Earth’s Cryosphere, 2011, Vol. XV, No. 1, p. 3-14

RETROSPECTIVE APPROACH TO THE ESTIMATION OF THE CONTEMPORARY EXTENSION AND STRUCTURE OF THE SHELF CRYOLITHOZONE IN EAST ARCTIC

N.N. Romanovskii, V.E. Tumskoy

Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of Geology, 119991, Moscow, Leninskie Gory, Russia, nromanovsky@rambler.ru

General principles of retrospective approach to the study of the contemporary structure and history of evolution of cryolithozone of the East Arctic shelf have been considered. This approach is based on mathematical modelling of shelf cryolithozone dynamics, using the complex of geocryological, geological, and paleogeographic data from investigation area. In the conditions of the extremely poorly examined East Arctic shelf cryolithozone, the retrospective approach permits to estimate the distribution and thickness of frozen and cooled ground on this territory, the gas hydrate stability zones, to reconstruct their dynamics during Middle-Late Neopleistocene and Holocene. The basic advantages and shortcomings of the retrospective approach and the peculiarities of mathematical modelling have been examined. The further lines of development of this method have been revealed.

Key words: Cryolithozone of the Arctic shelf, paleogeography, mathematical modelling, Laptev Sea.

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