Special Issue: Recent advances (2008 – 2015) in the study of ground ice and cryostratigraphy
Cryostratigraphy involves the description, interpretation and correlation of ground-ice 17 structures (cryostructures) and their relationship to the host deposits. Recent advances in the 18 study of ground ice and cryostratigraphy concern permafrost aggradation and degradation, 19 massive-ice format...
| Published in: | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
John Wiley & Sons
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/61926/ http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/61926/1/Recent%20Advances.%20Accepted%20copy%20pre-proof%20%28archive%29.pdf https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.1912 |
| Summary: | Cryostratigraphy involves the description, interpretation and correlation of ground-ice 17 structures (cryostructures) and their relationship to the host deposits. Recent advances in the 18 study of ground ice and cryostratigraphy concern permafrost aggradation and degradation, 19 massive-ice formation and evaluation of ground-ice content. Field studies have increased our 20 knowledge of cryostructures and massive ground ice in epigenetic and syngenetic permafrost. 21 Epigenetic permafrost deposits are relatively ice-poor and composed primarily of pore-filled 22 cryostructures, apart from an ice-enriched upper section and intermediate layer. Syngenetic 23 permafrost deposits are commonly identified from cryostructures indicative of an aggrading 24 permafrost table and are characterized by a high ice content, ice-rich cryofacies, and nested 25 wedge ice. Degradation of ice-rich permafrost can be marked by thaw unconformities, 26 truncated buried ice wedges, ice-wedge pseudomorphs, and organic-rich ‘forest beds’. 27 Studies of massive ground ice have focused on wedge ice, thermokarst-cave ice, intrusive ice, 28 and buried ice. Significant advances have been made in methods for differentiating between 29 tabular massive ice bodies of glacier and intrasedimental origin. Recent studies have utilized 30 palynology, isotope geochemistry and hydrochemistry, in addition to sedimentary and 31 cryostratigraphic analyses. The application of remote sensing techniques and laboratory 32 methods such as CT scanning has improved estimations of the ice content of frozen 33 sediments. |
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