sone_2006.htm

Bulletin of Glaciological Research 23 (2006) 69-75
©Japanese Society of Snow and Ice

Distribution of permafrost on the west slope of Mt. Ichinsky, Kamchatka, Russia

Toshio SONE¹, Kotaro YAMAGATA², Yoshinori OTSUKI³, Yuki SAWADA¹ and Marina VYATKINA⁴
1 Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0819, Japan
2 Joetsu University of Education, Joetsu 943-9512, Japan
3 Institute of Geography, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan
4 Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Institute of Geography, Parizunskaya 6, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia

Abstract

　 In this study we investigate the distribution and development of permafrost on the west slope of Mt. Ichinsky Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. Ground temperature measurements during autumn 2000 reveal the altitudinal development of frozen ground and the active layer. Active layer thickness in sandy deposits varied from 3.1m at 900ma.s.l. to 0.85m at 1700ma.s.l. The lower limit of discontinuous permafrost was estimated to be at least 900ma.s.l., close to the treeline. We conducted automated meteorological observations of air temperature and wind direction and speed at 1000ma.s.l. from September 2000 until August 2001. Mean air temperature during this period was -4.4℃. The prevailing　SSE winter wind is a controlling factor in the distribution of permafrost, periglacial landforms and　vegetation above the treeline.