The Ground Beneath Our Feet is Heating Up: Exploring Underground Climate Change

Key Highlights :

1. The Netflix hit science fiction series, Stranger Things, introduced viewers to the horrors that lie beneath the ground - a world where the Mind Flayer reigns supreme.

2. Recently, research findings indicate that while we don't need to quite fear Vecna, there are indeed goings-on beneath our feet that demand our attention.

3. A study undertaken in Chicago, with potentially global implications, measured underground temperature variations over time and simulated its impact. The ground beneath Chicago is getting deformed, or shifting, either moving upwards due to the due to the expansion of some materials (such as soft clay) or sinking due to the contraction of other materials (such as hard clay and sand).

4. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications Biology, flags concerns about the impact of underground climate change on civil infrastructure and also about health; earlier studies have linked extreme air temperatures underground to heat-induced diseases.

5. There is also an ecological impact, such as contamination of groundwater.

6. The new study is possibly the first to look at ground deformation as a result of temperature variations, but underground climate change itself has been recognised as a hazard for some time now.

7. Underground temperatures were found often 10°C warmer beneath the Loop than beneath Grant Park. Also, air temperatures in underground structures were up to 25°C higher than the undisturbed ground temperature.

8. The ground deformations caused by underground climate change do not threaten to result in the collapse of structures, but on a case-by-case basis, they are of sufficient magnitude to affect the day-to-day function and long-term durability of civil structures and infrastructures.

     Climate change has been a hot topic of discussion for years, with the focus being on the impact on the atmosphere. But what of the impact underground? A study undertaken in Chicago has uncovered the phenomenon of underground climate change and its implications for civil infrastructure, health, and the environment.

     The study, published in the journal Nature Communications Biology, found that the ground beneath Chicago is shifting, either moving upwards due to the expansion of some materials, or sinking due to the contraction of other materials. This change is caused by temperature variations over time, and can have a number of adverse effects.

     Similar to the urban heat island effect, underground climate change is the result of heat being released continuously from buildings, infrastructure, and transport systems. The phenomenon of underground climate change is widely described as underground heat islands.

     In order to measure the temperature variations, a network of sensors was installed over and below the ground in two locations in Chicago: the Chicago Loop, marked by buildings and underground railway tunnels, and Grant Park, a green space. The sensors were placed in basements, parking garages, and tunnels, and monitored the temperature in those environments.

     The study found that underground temperatures were often 10°C warmer beneath the Loop than beneath Grant Park, and that air temperatures in underground structures were up to 25°C higher than the undisturbed ground temperature.

     The ground deformations caused by underground climate change do not threaten to result in the collapse of structures, but can affect the day-to-day function and long-term durability of civil structures and infrastructures. Over the long term, the deformations can affect the aesthetic requirements of structures and infrastructures and their durability.

     The findings of the study also suggest that there is an opportunity to capture the heat emitted underground from the Chicago subway, parking garages, and basement facilities, and reuse it as an untapped thermal energy resource.

     Ultimately, the study highlights the need for further research into the phenomenon of underground climate change and its impact on the environment, infrastructure, and health. With the potential for increased ground deformations, it is important to take proactive steps to mitigate the effects of underground climate change.

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