The main features of permafrost in the Laptev Sea region, Russia - a review

• Main Authors: Hubberten, Hans-Wolfgang, Romanovskii, N. N.
• Other Authors: Phillips, Marcia, Springman, Sarah M., Arenson, Lukas U.
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Balkema 2003
• Subjects: Laptev Sea; Ice; laptev; permafrost
• Online Access: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/27369/; https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/27369/1/2003_Hubberten-Romanovskii-Main_Permafrost-Chapter_077.pdf; http://research.iarc.uaf.edu/NICOP/DVD/ICOP%202003%20Permafrost/Pdf/Chapter_077.pdf

In this paper the concepts of permafrost conditions in the Laptev Sea region are presented with special attention to the following results: It was shown, that ice-bearing and ice-bonded permafrost exists presently within the coastal lowlands and under the shallow shelf. Open taliks can develop from modern and palaeo river taliks in active fault zones and from lake taliks over fault zones or lithospheric blocks with a higher geothermal heat flux. Ice-bearing and ice-bonded permafrost, as well as the zone of gas hydrate stability, form an impermeable regional shield for groundwater and gases occurring under permafrost. Emission of these gases and discharge of ground-water are possible only in rare open taliks, predominantly controlled by fault tectonics. Ice-bearing and ice-bonded permafrost, as well as the zone of gas hydrate stability in the northern region of the lowlands and in the inner shelf zone, have preserved during at least four Pleistocene climatic and glacio-eustatic cycles. Presently, they are subject to degradation from the bottom under the impact of the geothermal heat flux.