As Arctic sea ice vanishes, permafrost could warm much more quickly than previously thought, according to new research. Melting permafrost could then release its vast stores of carbon into the atmosphere, accelerating global warming.

The study is the first to link the loss of sea ice to warmer temperatures hundreds of miles inland.  If sea ice continues to disappear, “we may see a period of accelerated change,” said David Lawrence, an author of the study.