STABLE ISOTOPE GEOCHEMISTRY OF MASSIVE ICE

Yurij Vasil’Chuk,Julian Murton

doi:10.15356/2071-9388_03v09_2016_01

Abstract

The paper summarises stable-isotope research on massive ice in the Russian and North American Arctic, and includes the latest understanding of massive-ice formation. A new classification of massive-ice complexes is proposed, encompassing the range and variability of massive ice. It distinguishes two new categories of massive-ice complexes: homogeneous massive-ice complexes have a similar structure, properties and genesis throughout, whereas heterogeneous massive-ice complexes vary spatially (in their structure and properties) and genetically within a locality and consist of two or more homogeneous massive-ice bodies. Analysis of pollen and spores in massive ice from Subarctic regions and from ice and snow cover of Arctic ice caps assists with interpretation of the origin of massive ice. Radiocarbon ages of massive ice and host sediments are considered together with isotope values of heavy oxygen and deuterium from massive ice plotted at a uniform scale in order to assist interpretation and correlation of the ice.

Highlights

STUDY AREAThe research on massive ice began for one of the authors in July 1977 during the boating expedition of the Geological Faculty of Moscow State University in the Yuribey River valley (68°26 ́N, 72°08 ́E) on central Yamal Peninsula, west Siberia
A new classification of massive ice, as well as most of the currently available data on the stable isotope geochemistry of massive iсe are summarized in the two-volume monograph Yu.K.Vasilchuk [2012, 2014], a critical analysis which is mainly devoted to this paper
The paper is based primarily on the senior author’s experience, involvement and field studies over more than 35 years in numerous expeditions concerning massive ice in Russian permafrost. It summarizes the experience of many international researchers, and describes exposures with large bodies of massive ice in west and east Siberia, Chukotka, Alaska and Yukon, the Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Russian Arctic islands, China and the Antarctic

Summary

Introduction

STUDY AREAThe research on massive ice began for one of the authors in July 1977 during the boating expedition of the Geological Faculty of Moscow State University in the Yuribey River valley (68°26 ́N, 72°08 ́E) on central Yamal Peninsula, west Siberia. For the massive-ice body at Cape Shpindler in the Yugorski Peninsula (69°43 ́N; 62°48 ́E), Ingólfsson and Lokrantz [2003] concluded that it is buried glacier ice and suggested that it is older than 190–200 kyr, whereas Leibman et al [2003], who examined the internal structures, stratigraphy and isotopic composition of the massive ice, attributed it to syngenetic or epigenetic freezing after marine regression.

Results

Conclusion