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Relic permafrost structures in the Gobi of Mongolia: age and significance
Author(s) -
Owen Lewis A.,
Richards Ben,
Rhodes Edward J.,
Cunningham W. Dickson,
Windley Brian F.,
Badamgarav J.,
Dorjnamjaa D.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of quaternary science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.142
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1099-1417
pISSN - 0267-8179
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1417(1998110)13:6<539::aid-jqs390>3.0.co;2-n
Subject(s) - permafrost , geology , holocene , pleistocene , quaternary , physical geography , last glacial maximum , glacial period , geomorphology , thermokarst , paleontology , oceanography , geography
Relict permafrost structures (ice‐wedge casts and cryoturbation structures) are present in the Gobi of southern Mongolia. Luminescence dates of sediments are presented to constrain the age of formation of permafrost structures. These data show that there was a phase of permafrost development during the latter part of the Last Glacial (after about 22 to 15 ka) that resulted in cryoturbated sediments and ice‐wedge casts. Furthermore, permafrost degradation occurred during late Pleistocene times (13–10 ka) and was absent during the early Holocene. These permafrost structures mark the southernmost evidence of permafrost in northern Asia during late Quaternary times and indicate that the mean annual air temperature was below approximately −6°C during their formation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.