INVESTIGATIONS OF THE THAWING OF THE ACTIVE SOIL LAYER IN THE PERMAFROST ZONE

Investigations were performed in the north of the Western Siberian plain of the thawing of frozen soils of different landscape features (bog microlandscapes, areas with mineral soils with different vegetation) and of the factors determining it. Observations were made of the thawing of the active layer, as well as of components of the radiation balance, the water level in the thawed layer, meteorological elements, soil temperature at various depths, and the moisture content, thermal conductivity, and bulk densty of the soils. Gradient observations were also made. The studies found that the active layer in plots without water at the surface, with a peat deposit, and a well developed point cover thaws to a miumum depth. The depth of thawing on such plots does not exceed 40 cm in the warmest years. The water at the surface of a microlandscape increases the depth of thawing of the active layer by 20-25%, reaching 55- 60 cm in the warmest years. In dry areas with clayey and loamy soils, the depth of thawing of the active layer exceeds that in areas with peat soils by a factor 1.7 - 1.8. Differences in the nature of the plant cover produce large differences in the depth of thawing of frozen soils in dry areas. The resulting difference in the depth of thawing ranges from 45 - 85 cm in the warmest years. Disturbance of the plant cover leads to a more than 2-fold increase in the depth of soil thawing.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Transcations of the State Hydrologic Institute (Trudy GGI), No. 222, 1974, pp. 225-233.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Geophysical Union

  1707 L Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20036
• Authors:
  • Moskvin, Y P
• Publication Date: 1974

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 323-328
• Serial:
  • Soviet Hydrology Selected Papers
  • Issue Number: 5

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bogs; Density; Electromagnetic radiation; Frozen soils; Permafrost; Soil water; Soils; Temperature; Thaw; Vegetation; Water table
• Old TRIS Terms: Bog and marsh; Soil temperature
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00152993
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1977 12:00AM