Описание:Purpose of discipline is getting of knowledge of permafrost dynamics and cryogenic processes. A subject of the discipline are temperature mode of soil and dynamics of permafrost soils, cryogenic processes and the phenomena, and climate change influence on cryolithozone. Development of this discipline allows defining a place and a role of permafrost in environment; to get knowledge of formation of seasonal and permafrost soils; to know the basics of permafrost formation in past and future. The discipline introduces students to permafrost landforms that are unique to areas with permafrost. It should explain why and how permafrost and cryogenic processes form and its special properties, and why the processes are not seen in other landscapes. It must also explain why recognition of permafrost landforms can be important in planning use of permafrost lands.
General time consuming of the discipline is 6 test units or 216 hours. The course is in 6th semesters.
Introduction and Characteristics of Permafrost areas.
Definition and description. Brief history of study. Typical permafrost profile: description; thermal regime; moisture regime; organic matter and microorganisms; cryological structures.
Permafrost Processes. Effect of temperature changes. Movement of moisture
Factors affecting permafrost. Relation to climate: Present-day; relict permafrost; pereletok; hydrology; vegetation; lithology; unconsolidated sediments; massive bedrock; topography; other factors.
Distribution of permafrost. Present: zonal; elevational, oceanic versus continental; past.
Permafrost landforms. Cracking of ground and resultant landforms: Ice wedges; tessellons.
Massive ground ice in lowlands. Accumulation; buried glacial ice.
Permafrost mounds: pingos; palsas; lithalsas; peat plateaus; seasonal frost mounds; Earth hummocks and thufurs.
Blocky deposits: rock glaciers; block slopes; block streams;
Patterned Ground. Sorted patterns. Nonsorted patterns.
Thermokarst. Thermokarst ponds and lakes. Degrading pingos. Beaded streams. Alas formation and evolution.
Importance of the landforms in planning the use of permafrost areas. Permafrost forecast and management. Methods of mapping. Mathematical models for effects of climate change.
Methods of field study. Description. Temperature measurement. Moisture measurements. Frozen and unfrozen deposits. Geophysical methods. Types and scales of geocryological maps.
Importance to the use of permafrost lands. Construction. Linear rights of way. Hydrology. Mining. Oil and gas exploitation.