Ice quakes, or frostquakes, threaten northern regions of earth. What are they?

A new study suggests a looming effect of extreme freezing temperatures in the north - Frostquakes. Also known as cryoseism or ice quake, these frostquakes are a result of climate change that contributes to fluctuating weather patterns.

Frostquakes are usually caused by heavy precipitation and cold waves, but in the new study, researchers identified the role of wetlands in the origin of these unique seismic events.

In the past, frostquakes have occurred usually due to the freezing of water in the ground. They are most common during extreme winter conditions, when wet, snow-free ground freezes rapidly. Frostquakes were reported in northern Finland in 2016, 2019 and 2022. Similar events were reported in Chicago (2019) and Ottawa (2022) as well.

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As per researchers, earlier only roads and areas cleared of snow in winter were particularly prone to frostquakes, but now the study shows that drainage channels and wetlands are also vulnerable to similar activity.

"We found that during the winter of 2022–2023, the main sources of frostquakes in Oulu, Finland were swamps, wetlands and areas with high water tables or other places where water accumulates," says Elena Kozlovskaya, Professor of applied geophysics at the University of Oulu Mining School.

Study shows wetlands are also prone to frostquakes

The study was published by researchers from the University of Oulu, Finland and the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK). It showed that fracturing in the uppermost frozen ground can be initiated if the thickness of the frozen layer is about 5 cm or larger.

Ruptures can further worsen the situation by propagating deeper and damaging infrastructure such as buildings, basements, pipelines and roads.

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"Frostquakes affect northern regions internationally, but they have been little studied using seismic instrumentation," says Kari Moisio, a senior researcher at the University of Oulu.

As in winter, snow protects the ground from the cold, but when it melts away with the changing temperatures, the ground is exposed to frost.

In winter 2022-23, two seismic station networks installed in northern Finland showed that on days when the air temperature was decreasing rapidly, the locals reported ground tremors and unusual sounds to the researchers.

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The conditions for a frostquake are favourable when the temperature drops to more than -20°C at a rate of about one degree per hour.

Notably, there were many wetlands present near the seismic stations in Oulu near the residential area where the main sources of frostquakes were detected.

Based on the data received from this study, researchers aim to create a system that could predict frostquakes based on soil analysis and satellite data.

(With inputs from agencies)