ClimateAugust 5, 2026

thermokarst

THUR-mo-karst

Definition

A type of uneven, hummocky terrain characterized by irregular depressions and mounds that forms when ice-rich permafrost melts and the ground collapses.

Etymology

The term is a portmanteau formed from the Greek 'thermos' meaning 'heat' and 'karst,' a German term describing a landscape formed by the dissolution of soluble rocks, applied here to indicate the similar landscape irregularities caused by thawing ground.

In the news

The article lists thermokarst as one of the growing physical risks to regional infrastructure and communities caused by climate-driven changes in the cryosphere.

ICIMOD unveils regional cryosphere strategy to strengthen glacier monitoring across HKH

Read the full article ↗

Khabarhub

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