Frost Fissures Research Articles

Smykiv – the new key section of the upper pleistocene of the Volyn Upland

Formulation the problem. The new section at Smykiv in the Volyn Upland has an informative stratigraphic record, showing details of climatic phases in the Late Pleistocene. The site is located in the Rivne Oblast, 40 km south of Lutsk, on slope of the River Dezha (the tributary of the River Styr). Review of previous publications and studies. The loess-palaeosol sequence of the Volyn’ Upland has been intensively studied by Ukrainian, Russian and Polish researchers such as A. Bogucki, M. Lanczont, P. Voloshyn, A. Tsatskin, V. Nechaev, T. Morozova, L. Bezusko, J. Kusiak, S. Fedorowicz, J. Nawrocki, R. Dmytruk and many others. Methods. The section has been studied using lithostratigraphic, palaeopedological, palaeocryological, grain size, micromorphological and partial chemical methods, which enable the reconstruction of past climate and environment. The stratigraphy is applied follows the Quaternary Framework of Ukraine (Veklitch et al., 1993). All the stratigraphical units of the Upper Pleistocene are represented in the section; and, herein, these divided into smaller parts characterized by distinct environmental histories. The purpose of the article is to study the detailed stratified sequence at Smykiv by various methods in order to clarify the regional Quaternary palaeogeographical scheme. Results. The periglacial alluvium of the Dnipro unit, at the base of the sequence, and the analysis of the position of the site in the relief indicate the interpretation that it is located on the Dezha river’s terrace. The alluvium bed is distorted by syngenetic involutions. The overlying Kaydaky unit truncates the alluvium, and is inclined parallel to the present valley slope. Three pedogenetic phases during the Kaydaky times are identifiable: pedosediments formed in the first phase (kda), pedosediments of forest soil formed in the early optimum (kdb1) and a Retisol formed in the late optimum (kdb2). During the Tyasmyn cold event, a network of small soil veins formed. Renewed, but less intense than in the Kaydaky unit, erosion processes started in Pryluky times. It can be demonstrated that the Pryluky polygenetic soil was formed in three phases, divided by a cold event in mid Pryluky times (pl2). A Chernozem with signs of slight podzolisation and biogenic aggregation was formed during the first phase (pl1b2). The soil is disturbed by cryogenic features formed during pl2. An incipient Cambisol was enriched with a fine organic matter during the phase pl3b1. An incipient Calcic Cambisol (pl3b2), aggregated and slightly gleyed, formed at the end of the Pryluky time. Erosion processes were not strongly developed during Pleniglacial. At the beginning of the stadials (in Uday and Bug times), solifluction processes occurred. At the beginning of these stadials, other cryogenic features, such as soil veins, frost fissures and ice-wedges, were also formed. Upper Pleistocene loess beds show slight pedogenesis, particularly very weak humus accumulation and biogenic aggregation. Furthermore, all Pleniglacial units are enriched in carbonates in diverse forms: however, the most common is disperse powdery lime. These last are frequently interpreted as being the result of calcite crystallization under cryogenic processes. During Vytachiv and Dofinivka interstadial times, boreal soils were formed – Gleyic Cambisol and Calcic Gleyic Cambisol, respectively. The first is mostly represented by pedosediments (indicating intense erosion), whereas the second soil is preserved in situ and it is enriched in fine organic matter and is well-microaggregated. The last loess unit of the Upper Pleistocene, the Prychornomorsk loess unit, is subdivided into two loess subunits (pc1 and pc3) which are connected with cryogenic events, and a Gleysol (pc2), indicating a relatively warm period.

Palaeoenvironmental Proxies for Permafrost Presence During the Younger Dryas, Central Poland

AbstractInvolutions and small frost fissures have been recorded over a wide area of the lower terrace of the Warta River valley (central Poland). They developed at the lithological boundary between an organic‐rich deposit with a thin peat layer (unit b) and an underlying fluvial sandy deposit (unit a). Most of the involutions are products of a reversed density gradient and loading, or developed under the influence of cryohydrostatic pressure. Among them are drop‐like and flat‐bottomed structures, diapirs, flame‐like and fold structures and irregular involutions. Some frost fissures have also been recorded in the same stratigraphic position. The sedimentological properties and formative mechanism of the involutions, together with environmental data (lithology, groundwater conditions, snow cover and vegetation), reveal their origin as periglacial. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the structures formed during the Younger Dryas. Overall, the involutions and frost fissures indicate that permafrost re‐aggraded in this region of central Poland during the Younger Dryas. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Subglacial meltwater channels and glaciofluvial deposits in the Kimberley Basin, Western Australia: 1.8 Ga low-latitude glaciation coeval with continental assembly

A late Palaeoproterozoic unconformity surface developed on low-dipping sandstone in the Kimberley region, northwestern Australia, exhibits numerous linear, parallel grooves 10–50 mm deep, 40–80 mm wide and tens of metres long, and other erosional forms including sichelwannen. These features are interpreted as Nye channels and sculpted forms eroded by subglacial meltwaters. Sandstone-filled cracks exposed at the unconformity are viewed as periglacial frost fissures. An overlying conglomerate facies 1–15 m thick at the base of the c . 1800 Ma King Leopold Sandstone, Kimberley Basin succession, contains poorly sorted, pebble to boulder conglomerate and is interpreted as glaciofluvial in origin. The orientation of the Nye channels and sculpted forms and the palaeocurrent direction for the glaciofluvial deposits indicate westward ice flow. The conformably following, locally glauconitic quartzarenite of the King Leopold Sandstone probably accumulated in an epeiric sea, implying that glaciation reached close to sea level. Transgression in northwestern and central Australia at c . 1800 Ma may have been partly glacio-eustatic. Glaciation was initiated to the east of the Kimberley Basin, evidently in the Halls Creek Orogen, during a major phase of continental collision in Australia and worldwide supercontinental assembly. Recognition of the King Leopold glaciation, which occurred in low palaeolatitudes (<20°), shortens by 400 million years the claimed non-glacial interval between c . 2200 and 800 Ma.

Wirkungen des pleistözänen kaltzeitlichen Klimas, insbesondere des Bodenfrostes, in den Sedimenten des östlichen Ostfalen (Eiskeile, Löß-Flugsand, asymmetrische Täler)

Abstract. In the second part of the article with the title "Wirkungen des ..." a various documentation of pictures is presented to analyse the ice-wedge casts of the eastern part of Lower Saxony (Ostfalen). These structures are the only periglacial phenomena, which represent doublessly a former permafrost soil. After a short introduction, in chapter 2 Saalian or probably older nets of ice-wedge casts are documentated, which reach in a depth of 6 m in Ahlum (east of Wolfenbüttel) and which can be dated very well using their content of sediments and their cover sediments. In Barmke (nr. 12, fig. 1) there were found normal ice-wedge casts and former ice-vains and "Eisgänge" (fig. 2), which posess a Saalian or older age. - The ice-wedge casts with a length of 2,0 to 2,5 m, which were formed in one continuing phase are all of Weichselian age. - In some exemples polygenetic ice-wedge casts could b e found, which grew either during the Saalian (or the Elsterian) or - in other examples - during the Saalian and Weichselian time. - In chapter 5 some „Kleinkeile" and „Kissenböden" with little syngenetic frost fissures are presented, which are not due to a permafrost soil, but are formed by a frost soil during a stadial or interstadial phase within the Weichselian (fig. 14 and 15). - A sequence of a yellow loess in alternation with sand layers from the Eocene formation, which was a great exception, was presented from the northern loess border (fig. 16). - Only two climatic asymmetric valleys could be found, which were developed since the Saalian ice left our landscape. - All described forms were developed in sediments of the Quaternary or in sands and clay of the Tertiary. Only some ice-wedge casts were formed in marls and clay of the Keuper. - Syngenetic cryoturbation forms and ice-wedge casts could only b e found in the Oker-Mittelterrasse (fig. 18). - Climatic conclusions for the coldest times of the Weichselian and Saalian time were made: at least a temperature depression of 14 to 15° could be found.

A micromorphological and chemical study of a buried Saalian till deposit in the Northern part of the Netherlands

Macro- and micromorphological characteristics, as well as textural, chemical and mineralogical properties of a reddish brown Saalian till deposit, covered by a 50 cm aeolian sand layer, are discussed. Morphological observations show an interaction between pedogenetic processes and frost effects. The glacial origin of the till resulted in a very dense fabric. Mechanical action of ice lense growth has further enhanced this compaction. The occurrence of alternating freezing and thawing conditions was indicated by sorted platy structures. Superimposed on these frost effects, and therefore younger, are features of biological activity, brunification and clay illuviation. These originated from interglacial pedogenesis under more temperate conditions. The occurrence of an aeolian deposit on top of the till indicated a subsequent cold and dry period. Disrupted clay illuviation coatings in the 2Btg-horizon and the absence of these clay coatins in situ, in a network of frost cracks and sandy involutions in the 2Btg-horizon, provide evidence of more recent periglacial conditions. Silt- and impure clay coatings, dominantly present in frost cracks, are typical sorting and accumulation products due to micro erosion enhanced by snow meltwater under cold conditions. Surface water gley features like iron and manganese compounds overlay periglacial structures and clay illuviation, and are therefore younger. Ferrolysis occurring predominantly in the E horizon and in frost fissures, favoured textural heterogeneity of the soil.

Characterizing spatially variable hydraulic properties of a boulder clay deposit in the Netherlands

Morphological and statistical methods were used to define the heterogeneity of a reddish brown boulder clay deposit in The Netherlands in terms of: (1) depth of occurrence below the surface; (2) areas occupied in cross-sections by the dense groundmass; and (3) areas occupied by sandy soil material around frost fissures. Physical measurements of K-sat were made separately in both materials with two methods, one using small infiltrometers and the other gypsum-encased undisturbed blocks of soil that were carved out in situ. Both types of measurements yielded average K-sat values of 0.3 m/day for the groundmass and 6.9 m/day for the sandy soil material around fissures. K-sat measurements on horizontal undisturbed areas of 1200 cm 2 yielded values of approximately 0.5 m/day which could successfully be estimated by determining areas occupied by both materials in cross-section and by considering the proportional contribution of both materials to K-sat. This method of estimation was next used to demonstrate the effect of different hypothetical sample volumes on K-sat, illustrating the use of soil morphological descriptions to determine optimal sample volume for K-sat measurements in heterogeneous soil materials.

Different types of fossil frost fissures in south Sweden

Abstract Fossil frost fissures are frequent in southern Sweden. Except those formed in an intermorainic position they are all caused by the periglacial environment at the time of deglaciation. The different types of these fossil frost fissures are described, and examples are taken from different areas in southern Sweden.

Fossil patterned ground in southern Sweden

Abstract An account of observations of fossil ice wedge polygons at Hassleholm in the province of Skane (Scania) is presented. The polygons are very large, 35 × 65 m, and the pattern orthogonal. They were formed on the surface of a small glaciofluvial delta, when the inland ice receded from northern Skane during pre-Bolling time. Some ice-wedge casts in the distal part of the delta have been eroded in their upper parts. Several syngenetic fossil ice wedges and fossil ground surfaces with frost cracked stones and ventifacts indicate a rising water level in the Baltic Ice Lake. Large nonsorted circles are also present. It is possible that the circles were formed by thermokarst phenomena. A preliminary report is given of an inventory of fossil frost fissures in southern Sweden. The paleoclimatic environment there at the time of recession of the inland ice is discussed.

Fossil Frost Fissures in the Province of Jönköping, Sweden

Fossil Frost Fissures in the Province of Jönköping, Sweden

Fossil Frost Fissures in the Province of Jönköping, Sweden

Fossil Frost Fissures in the Province of Jönköping, Sweden