WINTER AIR PALEOTEMPERATURES AT 30–12 KYR BP IN THE LOWER KOLYMA RIVER, PLAKHINSKII YAR YEDOMA: EVIDENCE FROM STABLE ISOTOPES
Yu.K.Vasil’chuk1,2, A.C.Vasil’chuk1
1Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculties of Geography and Geology, 1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia; vasilch_geo@mail.ru
2Tyumen State University, 6, Volodarskogo str., Tyumen, 625003, Russia
A continuous 15–18 m long exposed permafrost sequence of the Plakhinskii Yar ice complex with ice wedges (Karetovo yedoma, left bank of the Stadukhin Channel, lower Kolyma River) have been studied in terms of structure, stable isotopes, radiocarbon ages, major ion chemistry, and pollen spectra. The obtained data allow quantitative estimates of Late Pleistocene permafrost and climate conditions in the area between 30 and 12 Kyr BP. The study confirms the previous inference that local winters at 30–28 Kyr BP were much colder than at present.
Ice wedge, Late Pleistocene, permafrost, yedoma, oxygen isotope, radiocarbon, pollen and spores, water chemistry, Plakhino site, northeastern Yakutia