Reconstructing Permafrost Sedimentological Characteristics and Post-depositional Processes of the Yedoma Stratotype Duvanny Yar, Siberia

Cryogenic weathering is a key driver of periglacial sediment composition and properties. Selective mineral-grain weathering caused by freeze-thaw cycles in permafrost environments has the ability to dominate this process, leading to silt-rich grain-size distributions. The cryogenic weathering index...

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Published in:Frontiers in Earth Science
Main Authors: Shmelev, Denis, Cherbunina, Maria, Rogov, Victor, Opfergelt, Sophie, Monhonval, Arthur, Strauss, Jens
Other Authors: Russian Foundation for Basic Research, European Research Council, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Horizon 2020, Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: Frontiers Media SA 2021
Subjects:
Yar
Ice
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.727315
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.727315/full
id crfrontiers:10.3389/feart.2021.727315
record_format openpolar
spelling crfrontiers:10.3389/feart.2021.727315 2024-02-11T10:04:41+01:00 Reconstructing Permafrost Sedimentological Characteristics and Post-depositional Processes of the Yedoma Stratotype Duvanny Yar, Siberia Shmelev, Denis Cherbunina, Maria Rogov, Victor Opfergelt, Sophie Monhonval, Arthur Strauss, Jens Russian Foundation for Basic Research European Research Council Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung Horizon 2020 Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.727315 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.727315/full unknown Frontiers Media SA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Frontiers in Earth Science volume 9 ISSN 2296-6463 General Earth and Planetary Sciences journal-article 2021 crfrontiers https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.727315 2024-01-26T09:59:24Z Cryogenic weathering is a key driver of periglacial sediment composition and properties. Selective mineral-grain weathering caused by freeze-thaw cycles in permafrost environments has the ability to dominate this process, leading to silt-rich grain-size distributions. The cryogenic weathering index (CWI) is a promising tool to quantify cryogenic weathering and freezing conditions. It considers the low resistance of quartz to freeze-thaw cycles compared to feldspars. Using this approach, this study aims to decipher post-depositional weathering by reconstructing cryogenic late Pleistocene Yedoma origins of the Yedoma stratotype exposure Duvanny Yar. To estimate the recent environmental endmember and to determine the initial mineral composition of sediment until freezing, the distribution of CWI in the active layer was studied. In addition to CWI, we studied mineral composition, heavy mineral distribution, grain size distribution and grain morphology. We suggest that cryogenic weathering likely altered polygenetic deposits (fluvial, nival, colluvial, lacustrine, alluvial, and aeolian processes) during sediment and ground ice accumulation. Moreover, we found two CWI distribution peaks in the late Pleistocene - Holocene sediments at the boundaries between glacial and interglacial ages. In conclusion, we see that the Duvanny Yar sediment facies varied by CWI, but also with grain-size distribution, suggesting environmental changes during formation. Nevertheless, post-depositional processes like cryogenic weathering have influenced sediment characteristics and should be considered in paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice permafrost Siberia Frontiers (Publisher) Yar ENVELOPE(151.300,151.300,70.917,70.917) Frontiers in Earth Science 9
institution Open Polar
collection Frontiers (Publisher)
op_collection_id crfrontiers
language unknown
topic General Earth and Planetary Sciences
spellingShingle General Earth and Planetary Sciences
Shmelev, Denis
Cherbunina, Maria
Rogov, Victor
Opfergelt, Sophie
Monhonval, Arthur
Strauss, Jens
Reconstructing Permafrost Sedimentological Characteristics and Post-depositional Processes of the Yedoma Stratotype Duvanny Yar, Siberia
topic_facet General Earth and Planetary Sciences
description Cryogenic weathering is a key driver of periglacial sediment composition and properties. Selective mineral-grain weathering caused by freeze-thaw cycles in permafrost environments has the ability to dominate this process, leading to silt-rich grain-size distributions. The cryogenic weathering index (CWI) is a promising tool to quantify cryogenic weathering and freezing conditions. It considers the low resistance of quartz to freeze-thaw cycles compared to feldspars. Using this approach, this study aims to decipher post-depositional weathering by reconstructing cryogenic late Pleistocene Yedoma origins of the Yedoma stratotype exposure Duvanny Yar. To estimate the recent environmental endmember and to determine the initial mineral composition of sediment until freezing, the distribution of CWI in the active layer was studied. In addition to CWI, we studied mineral composition, heavy mineral distribution, grain size distribution and grain morphology. We suggest that cryogenic weathering likely altered polygenetic deposits (fluvial, nival, colluvial, lacustrine, alluvial, and aeolian processes) during sediment and ground ice accumulation. Moreover, we found two CWI distribution peaks in the late Pleistocene - Holocene sediments at the boundaries between glacial and interglacial ages. In conclusion, we see that the Duvanny Yar sediment facies varied by CWI, but also with grain-size distribution, suggesting environmental changes during formation. Nevertheless, post-depositional processes like cryogenic weathering have influenced sediment characteristics and should be considered in paleoenvironmental reconstructions.
author2 Russian Foundation for Basic Research
European Research Council
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
Horizon 2020
Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Shmelev, Denis
Cherbunina, Maria
Rogov, Victor
Opfergelt, Sophie
Monhonval, Arthur
Strauss, Jens
author_facet Shmelev, Denis
Cherbunina, Maria
Rogov, Victor
Opfergelt, Sophie
Monhonval, Arthur
Strauss, Jens
author_sort Shmelev, Denis
title Reconstructing Permafrost Sedimentological Characteristics and Post-depositional Processes of the Yedoma Stratotype Duvanny Yar, Siberia
title_short Reconstructing Permafrost Sedimentological Characteristics and Post-depositional Processes of the Yedoma Stratotype Duvanny Yar, Siberia
title_full Reconstructing Permafrost Sedimentological Characteristics and Post-depositional Processes of the Yedoma Stratotype Duvanny Yar, Siberia
title_fullStr Reconstructing Permafrost Sedimentological Characteristics and Post-depositional Processes of the Yedoma Stratotype Duvanny Yar, Siberia
title_full_unstemmed Reconstructing Permafrost Sedimentological Characteristics and Post-depositional Processes of the Yedoma Stratotype Duvanny Yar, Siberia
title_sort reconstructing permafrost sedimentological characteristics and post-depositional processes of the yedoma stratotype duvanny yar, siberia
publisher Frontiers Media SA
publishDate 2021
url http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.727315
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2021.727315/full
long_lat ENVELOPE(151.300,151.300,70.917,70.917)
geographic Yar
geographic_facet Yar
genre Ice
permafrost
Siberia
genre_facet Ice
permafrost
Siberia
op_source Frontiers in Earth Science
volume 9
ISSN 2296-6463
op_rights https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
op_doi https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.727315
container_title Frontiers in Earth Science
container_volume 9
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