Thermokarst as a short-term permafrost disturbance, Central Yakutia

Auteurs :
BROUCHKOV, A.
FUKUDA, M.
FEDOROV, A.
KONSTANTINOV, P.
IWAHANA, G.

Description :
In spite of current climatic warming, there is no noticeable increase in regional thermokarst in Central Yakutia. Periodic forest fires significantly increase soil thermal conductivity and progressive soil salinization is occurring; however, these are insufficient to cause thaw of the underlying icy sediments. Instead, active thermokarst should be regarded as a short-term catastrophic process. Use of the Kudryavtsev algorithm indicates that the depth of thaw beneath a water body in Central Yakutia can reach 8-10 m within 50 years, and 20+ m within 300 years. Field observations show that current thermokarst has a tendency for fast (5-10+ cm/year) subsidence.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Permafrost and periglacial processes, issn : 1045-6740, 2004, vol. 15, n°. 1, p. 81-87, nombre de pages : 7, Collation : Illustration, Références bibliographiques : 22 ref.

Date :
2004

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley