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The principles of cryostratigraphy

Journal

EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
Volume 101, Issue 3-4, Pages 190-206

Publisher

ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2010.04.002

Keywords

frozen ground; permafrost; geocryology; Quaternary geology; ground ice; cryostructure

Funding

  1. Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
  2. Natural Resources Canada (Geological Survey of Canada)
  3. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
  4. Environment Canada
  5. Arctic Petroleum Operators Association (APOA), Calgary
  6. University of Ottawa
  7. National Science Foundation
  8. University of Alaska
  9. Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences (SB, RAS)
  10. Ministry of Geology

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Cryostratigraphy adopts concepts from both Russian geocryology and modern sedimentology. Structures formed by the amount and distribution of ice within sediment and rock are termed cryostructures. Typically, layered cryostructures are indicative of syngenetic permafrost while reticulate and irregular cryostructures are indicative of epigenetic permafrost 'Cryofacies' can be defined according to patterns of sediment characterized by distinct ice lenses and layers, volumetric ice content and ice-crystal size. Cryofacies can be subdivided according to cryostructure. Where a number of cryofacies form a distinctive cryostratigraphic unit, these are termed a 'cryofacies assemblage'. The recognition, if present, of (i) thaw unconformities, (ii) other ice bodies such as vein ice (ice wedges), aggradational ice and thermokarst-cave ('pool') ice, and (iii) ice, sand and gravelly pseudomorphs is also important in determining the nature of the freezing process, the conditions under which frozen sediment accumulates, and the history of permafrost (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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