An analysis of geodynamic observations conducted at the Kamchatka branch of the Federal Research Center of the Unified Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences has revealed an unexpected discovery: the entire region has shifted significantly to the southeast. Leading researcher at the Pushchino Scientific Center for Biological Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrei Karnaukhov said that Kamchatka is gradually shifting due to tectonic activity.
He noted that the movement of the plates occurs in jerks, when the slow accumulation of stress is replaced by sharp shifts, as in Kamchatka, where the plate has shifted two meters.
“The oceanic plate sort of “dives” under the continental plate (subduction), pushing it in the opposite direction. For example, the Pacific Ocean is surrounded by a “ring of fire” of volcanoes (Kamchatka, Japan, South America). The stress in the crust accumulates to a critical level, then is released as a result of an earthquake. At the same time, there is no rapid drift: a shift of two meters is a relatively rare event,” said Andrei Karnaukhov.
The expert added that, although Kamchatka will not float away to Australia, the movement of the peninsula will be affected by the activity of tectonic processes in the Pacific Ocean. The scientist believes that the increase in mega-earthquakes is especially alarming.
Karnaukhov noted that molten magma in the earth's crust has an indirect effect on the climate: melting glaciers causes the ocean level to rise, the pressure on the lithospheric plates changes, causing them to move and earthquakes and volcanic eruptions to occur.
"The danger is that the earth's crust contains millions of times more bound CO₂ than the atmosphere. If magma begins to interact with limestones (the main reservoir of CO₂), this will cause its mass release through volcanoes, increasing the greenhouse effect. A "death loop" will arise: warming → activation of tectonics → CO₂ emissions → acceleration of warming. In the extreme scenario, the Earth risks repeating the fate of Venus with a temperature of +100°C and the death of life," the scientist concluded in an interview with Life.ru.
Earlier, seismologist Shebalin said that Kamchatka will not break away from the mainland due to earthquakes.