Hydrogeochemistry of the permafrost zone in the central part of the Yakutian diamond-bearing province,Russia

The hydrogeochemical characteristics and zonation of the permafrost zone in the central part of the Yakutian diamond-bearing province formed mainly under the influence of cryogenic processes that occurred in the late Cenozoic. On the basis of field and experimental studies, conclusions were formulated that the perennial cryogenesis of the sedimentary cover in this region resulted in increasing the concentration of carbonate and sulfate compounds in groundwaters as well as increasing the concentration of easily soluble compounds (sodium, magnesium, and calcium chlorides).

---

Resumen Las características hidrogeoquímicas y la zonación del permafrost existente en el centro de la provincia de Yakutia, rica en diamantes, se formaron fundamentalmente bajo la influencia de procesos criogénicos durante el tramo final del Cenozoico. Con base en estudios de campo y experimentales, se ha concluido que la criogénesis perenne de la cubierta sedimentaria de la región ha provocado un aumento de la concentración de compuestos de carbonato y sulfato en las aguas subterráneas, además de incrementar la concentración de compuestos solubles, como el sodio, magnesio y cloruros de calcio.

---

Résumé Les caractéristiques hydrogéochimiques et la zonation de la région de permafrost dans la partie centrale de la province diamantifère de Yakoutie ont été acquises principalement sous l'influence des processus cryogéniques qui existent depuis la fin du Tertiaire. Sur la base d'études expérimentales et de terrain, on conclut que la cryogenèse permanente de la couverture sédimentaire de cette région a provoqué un accroissement de la concentration des composés carbonatés et sulfatés dans les eaux souterraines, en même temps que celui de composés facilement solubles, comme les chlorures de sodium, de magnésium et de calcium.

---

     

An isotopic and geochemical study of snowmelt runoff in a small arctic watershed

‘Old’ water contributions to snowmelt runoff in a stream can be defined as water which was stored in the catchment prior to the start of the runoff event in question. We used mass balance techniques for natural oxygen-18 and several chemical parameters (electrical conductivity, Ca and Mg) to estimate the magnitude and timing of ‘old’ water contributions to snowmelt runoff in the Apex River watershed during the 1983 field season. The Apex River catchment is located in the southern part of Baffin Island, Northwest Territories, Canada. The watershed has an area of 60 km², it is in the zone of continuous permafrost, and the geology is dominantly Precambrian gneiss with sporadic, thin, glacial overburden. The isotopic data indicate that for the snowmelt season of 1983 (third highest peak discharge of 11 years of record), approximately 50 per cent of the peak stream discharge consisted of ‘old’ water. Our data also suggest that about 60 per cent of the entire 1983 hydrograph was ‘old’ water. The chemical parameters give old water contributions which are at least 10 per cent less than the isotopically-derived estimate, but they are consistent with the isotopic estimate during peak flow.     

冻土区天然气水合物各向异性储层的AMT响应特征

陆域天然气水合物通常发育于冻土层下方破碎带和岩层裂隙处,其储层会表现明显电性各向异性特征.音频大地电磁法（AMT）能有效探测陆域水合物储藏范围,且不易受高阻冻土层的压制和干扰,可用于陆域天然气水合物探测研究.本文采用AMT对角各向异性二维正演方法,对多种陆域天然气水合物各向异性储层模型及相关参数进行了模拟试算,分析其视电阻率和相位响应特征.结果表明AMT能清晰显示各向异性储层空间位置和分布情况,并对储层的水合物饱和度变化以及储层数量等特征都有所反映.天然气水合物电性各向异性模拟研究为这一新型潜力能源的勘查工作提供了新的思路.

     

Permafrost Change Under Natural Sites Along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway During the Years of 2006-2015

Permafrost changes under natural sites along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway were investigated based on the ground temperature monitored from the year of 2006 to 2015. Among these sites, mean permafrost table was 3.54 m, with a range of 0.88 to 9.14 m. Among the sites with decreasing permafrost table, mean decreasing amplitude of permafrost table was 0.51 m, with a range of 0.05 to 2.22 m; mean decreasing rate of permafrost table was 0.07 m/a, with a range of 0.01 to 0.25 m/a. Decreasing amplitude and decreasing rate of permafrost table in high temperature regions were 0.47 m and 0.06 m/a greater than those in low temperature regions, respectively. In general, ground temperatures at permafrost table and 15 m depth presented rising tendency. Mean rising amplitude of ground temperature at permafrost table was 0.16 ℃, with a range of 0.01 to 0.60 ℃; mean rising rate of ground temperature at permafrost table was 0.018 ℃/a, with a range of 0.001 to 0.067 ℃/a. Rising amplitude and rising rate of ground temperature at permafrost table in low temperature regions were 0.12 ℃ and 0.014 ℃/a greater than those in high temperature regions, respectively. Mean rising amplitude of ground temperature at 15 m depth was 0.10 ℃, with a range of 0.01 to 0.48 ℃; mean rising rate of ground temperature at 15 m depth was 0.011 ℃/a, with a range of 0.002 to 0.054 ℃/a. Rising amplitude and rising rate of ground temperature at 15 m depth in low temperature regions were 0.11 ℃ and 0.012 ℃/a greater than those in high temperature regions, respectively. Due to the effect of local factors, increasing of permafrost table and decreasing of ground temperature were observed under several sites.     

Retrogression characteristics of landslides in fine-grained permafrost soils, Mackenzie Valley, Canada

Thirteen landslides (retrogressive thaw flows) were investigated to study the behavior of thaw retrogression in permafrost in the Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. Those landslides are all in fine-grained ice-rich permafrost soils. Such landslides usually start from small-scale slope failures followed by retrogressive thaw flows when ice-rich permafrost soils are exposed to the atmosphere. The landslides were marked with survey stakes to measure their retreat rates for the thawing season of 2007. Two correlations are presented: one is between scarp wall height and retreat rate; another is between overall slope angle and retreat rate. It was found that thaw flow retrogression rate increases with increase in scarp wall height and slope angle up to a certain limit. It was also confirmed that thaw flow retrogression is not influenced by slope orientation.     

祁连山冻土区天然气水合物烃类气体成因及其意义

对祁连山冻土区天然气水合物钻井岩心游离气样品开展研究,测试烃类气体的组分和碳氢同位素,判断天然气水合物的气体成因类型及成藏模式。结果显示烃类气体组分复杂,除甲烷外,还含有较高的乙烷、丙烷等重烃组分。甲烷碳同位素分布范围最广,气体成因来源相对简单,没有明显受到次生改造作用的影响。该区天然气水合物属于热解成因,判断来自深部的三叠统尕勒得寺组烃源岩。本研究可为我国高原冻土天然气水合物勘探和开发提供理论依据。     

Linkage between permafrost distribution and river runoff changes across the Arctic and the Tibetan Plateau

River runoff in the Arctic and the Tibetan Plateau(TP) change significantly in recent decades. However, the mechanisms of the physical processes of permafrost river runoff change remain uncertain across large scale. This study investigated the mainstreams and tributaries of main Arctic and TP rivers dominated by permafrost and assessed the linkage between hydrological regime change and permafrost. The results show that the effects of permafrost on river runoff are highly dependent on the permafrost coverage of a watershed. For the past decades, the majority of the Arctic and TP basins showed increased discharge, while all of the studied basins showed increased baseflow, with faster increasing speed than total discharge.Both total discharge and baseflow annual change rate(ΔQ and ΔBF) increased with permafrost coverage, indicating the increments of streamflow are enhanced with high permafrost coverage. Meanwhile, the annual change of precipitation showed weak connection with total discharge and baseflow change. The high permafrost coverage basins showed high annual maximum/minimum discharge ratio(Qmax/Qmin), while the Qmax/Qminchanged slightly in low permafrost cover basins. Our results highlight the importance of permafrost coverage on streamflow regime change for permafrost basins across the northern hemisphere. Due to these linkage between permafrost extent and runoff regime change and the increasing changes of permafrost, more attention should be paid to the change of hydrological processes in permafrost-underlain basins.     

高原冻土天然气水合物钻探低温泥浆基础液研究

在即将实施的青藏高原永久冻土层天然气水合物钻探中,泥浆体系的研究起着举足轻重的作用。通过对高原冻土天然气水合物的赋存环境特性和钻进取芯工艺技术特点的分析研究,以流体低温特性理论为指导,同时借鉴国外的先进经验,提出了以分解抑制法为基础进行低温泥浆体系设计的技术方案。以此为目的所开展的低温泥浆体系基础液的研究则是实施这一技术方案的关键工作。对具有较好低温抑制效果的卤盐、甲酸盐、有机醇三类基础液进行了较为详细的试验研究,对三类基础液在常温和低温条件下的凝固特性和流变特性变化规律有了新的认识,获得了三类基础液的凝固点随浓度变化的规律,为低温泥浆体系的研究打下了坚实的基础。     

Holocene climate and landscape evolution East of the Pechora Delta, East-European Russian Arctic

This study presents a multiproxy record of Holocene environmental change in the region East of the Pechora Delta. A peat plateau profile (Ortino II) is analyzed for plant macrofossils, sediment type, loss on ignition, and radiocarbon dating. A paleosol profile (Ortino III) is described and radiocarbon dated. A previously published peat plateau profile (Ortino I) was analyzed for pollen and conifer stomata, loss on ignition, and radiocarbon dating. The interpretation of the latter site is reassessed in view of new evidence. Spruce immigrated to the study area at about 8900 ¹⁴C yr B.P. Peatland development started at approximately the same time. During the Early Holocene Hypsithermal taiga forests occupied most of the present East-European tundra and peatlands were permafrost free. Cooling started after 5000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., resulting in a retreat of forests and permafrost aggradation. Remaining forests disappeared from the study area around 3000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., coinciding with more permafrost aggradation. The retreat of forests resulted in landscape instability and the redistribution of sand by eolian activity. The displacement of the Arctic forest line and permafrost zones indicates a warming of at least 2–3°C in mean July and annual temperatures during the Early Holocene. At least two cooling periods can be recognized for the second half of the Holocene, starting at about 4800 and 3000 ¹⁴C yr B.P.     

Permafrost dynamics in the north-east of European Russia at the end of the 20th century

In the major physiographic divisions of the north-east of European Russia, temperatures in the cryolithozone and the active/seasonally frozen layer were monitored during the period 1970 to 1995. Active layer depths increased on average by 11% to 15%, whereas the depths of the seasonally frozen layer decreased by 19% to 40%. The largest positive temperature increments, up to 1.2C, were characteristic for the piedmont and basement plains. Lacustrine-alluvial lowlands demonstrated oppositely directed temperature trends depending on a landform. Numerous sites with ongoing permafrost formation demonstrated negative temperature increments varying from 0.1C to 2.0C.