The thermal regime of a permafrost body at Mont du Lac des Cygnes, Quebec

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences
• Main Authors: Allard, Michel, Fortier, Richard
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1990
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Canada; Peat; Peat plateau; permafrost; Tundra
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e90-067; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e90-067

A low peat plateau in the alpine forest–tundra at Mont du Lac des Cygnes, 100 km northeast of Québec City, contains a permafrost body 2 m thick. At an elevation of 960 m, this is the southernmost known occurrence of alpine permafrost in eastern Canada. The terrain over the permafrost is windblown and bears a very thin and discontinuous snow cover. One year of continuous temperature records indicates that the mean annual air temperature at this site is about −1.3 °C. The permafrost remains at temperatures very near the freezing point for most of the year.