Earth’s Cryosphere, 2010, Vol. XIV, No. 1, p. 41-49

BEAD-SHAPED CHANNEL FORMS AS EVIDENCE OF PARAGENESIS OF CRYOGENIC AND HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES IN THE SMALL-RIVER VALLEYS OF CENTRAL YAMAL

A.A. Gubar’kov, M.O. Leibman*

Tyumen State Oil and Gas University, 625000, Tyumen, Volodarskiy str., 38, Russia, agubarkov@gmail.com
* Earth Cryosphere Institute, SB RAS, 625000, Tyumen, Malygin str., 86, Russia, mleibman@online.ru

Bead-shaped channel forms result from interrelation of hydrological and cryogenic processes under the leading role of thermokarst. Cryogenic and hydrological processes (thermokarst, cryogenic landsliding, thermal erosion) were studied in the small river Panzanana-Yakha valley at the research polygon “Vaskiny Dachi” at Central Yamal. This river represents small rivers of Yamal. The quantity, length, width and depth of bead-shaped channel forms were determined both for the entire river channel, and for the specific parts of the channel. The impact of the complex of cryogenic processes in the valley on thermokarst in the channel was also estimated. The factors responsible for the parameters of the bead-shaped forms in the upper-, middle- and low stream of Panzanana-Yakha river were established.

Key words: Hydrological processes, cryogenic processes, bead-shaped channel forms, thermal erosion, thermokarst, cryogenic landsliding, small river.

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