Characteristics and Concept of Formation
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Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Telegrafenberg A43, D-14473 Potsdam, Germany 9LNWRU9.XQLWVN\
Permafrost Institute RAS-SB Yakutsk, 677010 Yakutsk, ul. Mersoltnaya, Russia Guido Grosse
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute, 903 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA 7DW\DQD9.X]QHWVRYD$OH[DQGHU<X'HUHY\DJLQ
Moscow State University, Geological Faculty, 11991 Moscow, Russia
Abstract
7KH<HGRPD6XLWHLVZHOOH[SRVHGDORQJFRDVWVDQGULYHUEDQNVLQWKHQRUWKHDVWHUQ6LEHULDQ$UFWLF7KHFU\RWH[WXUH RIWKHVHPRVWO\LFHVXSHUVDWXUDWHGGHSRVLWVLVVLPLODUDWPRVWVLWHV²LFHEDQGVDQGUHWLFXODWHGLFHOHQVHV7KH<HGRPD 6XLWH LV FRQVLGHUHG D VHTXHQFH RI EXULHG FU\RVROV IRUPHG XQGHU SUHGRPLQDQWO\ VXEDHULDO FRQGLWLRQV ,W UHSUHVHQWV DQ LPSRUWDQW WHUUHVWULDO FDUERQ UHVHUYRLU 72& ±ZW 7KH PXOWLPRGDO JUDLQ VL]H GLVWULEXWLRQ GRHV QRW UHÀHFW SULPDULO\DHROLDQDFFXPXODWLRQEXWUDWKHUDPL[WXUHRIYDULRXVSHULJODFLDOWUDQVSRUWDQGDFFXPXODWLRQSURFHVVHVEDVHG RQWKHFRQFHSWRIQLYDOOLWKRJHQHVLV7KH<HGRPD6XLWHDJHOLHVLQWKH0,6DQG0,6SHULRGVDQGLQUDUHFDVHV DOUHDG\VWDUWVGXULQJ0,67KHSDODHRHFRORJ\RIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHFDQEHVXPPDUL]HGLQWKHWHUP³7XQGUD6WHSSH´
FRPELQLQJERWKWXQGUDDQGVWHSSHHQYLURQPHQWDOIHDWXUHV7KHSUHVHQWRFFXUUHQFHRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHUHPDLQVLV FORVHO\UHODWHGWRORZPRXQWDLQULGJHVVXUURXQGLQJWKHQRUWKHUQDQGQRUWKHDVWHUQ6LEHULDQVKHOYHV7KHFRQFHSWRI QLYDOOLWKRJHQHVLVLVSUHVHQWHGH[SODLQLQJWKHRULJLQRIVRXUFHPDWHULDODQGWUDQVSRUWPHGLXP
Keywords: cryolithology; late Pleistocene; northeastern Siberia; palaeo-environment; yedoma.
Introduction
The term yedoma LV RIWHQ DVVRFLDWHG ZLWK GHVFULELQJ SRVVLEOHUHDFWLRQVRISHUPDIURVWWRJOREDOZDUPLQJ=LPRY HW DO :DOWHU HW DO :DONHU 7KH ZRUG yedomaSUREDEO\RULJLQDWHGLQ.DPFKDWNDDQGGHVFULEHGD ERJJ\VLWHRUDQHOHYDWHGPHDGRZOLNHÀDWSODLQ,WHQWHUHG VFLHQFH YLD WKH H[SHGLWLRQV RI 9LWXV %HULQJ LQ 6LEHULD GXULQJ WKH WK FHQWXU\ ,QLWLDOO\ WKH WHUPyedoma ZDV RI geomorphologic origin and described the hills separating thermokarst depressions in East-Siberia, especially in the
<DQD,QGLJLUND DQG .RO\PD /RZODQGV .RORVRY
%DUDQRYD %LVNp0XUVDHY7RPLUGLDUR 7KHVHPRXQGVZHUHFRQVLGHUHGWREHHURVLRQDOUHPQDQWVRI former accumulation plains. In this sense, yedoma described a special geomorphological relief type in Siberian permafrost regions, directly formed by thermokarst and thermoerosion 6RORY¶HY
The stratigraphical term Yedoma SuiteZDVODWHUDGRSWHG for middle Pleistocene horizons in the northeastern Siberian /RZODQGV /DYUXVKLQ 9DV¶NRYVN\ 7KLV VWUDWLJUDSKLFDO SRVLWLRQ ZDV PRYHG WR WKH ODWH 3OHLVWRFHQH EDVHGRQIDXQDOVWXGLHVDWWKH'XYDQQ\<DUVLWHLQWKH.RO\PD /RZODQGV6KHUZKLFKEHFDPHWKHVWUDWRW\SHIRUWKH
<HGRPD 6XLWH 7KLV FDWHJRUL]DWLRQ ZDV ¿QDOO\ FRQ¿UPHG E\ WKH GHFLVLRQ RI WKH ,QWHUGHSDUWPHQWDO &RPPLVVLRQ RQ Quaternary Stratigraphy of the Soviet Union in Magadan in 6KHU
(DUO\ JHQHWLF FRQFHSWLRQV RI WKH <HGRPD 6XLWH LQFOXGH JODFLHUGDPPHGEDVLQVHGLPHQWV*URVVZDOGDOOXYLDO JHQHVLV 5R]HQEDXP GHOWDLF IRUPDWLRQ 1DJDRND HW DOSUROXYLDODQGVORSHGHSRVLWV6ODJRGD*UDYLV FU\RJHQLFDHROLDQ7RPLUGLDURHWDO7RPLUGLDUR &KHUQHQN\DQGQLYDOGHSRVLWV*DODEDODDV ZHOODVSRO\JHQHWLFRULJLQV6KHUHWDO
7KH GHSRVLWV RI WKH<HGRPD 6XLWH UHSUHVHQW XQLTXH ODWH Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental archives for a large region of the Northern Hemisphere lacking major glacial records.
:LWKLQ WKH 5XVVLDQ*HUPDQ SURMHFW 6\VWHP /DSWHY 6HD WKHVHGHSRVLWVZHUHVWXGLHGZLWKDPXOWLGLVFLSOLQDU\DSSURDFK (cryolithology, sedimentology, palaeontology, palaeobotany, geochronology, mineralogy, isotope geochemistry, GIS, remote sensing) during the last ten years. We here present D ¿UVW UHYLHZ RI VRPH JHQHUDO UHVXOWV RQ WKH RYHUDUFKLQJ IHDWXUHVRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHLQWKH/DSWHY6HDUHJLRQDQGD concept of its formation.
Study Region
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<HGRPD 6XLWH DW ZHOOH[SRVHG VLWHV RQ WKH /DSWHY 6HD DQG WKH (DVW 6LEHULDQ 6HD FRDVWV DQG LQ WKH /HQD 'HOWD )LJ7KHVHVLWHVDUHVLWXDWHGLQWKHORZODQGSODLQVRIWKH continental shelf on both sides of the current seismically active boundary of the Eurasian and the North American continental plates.
Characteristics of the Yedoma Suite
Occurrence and geomorphology
7KHRFFXUUHQFHRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHLQWKHVWXG\UHJLRQLV FORVHO\UHODWHGWRORZPRXQWDLQULGJHVFDWRPDVO surrounding the northern and northeastern Siberian shelves, ZKLFKDUHWKHPDMRUVHGLPHQWVRXUFHVIRUWKH<HGRPD6XLWH ,Q WKH ZHVWHUQ /DSWHY 6HD DQG WKH /HQD 'HOWD UHJLRQ WKH RFFXUUHQFHRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHLVVWURQJO\FRQQHFWHGZLWK WKHFRDVWDOPRXQWDLQVRIWKH3URQFKLVKFKHY&KHNDQRYVN\
DQG .KDUDXODNK 5LGJHV +HDY\ PLQHUDO VWXGLHV DW YDULRXV VLWHV KDYH VKRZQ WKDW WKHVH ULGJHV DUH D PDLQ VRXUFH RI VHGLPHQW 6LHJHUW HW DO 6FKZDPERUQ HW DO Schirrmeister et al. 2003). Therefore, foreland accumulation SODLQVZHUHWKHDUHDVRIWKHIRUPDWLRQRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWH ,QWKHHDVWHUQSDUWRIWKHVWXG\UHJLRQWKHH[SRVHGJUDQLWH DQG EDVDOW LQWUXVLRQV RQ %RO¶VKR\ /\DNKRYVN\ ,VODQG DQG
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6WROERYR\ DQG .RWHO¶Q\ ,VODQGV VHUYH DV VRXUFH DUHDV IRU VHGLPHQWVRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWH7KHGLVWULEXWLRQRIWKHLFH ULFK VHTXHQFHV LV HDVLO\ LGHQWL¿HG E\ IUHTXHQW WKHUPRNDUVW GHSUHVVLRQVRUODNHV*URVVHHWDO
7KH<HGRPD6XLWHH[SRVHVSHUPDIURVWFOLIIVLQWR
PKLJK KRUVHVKRHVKDSHG WKDZ VOXPSV RU WKHUPRFLUTXHV along sea coasts and riverbanks (Fig. 2).
Cryolithology
7KHFOLIIVDUHFRPSRVHGRILFHZHGJHERGLHVDQGFROXPQV RI IUR]HQ GHSRVLWV EHWZHHQ WKHP UHSUHVHQWLQJ YHUWLFDOO\
RU GLDJRQDOO\ FXW SRO\JRQDO LFH ZHGJH V\VWHPV 7KHUHIRUH IROLDWHGV\QJHQHWLFLFHZHGJHVRI±PZLGWKDQG±
P KHLJKW DQG VHSDUDWH WKHUPRNDUVW PRXQGV RI ± P LQ diameter and up to 10 m height are the most characteristic IHDWXUHVRI<HGRPD6XLWHHURVLRQFOLIIV&RPSDUHGWRWKHLFH ZHGJHV WKH LQWUDSRO\JRQDO GHSRVLWV DUH PRUH UHVLVWDQW WR WKDZLQJSURFHVVHVEHFDXVHWKH\KDYHDVPDOOHULFHFRQWHQW DQGFRQWDLQVWDELOL]LQJSHDW\SDOHRVROOD\HUVDOWHUQDWLQJZLWK silty-sand layers. These features of continuous permafrost VHTXHQFHVDUHWKHUHVXOWRIORQJODVWLQJDQGVWDEOHFU\RJHQHVLV and landscape conditions.
7KHFU\RWH[WXUHRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHLVTXLWHVLPLODUDWDOO RIWKHVWXG\VLWHV7KHJHQHUDOWH[WXUHLVOD\HUHG,FHEDQGV
± FP DOWHUQDWH ZLWK VHGLPHQW LQWHUOD\HUV RI YDULDEOH thickness. These interlayers contain numerous small ice OHQVHVDVZHOODVUHWLFXODWHGLFHOHQVHV7KHIUR]HQVHGLPHQW VHTXHQFHV DUH IUHTXHQWO\ LFHVXSHUVDWXUDWHG UHVXOWLQJ LQ JUDYLPHWULFLFHFRQWHQWVRIWRRQDYHUDJH)LJ
6XFK FU\RWH[WXUHV DUH W\SLFDO IRU VHGLPHQWV IRUPHG LQ SRRUO\ GUDLQHG ODQGVFDSHV ZLWK D QHDUVXUIDFH SHUPDIURVW table. The formation of these ice bands is a sign of stable surface conditions and stable active-layer depths over a certain time period, resulting in ice aggradation at the top of the permafrost table. The stable isotope signature of ice ZHGJHV VKRZV OLJKW YDOXHV IRU DOO VWXG\ VLWHV VLWH PHDQ
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Novosibir Island.
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YDOXHVG'WRÅG2WRÅGH[FHVVDERXW ÅUHÀHFWLQJYHU\FROGZLQWHUWHPSHUDWXUHVDQGPRLVWXUH VRXUFHVZKLFKDUHLVRWRSLFDOO\GLIIHUHQWIURP+RORFHQHDQG modern ones (Meyer et al. 2002a, b).
Organic carbon and grain-size parameters
7KH <HGRPD 6XLWH LQFOXGHV EXULHG FU\RVROV PDUNHG E\ EURZQLVK KRUL]RQV DV ZHOO DV SHDW LQFOXVLRQV DQGRU QXPHURXVWZLJVDQGOHDIV&U\RWXUEDWLRQSDWWHUQVRIWR 1 m thickness are very common. The organic carbon content LVUHODWLYHO\KLJKWR!ZWLQDYHUDJHWRZW :RRGIUDJPHQWVDQGSHDWDUHSUHVHQWZLWKQXPHURXVVPDOO
¿ODPHQWRXVURRWOHWVDQGGLVSHUVHGRUJDQLFVGHWULWXV 7KH¿QHJUDLQHGVHGLPHQWVFRPSRVLQJWKH<HGRPD6XLWH are poorly sorted and differ in grain-size parameters from VLWH WR VLWH )LJ 0XOWLPRGDO JUDLQVL]H GLVWULEXWLRQ SDWWHUQVUHÀHFWDPL[WXUHRIWUDQVSRUWDFFXPXODWLRQDQGUH VHGLPHQWDWLRQ SURFHVVHV 7KHUHIRUH ZH FRQFOXGH WKDW WKLV W\SHRIVHGLPHQWLQWKH/DSWHY6HDUHJLRQLVQRWSULPDULO\
RIDHROLDQRULJLQDYLHZWKDWLVVWLOOZLGHO\UHÀHFWHGLQWKH VFLHQWL¿FOLWHUDWXUHXVLQJWKHJHQHUDOL]LQJWHUP³$UFWLFORHVV´
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Summarizing the special cryolithological and sedimentological characteristics, it is concluded that the IUR]HQGHSRVLWVRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHDFFXPXODWHGLQDVSHFLDO SHULJODFLDOIDFLHV7KHWHUP³,FH&RPSOH[´6RORYLHY SLVXVHGIRUWKHVHGHSRVLWV
Age determination and stratigraphy
7KHDJHRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHZDVGHWHUPLQHGE\UDGLRFDUERQ AMS analyses of about 300 samples and some luminescence GDWLQJV 6FKLUUPHLVWHU HW DO D *URVVH HW DO $QGUHHY HW DO The geochronologically GHWHUPLQHGRQVHWRIWKH<HGRPD6XLWHDFFXPXODWLRQYDULHV EHWZHHQDERXWN\%3DWWKH1HZ6LEHULDQ,VODQGVDQG N\%3DWWKHZHVWHUQ/DSWHY6HDFRDVW7KHODWHVWGHSRVLWLRQ LVGDWHGEHWZHHQN\%3DWWKH1HZ6LEHULDQ,VODQGVDQG WRN\%3LQWKHZHVWHUQ/DSWHY6HD8QFRQIRUPLWLHVDUH IUHTXHQWXSWRN\DQGSUREDEO\FDXVHGE\WKHUPRNDUVW DQGWKHUPRHURVLRQ7KH<HGRPD6XLWHSUHGRPLQDQWO\FRYHUV WKH.DUJLQDQG6DUWDQSHULRGRIWKH5XVVLDQODWH3OHLVWRFHQH
VWUDWLJUDSK\ZKLFKFRUUHVSRQGVWRWKH0,6DQG0,6RI WKHJOREDOFODVVL¿FDWLRQ$W%\NRYVN\3HQLQVXODWKH<HGRPD 6XLWH LV VRPHZKDW ROGHU DQG DOUHDG\ VWDUWHG GXULQJ WKH
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VHSDUDWH ORFDOO\ FRQ¿QHG +RORFHQH GHSRVLWV RQ WRS RI WKH
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Palaeoecology (Table 1)
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Formation of the Yedoma Suite
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Several geological processes are important for its formation DQGFDQEHVXPPDUL]HGLQIRXUVWDJHV)LJ
Table 1. Palaeoenvironmental stages of northeastern Siberian Arctic ORZODQGV GXULQJ WKH ODWH 4XDWHUQDU\ LQIHUUHG IURP PXOWLSUR[\
DQDO\VLVRISHUPDIURVWUHFRUGV$QGUHHYHWDO
)LJXUH 7\SLFDO JUDLQVL]H GLVWULEXWLRQ SDWWHUQV RI WKH <HGRPD Suite at various sites.
Allerœd 12 ky
7XQGUDZLWKKLJKHUELRSURGXFWLYLW\
x
Warming climate x
First thermokarst depressions x
Sartan 30 - 12 ky
Sparse grass-sedge tundra x
&ROGDQGGU\VXPPHUVYHU\FROGZLQWHUV x
,FH&RPSOH[IRUPDWLRQ x
.DUJLQ ca. 50 - 30 ky
7XQGUDVWHSSHZLWKKLJKELRSURGXFWLYLW\
x
5HODWLYHO\ZDUPVXPPHUVFROGZLQWHUV x
,FH&RPSOH[IRUPDWLRQ x
Zyryan ca. 100 - 50 ky
Sparse grass sedge tundra x
([WUHPHFROGDQGGU\FOLPDWH x
:LGHVSUHDGÀXYLDOODFXVWULQHDQG x
ÀRRGSODLQGHSRVLWV
%HJLQRIORFDO,FH&RPSOH[IRUPDWLRQ x
$FFXPXODWLRQRIZLQGEORZQVQRZWRJHWKHUZLWKSODQW DQG PLQHUDO GHWULWXV LQ QXPHURXV SHUHQQLDO VQRZ¿HOGV QpYpV LQ WRSRJUDSKLF IHDWXUHV RI KLOOV DQG ORZ PRXQWDLQ ranges (e.g., steep slopes, valleys, cryoplanation terraces, )LJ D 6LPLODU SURFHVVHV EXW DW D VPDOOHU VFDOH DUH observed today at numerous sites in northeastern Siberia, ZKHUHQLYDOSURFHVVHVDUHDQHVVHQWLDOUHOLHIIRUPLQJIDFWRU .XQLWVN\HWDO
2. A concentrated detritus mat forms due to repeated WKDZLQJ RI DFFXPXODWLQJ VQRZ WUDQVSRUW RI GHWULWXV E\
PHOWZDWHUDQGGRZQVORSHDFFXPXODWLRQRISODQWDQGPLQHUDO GHEULV,QWHQVHIUHH]HWKDZF\FOHVDQGZHWFRQGLWLRQVDURXQG DQG EHORZ WKH SHUHQQLDO VQRZ¿HOGV VXSSRUW WKH IRUPDWLRQ RI¿QHJUDLQHGPDWHULDOE\IURVWZHDWKHULQJ)LJE6XFK SURFHVVHV DUH DOVR REVHUYHG LQ PRGHUQ VQRZ¿HOG DUHDV
*UDLQVL]HDQDO\VHVRIPRGHUQFODVWLFPDWHULDOVKRZVLPLODU PXOWLPRGDOSDWWHUQVDVWKH<HGRPD6XLWH)LJ
'LVFKDUJH RI FODVWLF DQG RUJDQLF GHWULWXV SURFHHGHG E\ VQRZ¿HOG PHOWZDWHU UXQRII )LQHJUDLQHG GHEULV ZDV VXEVHTXHQWO\ GLVWULEXWHG E\ DOOXYLDO ÀXYLDO SUROXYLDO DQG partly also aeolian transport to piedmont plains, cryoplanation WHUUDFHVRUODUJHDOOXYLDOIDQV)LJF
,FH &RPSOH[ IRUPDWLRQ FRQVLVWHG RI FRQFXUUHQW processes of sediment accumulation, ground ice segregation, V\QJHQHWLF LFH ZHGJH JURZWK VHGLPHQW UHZRUNLQJ SHDW DJJUDGDWLRQFU\RVROIRUPDWLRQDQGFU\RWXUEDWLRQ)LJG
7KHIRUPDWLRQRIKXJHSRO\JRQDOLFHZHGJHV\VWHPVDQG WKLFN FRQWLQXRXV VHTXHQFHV RI IUR]HQ GHSRVLWV LV FORVHO\
UHODWHG WR WKH SHUVLVWHQFH RI VWDEOH SRRUO\ GUDLQHG ORZ topographic gradient accumulation plains.
Conclusions
7KH <HGRPD 6XLWH LV DQ LPSRUWDQW SDOHRHQYLURQPHQWDO archive that spans large regional and chronological gaps LQ WKH SUR[\ LQIRUPDWLRQ RI WKH ODWH 3OHLVWRFHQH $UFWLF
&RQVLVWHQW FU\ROLWKRORJLFDO VHGLPHQWRORJLFDO DQG SDODHR HFRORJLFDO IHDWXUHV 7DE UHÀHFW VLPLODU HQYLURQPHQWDO FRQGLWLRQVIRUDZLGHYDULHW\RIVLWHVUHSUHVHQWLQJDVSHFLDO periglacial facies.
&RQFOXGLQJWKH<HGRPD6XLWHLQFOXGHVDPDVVLYHFDUERQ DQG IUHVKZDWHU UHVHUYRLU VXVFHSWLEOH WR UHOHDVH E\ JOREDO ZDUPLQJ,QRUGHUWRHVWLPDWHDQGFDOFXODWHWKHUROHRIWKHVH ZLGHVSUHDGLFHDQGRUJDQLFULFKIUR]HQGHSRVLWVLQ6LEHULD LQDIXWXUHZDUPLQJ$UFWLFZHPXVWLPSURYHRXUNQRZOHGJH
RIWKHLUFKDUDFWHULVWLFVDQGRULJLQ7KHVSHFL¿FFRPELQDWLRQ of strongly continental climate and the local landscape SHUPLWWHGV\QJHQHWLFIRUPDWLRQRILFHZHGJHVDQGRUJDQLF ULFK LFHVXSHUVDWXUDWHG VHTXHQFHV FDOOHG ,FH &RPSOH[ RU WKH,FH&RPSOH[HVRIWKH6LEHULDQ$UFWLF
)LJXUH6FKHPHRI<HGRPD6XLWHIRUPDWLRQ Figure 5. Grain-size distribution curves of clastic remains in
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Acknowledgments
This paper is based on the joint Russian-German science FRRSHUDWLRQ³6\VWHP/DSWHY6HD´VXSSRUWHGE\WKH*HUPDQ Ministry of Education and Research. The Russian as ZHOO DV WKH *HUPDQ 6FLHQFH )RXQGDWLRQ SURPRWHG WKHVH HQYLURQPHQWDO VWXGLHV ZLWK VHYHUDO SURMHFWV :H WKDQN DOO 5XVVLDQ DQG *HUPDQ FROOHDJXHV ZKR KHOS XV GXULQJ ¿HOG ZRUNDQGODERUDWRU\VWXGLHVEXWHVSHFLDOO\6.X]PLQD0 Grigoriev, W. Schneider, V. Tumskoy, A. Sher, V. Rachold,
*6FKZDPERUQ).LHQDVW37DUDVRY$(XOHQEXUJDQG 8%DVWLDQ,QDGGLWLRQZHWKDQN332YHUGXLQIRUWKHQDWLYH VSHDNHUFRUUHFWLRQDVZHOODV')URHVHDQGRQHDQRQ\PRXV UHYLHZHUIRUWKHLUKHOSIXOKLQWV
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Andreev, $$ HW DO :HLFKVHOLDQ DQG +RORFHQH SDODHRHQYLURQPHQWDO KLVWRU\ RI WKH %RO¶VKR\
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%DUDQRYD <X3 %LVNp 6) North East USSR:
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%REURY$$$QGUHHY$$ 6FKLUUPHLVWHU / 6LHJHUW
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*URVVH*6FKLUUPHLVWHU/.XQLWVN\99 +XEEHUWHQ H.-W. 2005. 7KHXVHRI&2521$LPDJHVLQUHPRWH VHQVLQJRISHULJODFLDOJHRPRUSKRORJ\$QLOOXVWUDWLRQ from the NE Siberian coast. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes
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Northeastern Russia: Inference from Mineralogical and Microtextural Properties of the Sediment Record
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Alfred Wegener Institut für Polar und Meeresforschung, Potsdam, Germany
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Alfred Wegener Institut für Polar und Meeresforschung, Potsdam, Germany /XW]6FKLUUPHLVWHU
Alfred Wegener Institut für Polar und Meeresforschung, Potsdam, Germany Grigory Fedorov
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
Abstract
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Introduction
Today, the majority of Siberian landmasses are subject to permafrost conditions. This is also the case for most of the 4XDWHUQDU\.DSOLQD%ULJKDP*UHWWH+XEEHUWHQ HWDO1RQHWKHOHVVXQWLOQRZQRFRQWLQXRXVUHFRUGKDV been available that could be used to demonstrate variability of permafrost conditions for that time, nor have any suitable
SUR[\GDWDEHHQWHVWHG6XFKDVHGLPHQWUHFRUGFRXOGQRZ EHFRPHDYDLODEOHWKURXJKVWXGLHVDW(OJ\J\WJ\Q&UDWHU/DNH in northeastern Siberia.
)URVWZHDWKHULQJVORSHG\QDPLFVDQGÀXYLDORXWZDVKDUH among the main surface processes, and they trigger erosion DQGGHWULWDOVHGLPHQWWUDQVSRUWLQWRWKHODNHEDVLQ&RQWLQXRXV periglacial denudation is assumed for the Quaternary
*OXVKNRYD 6PLUQRY7UDFLQJVLJQDOVRIFU\RJHQLF ZHDWKHULQJIURPWKHFDWFKPHQWLQWRWKHODNHEDVLQSURYLGHV D GLUHFW ODQGWRODNH OLQNDJH ZLWKLQ SDOHRHQYLURQPHQWDO UHFRQVWUXFWLRQDQGZLOOHQOLJKWHQWKHSHUPDIURVWKLVWRU\RI non-glaciated NE Siberia. The development of a sediment- PLQHUDORJLFDODSSURDFKWRREWDLQSUR[\GDWDIRUFU\RJHQLF ZHDWKHULQJ LV WKH FRQWHQW RI WKLV SDSHU :H XVH PDWHULDO from former coring into the lake and frozen deposits of the catchment (Melles et al. 2005).
Environmental Setting
(OJ\J\WJ\Q&UDWHU/DNHNPLQGLDPHWHUDQGPLQ ZDWHUGHSWKDWPD[LPXP)LJKROGVVHGLPHQWVWKDWPLUURU glacial to interglacial cyclicity and regional environmental FKDQJHDWPLOOHQQLDOWLPHUHVROXWLRQ1RZDF]\NHWDO 7KH VHGLPHQWV FRQVLVW RI FOD\H\ VLOWV DQG VLOW\ FOD\V ZLWK occasional sand layers ($VLNDLQHQ HW DO %ased on sedimentological data (physical properties, organic, and Figure 1.&UDWHUORFDWLRQLQ1(6LEHULDLQVHWDQGSRVLWLRQVRIODNH
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