The environment and permafrost of the Mackenzie Delta area

• Published in: Permafrost and Periglacial Processes
• Main Authors: C. R. Burn, S. V. Kokelj
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Subjects: Arctic; Mackenzie Delta; Richardson Mountains; Beaufort Sea; Climate change; Ice; Ice Sheet; permafrost; Subarctic; Tundra
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.655

The Mackenzie Delta, prograding northwestwards into the Beaufort Sea, is North America's largest arctic delta. This Holocene feature is bounded by rolling uplands to the east and the Richardson Mountains to the west. Treeline traverses the region, separating the subarctic boreal forest in southern parts from low‐shrub tundra and sedge wetlands at the coast. The region is experiencing rapid climate change, and mean annual air temperature has increased by more than 2.5°C since 1970. The area was at the margin of the Wisconsinan ice sheet, so that in the uplands the mean annual ground temperature and glacial history control permafrost thickness, which varies from >700 m to