Development of palsa bog in central highland, iceland

• Main Author: Hirakawa Kazuomi
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Department of Geography, Tokyo Metropolitan University 1986
• Subjects: Iceland; palsa; palsas; permafrost; Thermokarst
• Online Access: https://tokyo-metro-u.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=2812; http://hdl.handle.net/10748/3540; https://tokyo-metro-u.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=2812&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

Topography and deposits in two selected bogs with permafrost in the central highland of Iceland are described. Radiocarbon dates and tephrochronological observation reaveal that development of permafrost in the bog started around 4,000 to 3,000 years B.P., succeeding to the formation of almost all deposits of bogs during the Atlantic time. Present irregularly undulating topography with slightly hilly microlandforms and varied depressions indicates that a thermokarst resulted from the more extensive development of former permafrost. That has occurred during these several hundred years since the beginning of the Middle Ages. Typical palsa, mineral palsas in most cases, formed only in such thermokarst depressions have occurred after the partial disappearence of the extensive permafrost.