Distribution of zonal permafrost landforms with freezing and thawing indices
In areas with under 50 cm snow cover in winter, the permafrost zones can be defined by freezing indices and thawing indices. The relationship works for Norway, Spitsbergen, Canada and Mongolia, and since these include a very wide range of thermal
In areas with under 50cm snow cover in winter, the permafrost zones are defined by the freezing indices and thawing indices. The warmer boundary of the zone of continuous permafrost traverses the mean annual air temperature (MAAT). The boundary
between discontinuous and sporadic permafrost lies just on the cold side of 0C MAAT. The sporadic permafrost zone includes the zone of ice caves and the regions with patches of ice beneath ponds and peatbogs, out to 5C MAAT at a thawing index of 4000
A comparison is made between winter snow cover, Continentality Index values, freezing and thawing indices, and the apparent edaphic-ecological wetness and dryness of the sites as judged by distribution of differing types of alpine vegetation, soils