Earth’s Cryosphere, 2020, vol. XXIV, No. 2, pp. 15–30
DOI: 10.21782/KZ1560-7496-2020-2(15-30)

PERMAFROST DEGRADATION: RESULTS OF THE LONG-TERM GEOCRYOLOGICAL MONITORING IN THE WESTERN SECTOR OF RUSSIAN ARCTIC

A.A. Vasiliev1,2, A.G. Gravis1, A.A. Gubarkov3, D.S. Drozdov1,2,5, Yu.V. Korostelev1, G.V. Malkova1, G.E. Oblogov1,2, O.E. Ponomareva1,5, M.R. Sadurtdinov1, I.D. Streletskaya4, D.A. Streletskiy1,6, E.V. Ustinova2,3, R.S. Shirokov1

Earth Cryosphere Institute, Tyumen Scientific Centre SB RAS, P/O box 1230, Tyumen, 625000, Russia;al.a.vasiliev@gmail.com
2 Tyumen State University, 6, Volodarskogo str., Tyumen, 625003, Russia;
3 Tyumen Industrial University, 38, Volodarskogo str., Tyumen, 625000, Russia;
4 Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Geography, 1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia;
5 Ordzhonikidze Russian State Geological Prospecting University – MGRI, 23, Miklukho-Maklai str., Moscow, 117997, Russia;
6 George Washington University, Department of Geography, Washington, DC 20052, USA

The results of a long-term permafrost monitoring, which have been obtained at eight permafrost stations in the western sector of Russian Arctic, are presented. Increase in mean annual air temperatures in this area has reached approximately 2.8 °С (1970–2018). The data on mean annual temperature dynamics have been obtained for the active layer and upper permafrost for dominant landscapes of various bioclimatic zones: typical tundra, southern tundra, forest tundra, and northern taiga. Three stages of permafrost stability under the warming climate were determined: stable permafrost, unstable permafrost, and actively degrading permafrost. It was shown that permafrost degradation leads to active development of vegetation and migration of the boundaries of bioclimatic zones 30 to 40 km towards the north (1975–2018).

Key words: permafrost, ground temperatures, long-term monitoring, permafrost stations, permafrost degradation, intermediate layer


Please cite as:

Vasiliev A.A., Gravis A.G., Gubarkov A.A., Drozdov D.S., Korostelev Yu.V., Malkova G.V., Oblogov G.E., Ponomareva O.E., Sadurtdinov M.R., Streletskaya I.D., Streletskiy D.A., Ustinova E.V., Shirokov R.S. Permafrost degradation: results of the long-term geocryological monitoring in the western sector of Russian Arctic. Earth’s Cryosphere, 2020, vol. XXIV, No. 2, pp. 15–30. DOI:10.21782/KZ1560-7496-2020-2(15-30)