Earth’s Cryosphere, 2012, Vol. XVI, No. 2, p. 30-37

CARTOMETRIC RESEARCHES OF THERMOKARST LAKES WITHIN THE BOVANENKOVO GAS FIELD TERRITORY, YAMAL PENINSULA

G.S. Sannikov

“Promneftegazekologiya” Co Ltd, 625000, Tyumen, Respubliki str., 207, Russia; tyumenetz@gmail.com

The researches of changes of the sizes of thermokarst lakes have been carried out on the key site located within the territory of Bovanenkovo gas field, Central Yamal. The changes that occurred during the last 20 years have been calculated. The analyses of the nonsimultaneous cartographic, aero- and space-survey materials have been used during the investigations. The possibility of using of the relief morphological analysis for the location of sites mostly exposed to thermokarst has been examined. The cartometric calculations have revealed the insignificant but stable decrease of areas of the thermokarst lakes on watershed surfaces and insignificant increase of lake areas and number on the low hypsometrical levels.

Key words: Thermokarst lakes, Bovanenkovo gas field, morphological analysis, cartometry, exogenous processes.

---