La Niña in the Pacific Ocean might have sped up the thawing process. Another study also reveals that if the temperature in Hawaii continues to rise, the snowfall in Mauna Kea will nearly disappear by the end of the century.

A Frozen World

Permafrost refers to a type of terrain with ground that remains permanently frozen for at least two straight years. It occurs in areas where the temperatures hardly rise above the freezing point. In this area, the ground comprises soil, gravel, and sand held together by ice. Believed to have been formed during the Ice Age, permafrost has a thickness that ranges from a few centimeters to several hundreds of meters.

The climate in a permafrost region is generally described as having long cold winters and short, cool summer seasons. This landscape comprises 24% of the topography in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in the Arctic region.

The permafrost in Hawaii was first documented by scientist Alfred Woodcock in 1969. Experts believe it must have formed when the area has a lower temperature than today. The location of the permafrost might have allowed it to remain frozen over the years. Being cradled in the craters on top of Mauna Kea, the region is protected from the sun by the shade of the mountain.

According to National Geographic, studying the permafrost allows scientists to understand the changes that happen in the Earth's climate. It also provides clues on the changes in our planet's shape interior and gravity field.