Permafrost

Birch trees (Betula ermanii) are dominant vegetation on the left bank of the Uksichan
River (south-facing slope). The ground temperature measurements do not show the existence of
permafrost. The thickness of the seasonal freeze-thaw layer on the south-facing slope is deeper
than that on the north-facing slope.
Periglacial landforms such as rock glaciers, solifluction lobes, avalanche boulder tongues
are observed on the western mountain slopes of Esso above 1000m a.s.l.
Permafrost in the vicinity of Esso is distributed mainly on the north-facing slope of the
Uksichan River. The occurrence of permafrost depends on thermal conductivity of the ground
surface layers. Permafrost seems unstable. It is affected by the environmental changes such as
forest fire and climatic warming.
Key words:Permafrost, Ground temperature observation, Forest fire, Palsas, Kamchatka
Characteristics and Significance of the Active Layer in Permafrost
Affected Soils (Dasan Station, Svalbard and Sejong Station,
Antarctica)
Uk Han 1 , S. Jeong 1 , C.K. Lee 2 , B.Y. Lee 3
(1.Department of Environmental Sciences, Korea Military Academy, P.O. Box 77, Kongneung-dong,
Nowon-ku, Seoul, 139-799, Korea; 2.Department of Earth Science Education, Seoul National University,
San 56-1, Shillim-dong, Kwanak-ku, Seoul, 151-748, Korea; 3.Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI),
KORDI, 1270, Sa-2-dong, Sangrok-ku, Kyeonggi-do, 426-744, Korea)
Abstract: Geochemical properties of active layers between the Arctic and the Antarctic were
analyzed. Soil samples were collected from Sejong Station (62º17´S, 58º47´W) located in King
George Island, west Antarctica and Dasan Station (78º55´N, 11º56´E) located in the
Spitsbergern Island, Svalbard. Soil samples were analyzed for major, trace, and rare earth
elements using ICP techniques at Korea Basic Science Institute. Organic and inorganic carbon
contents of soil samples and water contents of active layer at Sejong Station were also
measured.
The soil samples from the Antarctic showed relatively low SiO2, and similar K2O contents
with those from the Arctic. The element composition results of the Antarctic soils were similar
to those of previous studies; it might be derived from the weathering of Ca-plagioclase and
olivine which has high Fe/Mg ratio. Contents of total carbon (TC) and total organic carbon
(TOC) of the Antarctic soils were 0.20% and 0.18%, respectively, and less than those of the
Arctic soils. The ratio of TOC to TC of the Antarctic soils was higher than those of the Arctic
soils. The water contents of active layer soils of the Antarctic were increased with depth. The
water contents of surface soils were about 5% and those of 60 cm depth were about 35%,
respectively. It indicates that water in surface soils was lost by evaporation and water losses
were decreased with depth. Further studies on the properties of organic carbon are
recommended to comprehend the geochemical changes of active layer by global warming.
Key words: active layer, total carbon(TC), total organic carbon(TOC), water content
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