Sovremennye problemy distantsionnogo zondirovaniya Zemli iz kosmosa, 2025, V. 22, No. 6, pp. 426-430
Investigating the dynamics of the Batagay thermokarst failure expansion from 2000 to 2025 using remote sensing data
V.V. Sukhanova
1 , A.V. Boroditskaya
1 1 Far Eastern Center of SRC "Planeta", Khabarovsk, Russia
Accepted: 03.12.2025
DOI: 10.21046/2070-7401-2025-22-6-426-430
The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of the dynamics of the Batagay thermokarst failure — the world’s largest feature of this type located in the Verkhoyansk District of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The research is based on the analysis of a series of multi-year high resolution satellite images from the Landsat-7, -8, -9 and Sentinel-2A spacecrafts. The contours of the failure were digitized for each year of observation, allowing for a highly accurate quantitative assessment of changes in its area and linear dimensions. The results of the study clearly confirm the effectiveness of remote sensing methods for monitoring dynamic and hard-to-reach cryogenic features. Despite a decrease in the relative rates of expansion, the absolute growth of the failure continues, highlighting the need for its continuous monitoring. This is necessary for assessing infrastructure risks in the Verkhoyansk District of Yakutia and for predicting further landscape changes in the context of a changing climate.
Keywords: Batagay failure, thermokarst, permafrost, permafrost degradation, remote sensing, Yakutia, Arctic regions
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