Vergent Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/ice-road-tankers-army-to-take-armour-to-tundra-for-first-time-in-decades-137587078.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerryM Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 I used to get a kick out of Patton's tank tracks in the Sonora Desert. Perhaps, in a few generations kids will marvel at the amount of damage done by the military even when they're trying to play nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT450R Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Maybe i missed it but what does this article have to do with climate change? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillipS Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 Maybe i missed it but what does this article have to do with climate change? That's a pretty good question. From my perspective, the answer is that the tundra is a very fragile ecosystem and armored vehicles, even the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) will tear ruts that may last forever. Specifically as relates to Climate Change, the peaty soil exposed by the vehicle treads is darker than the native mossy/shrubby vegetation so the ruts will warm more and increase the melting of the underlying permafrost. Here's a photo of the kind of damage even a winter crossing of tundra can cause: PHOTO E8. Aerial photograph of seismic line and overlapping camp–move trail made in winter of 1984, photographed in July 1984. Ruts in tussock tundra subsided into a trough. In 2002, tussocks were growing back, but trail still had only 5% cover of evergreen shrubs, compared to 30% in the surrounding tundra. Source Oops! I just looked at a photo of a LAV and saw that it has wheels, not treads like a tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVT450R Posted January 19, 2012 Share Posted January 19, 2012 That's a pretty good question. From my perspective, the answer is that the tundra is a very fragile ecosystem and armored vehicles, even the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) will tear ruts that may last forever. Specifically as relates to Climate Change, the peaty soil exposed by the vehicle treads is darker than the native mossy/shrubby vegetation so the ruts will warm more and increase the melting of the underlying permafrost. Here's a photo of the kind of damage even a winter crossing of tundra can cause: PHOTO E8. Aerial photograph of seismic line and overlapping camp–move trail made in winter of 1984, photographed in July 1984. Ruts in tussock tundra subsided into a trough. In 2002, tussocks were growing back, but trail still had only 5% cover of evergreen shrubs, compared to 30% in the surrounding tundra. Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjames1992 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Well, this thread is a sensationalist masterpiece. Declared war on the Tundra? Please... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhillipS Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Well, this thread is a sensationalist masterpiece. Declared war on the Tundra? Please... Ah, a post from the humor-impaired, I see. Good luck getting treatment for your deficit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjames1992 Posted January 20, 2012 Share Posted January 20, 2012 Ah, a post from the humor-impaired, I see. Good luck getting treatment for your deficit. Why, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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