Radiocarbon chronology of Holocene palsa of Bol'shezemel'skaya tundra in Russian North

• Main Authors: Vasil'chuk, Yurij K, Vasil'chuk, Alla Constantinovna, Jungner, Höegne, Budantseva, Nadine A, Chizhova, Julia N
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2020
• Subjects: Mires; North-Eastern Europe; Palsa; permafrost; radiocarbon; Nikita; Abez’; Khanovey; Bugry; palsa; palsas; Russian North; Tundra; Vorkuta
• Online Access: https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.919189; https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.919189

Six palsa mire in Usa River valley and in Vorkuta area in North-eastern part of European Russia were studied in detail. In total 75 new ¹⁴C dates from different palsa sections were obtained. In palsa mire near Bugry Settlement 3.2 m high palsa dated from 8.6 to 2.1 ka BP. The permafrost and palsa began 2.1 ka BP. In palsa mire near Usa Settlement low moor peat in 2 m high palsa dated 3690 BP, palsa began to heave at least 3700 BP. A low-moor peat of 2.5 m high palsa indicates the change in the hydrological-mineral regime during 7.1 to 6.3 ka BP, heaving commenced 6 ka BP. A number of 8 ¹⁴C dates from 5.6 to 2.7 ka BP obtained from peat of 3 m high palsa. Near Abez' Settlement palsa development began about 2.8 ka BP. There are both large and smaller palsas. Low-moor peat of 3.5 m high palsa is dated between 9180 BP to 6730 BP near Nikita Settlement. In Vorkuta area near Khanovey Settlement the northern most palsa is found. The ¹⁴C age of peat at slope of the palsa is much younger, than in an axial part, there is inversion of the dates: the date 3.5 ka BP is between dates 2.9 and 2.8 ka BP. It is probably caused by creep of peat downwards from a summit. This evidenced this frozen mound is real palsa, but not a residual form as a result of erosion.