The cold:
Permafrost and how it affects human beings
The cold:
Permafrost and how it affects human beings
The cold:
Permafrost and how it affects human beings
Perennially frozen ground or permafrost
This natural phenomenon is part of the earth’s crust that remained frozen after the end of the Last Ice Age, which ended approximately 11,700 years ago. During that period, soil beneath the glaciers froze so deeply that it has not thawed to this day.
Permafrost is a feature of mostly the Northern Hemisphere and covers 65% of Russia’s territory. The southern boundary of the perpetually frozen ground in European Russia stretches from the Kola Peninsula to the estuary of the Mezen River and further east along the Arctic Circle to the Urals, on to 60º N in Western Siberia and sub-latitudinally to the Yenisei River. Permafrost is widespread throughout Russia’s Asian part, excluding the southern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin Island, Primorye and several other regions.
Permafrost is a feature of mostly the Northern Hemisphere and covers 65% of Russia’s territory. The southern boundary of the perpetually frozen ground in European Russia stretches from the Kola Peninsula to the estuary of the Mezen River and further east along the Arctic Circle to the Urals, on to 60º N in Western Siberia and sub-latitudinally to the Yenisei River. Permafrost is widespread throughout Russia’s Asian part, excluding the southern part of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin Island, Primorye and several other regions.
Perennially frozen ground or permafrost
This natural phenomenon is part of the earth’s crust that remained frozen after the end of the Last Ice Age, which ended approximately 11,700 years ago. During that period, soil beneath the glaciers froze so deeply that it has not thawed to this day.
Permafrost is avfeature of mostly the Northern Hemisphere and covers 65% of Russia’s territory. The southern boundary of the perpetually frozen ground in European Russia stretches from the Kola Peninsula to the estuary of the Mezen River and further east along the Arctic Circle to the Urals, on to60º#nbspN#nbspin Western Siberia and#nbspsub-latitudinally to#nbspthe#nbspYenisei River. Permafrost is#nbspwidespread throughout Russia’s Asian part, excluding the#nbspsouthern part of#nbspthe#nbspKamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin Island, Primorye and#nbspseveral other regions.
This natural phenomenon is part of the earth’s crust that remained frozen after the end of the Last Ice Age, which ended approximately 11,700 years ago. During that period, soil beneath the glaciers froze so deeply that it has not thawed to this day.
Permafrost is avfeature of mostly the Northern Hemisphere and covers 65% of Russia’s territory. The southern boundary of the perpetually frozen ground in European Russia stretches from the Kola Peninsula to the estuary of the Mezen River and further east along the Arctic Circle to the Urals, on to60º#nbspN#nbspin Western Siberia and#nbspsub-latitudinally to#nbspthe#nbspYenisei River. Permafrost is#nbspwidespread throughout Russia’s Asian part, excluding the#nbspsouthern part of#nbspthe#nbspKamchatka Peninsula, Sakhalin Island, Primorye and#nbspseveral other regions.
Glaciers and the Greenland ice sheet
Continuous permafrost
Discontinuous permafrost
Sporadic permafrost
The composition of permafrost depends on the distribution of ice inclusions.
In crystalline and metamorphic rock, ice exists in the form of veins that fill fissures; in sand, as lenses and tiny crystals; and in clay, loam soil, sandy loam, and peat mould, as layers or webs.
Ice vein trellises running as much as 20-50 meters deep are widespread in the unconsolidated rock of the West Siberian, North Siberian, Yana-Indigirka and Central Yakutian lowlands.
Ice vein trellises running as much as 20-50 meters deep are widespread in the unconsolidated rock of the West Siberian, North Siberian, Yana-Indigirka and Central Yakutian lowlands.
The composition of permafrost depends on the distribution of ice inclusions.
In crystalline and metamorphic rock, ice exists in the form of veins that
fill fissures; in sand, as lenses and tiny crystals; and in clay, loam soil, sandy loam, and peat mould,
as layers or webs.
Ice vein trellises running as much as 20-50 meters deep are widespread in the unconsolidated rock of the West Siberian, North Siberian, Yana-Indigirka and Central Yakutian lowlands.
fill fissures; in sand, as lenses and tiny crystals; and in clay, loam soil, sandy loam, and peat mould,
as layers or webs.
Ice vein trellises running as much as 20-50 meters deep are widespread in the unconsolidated rock of the West Siberian, North Siberian, Yana-Indigirka and Central Yakutian lowlands.
Permafrost had not been considered a problem until large-scale construction began in permafrost regions. As a result, many structures built without due regard for permafrost effects, especially blocks of flats, became uninhabitable because of the freezing of the foundations and cracks in the walls.
Eventually, people invented methods of building low-rise andvpile-supported structures.
Eventually, people invented methods of building low-rise andvpile-supported structures.
Permafrost had not been considered a problem until large-scale construction began in permafrost regions. As a result, many structures built without due regard for permafrost effects, especially blocks of flats, became uninhabitable because of the freezing of the foundations and cracks in the walls.
Eventually, people invented methods of building low-rise and pile-supported structures.
Eventually, people invented methods of building low-rise and pile-supported structures.
however, not all structures can be built on piles. Railways built onмpermafrost will eventually deteriorate, and so such structures will require year-round maintenance.
Deforestation has a dramatic effect on permafrost: the smaller a forest area, the more the soil warms and thaws, forming thermokarst depressions, which are called alases in Yakutia.
The accumulation of water in such depressions can lead to the creation of thermokarst lakes. Without water, they become overgrown with grass, which horses and deer use for grazing.
Deforestation has a dramatic effect on permafrost: the smaller a forest area, the more the soil warms and thaws, forming thermokarst depressions, which are called alases in Yakutia.
The accumulation of water in such depressions can lead to the creation of thermokarst lakes. Without water, they become overgrown with grass, which horses and deer use for grazing.
However, not all structures can be built on piles. Railways built on permafrost will eventually deteriorate, and so such structures will require year-round maintenance.
Deforestation has a dramatic effect on permafrost: the smaller a forest area, the more the soil warms and thaws, forming thermokarst depressions, which are called alases in Yakutia.
The accumulation of water in such depressions can lead to the creation of thermokarst lakes. Without water, they become overgrown with grass, which horses and deer use for grazing.
Deforestation has a dramatic effect on permafrost: the smaller a forest area, the more the soil warms and thaws, forming thermokarst depressions, which are called alases in Yakutia.
The accumulation of water in such depressions can lead to the creation of thermokarst lakes. Without water, they become overgrown with grass, which horses and deer use for grazing.
© РИА Новости, Павел Лисицын
© РИА Новости, Павел Лисицын
- © РИА Новости, Павел Лисицын
- © РИА Новости, Павел Лисицын
Permafrost pioneers
One of the first to come across the oddities of permafrost was merchant Fyodor Shergin, an employee of the Russian-American Company. In the summer of 1828, he decided to dig a water well near his house. He stopped digging at over 30 meters, when he decided that he would never get down to a water layer. But Admiral Ferdinand Wrangel convinced him to keep digging by promising to co-finance his enterprise.
Special thermometers were installs at different layers of the well, and several people went down regularly to register the temperature.
Special thermometers were installs at different layers of the well, and several people went down regularly to register the temperature.
Permafrost pioneers
One of the first to come across the oddities of permafrost was merchant Fyodor Shergin, an employee of the Russian-American Company. In the summer of 1828, he decided to dig a water well near his house. He stopped digging at over 30 meters, when he decided that he would never get down to a water layer. But Admiral Ferdinand Wrangel convinced him to keep digging by promising to co-finance his enterprise.
Special thermometers were installs at different layers of the well, and several people went down regularly to register the temperature.
Special thermometers were installs at different layers of the well, and several people went down regularly to register the temperature.
In 1837, Shergin reported that the well had been sunk to 116.4 meters. That information was submitted to the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Later, Shergin forwarded the results of their temperature monitoring to the Economic Ministry Journal. Scientists around the world were astonished, and Emperor Nicholas I awarded a gold medal and a diamond ring to the merchant.
Impressed by reports about a well drilled to the depth of 116 meters, the Academy of Sciences decided to send a researcher to conduct geothermal observations throughout the depth of the well.
Impressed by reports about a well drilled to the depth of 116 meters, the Academy of Sciences decided to send a researcher to conduct geothermal observations throughout the depth of the well.
Sectional, technical and geological schemes of the Shergin Mine
In 1837, Shergin reported that the well had been sunk to 116.4 meters. That information was submitted to the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. Later, Shergin forwarded the results of their temperature monitoring to the Economic Ministry Journal. Scientists around the world were astonished, and Emperor Nicholas I awarded a gold medal and a diamond ring to the merchant.
Impressed by reports about a well drilled to the depth of 116 meters, the Academy of Sciences decided to send a researcher to conduct geothermal observations throughout the depth of the well.
Impressed by reports about a well drilled to the depth of 116 meters, the Academy of Sciences decided to send a researcher to conduct geothermal observations throughout the depth of the well.
Sectional, technical and geological schemes of the Shergin Mine
The well was used as a laboratory to study permafrost until the 1940s. The last measurements were made there in 1942.
Today, the well is on the Yakutsk State List of Immovable Historical and Cultural Heritage of republican status.
Today, the well is on the Yakutsk State List of Immovable Historical and Cultural Heritage of republican status.
The well was used as a laboratory to study permafrost until the 1940s. The last measurements were made there in 1942.
Today, the well is on the Yakutsk State List of Immovable Historical and Cultural Heritage of republican status.
Today, the well is on the Yakutsk State List of Immovable Historical and Cultural Heritage of republican status.
Living on permafrost
In May 2023, Russia’s first station of the national background permafrost monitoring system opened in Salekhard.
The Salekhard monitoring station is a 25-meter-deep well. Thirty-two Russian-made sensors installed in the well provide information to the server of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet).
Another 20 monitoring stations will open in eight Russian regions in 2023. The method of building thermometric wells and transmitting information from them has been tested in Russia’s North and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
By the end of 2025, the national system should have 140 monitoring stations. Background permafrost monitoring will be used to assess greenhouse gas emissions from permafrost melting, predict climate change, and obtain accurate information on trends in permafrost conditions in the country.
In May 2023, Russia’s first station of the national background permafrost monitoring system opened in Salekhard.
The Salekhard monitoring station is a 25-meter-deep well. Thirty-two Russian-made sensors installed in the well provide information to the server of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet).
Another 20 monitoring stations will open in eight Russian regions in 2023. The method of building thermometric wells and transmitting information from them has been tested in Russia’s North and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
By the end of 2025, the national system should have 140 monitoring stations. Background permafrost monitoring will be used to assess greenhouse gas emissions from permafrost melting, predict climate change, and obtain accurate information on trends in permafrost conditions in the country.
Living on permafrost
In May 2023, Russia’s first station of the national background permafrost monitoring system opened in Salekhard.
The Salekhard monitoring station is a 25-meter-deep well. Thirty-two Russian-made sensors installed in the well provide information to the server of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet).
Another 20 monitoring stations will open in eight Russian regions in 2023. The method of building thermometric wells and transmitting information from them has been tested in Russia’s North and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
By the end of 2025, the national system should have 140 monitoring stations. Background permafrost monitoring will be used to assess greenhouse gas emissions from permafrost melting, predict climate change, and obtain accurate information on trends in permafrost conditions in the country.
In May 2023, Russia’s first station of the national background permafrost monitoring system opened in Salekhard.
The Salekhard monitoring station is a 25-meter-deep well. Thirty-two Russian-made sensors installed in the well provide information to the server of the Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring (Roshydromet).
Another 20 monitoring stations will open in eight Russian regions in 2023. The method of building thermometric wells and transmitting information from them has been tested in Russia’s North and the Spitsbergen Archipelago.
By the end of 2025, the national system should have 140 monitoring stations. Background permafrost monitoring will be used to assess greenhouse gas emissions from permafrost melting, predict climate change, and obtain accurate information on trends in permafrost conditions in the country.
Edited by: Ekaterina Sytina
Designed by: Anastasiya Konchakovskaya
Edited by: Ekaterina Sytina
Designed by: Anastasiya Konchakovskaya