Paleoclimatic analysis paleoglacial and permafrost-rock formations of the Munku-Sardyk mountain range (East Sayan)

DOI: 10.35595/2414-9179-2021-3-27-136-150

View or download the article (Rus)

About the Authors

Aleksandr D. Kitov

V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS,
664033, Irkutsk, Ulan-Batorskaya st., 1;
E-mail: kitov@irigs.irk.ru

Sergey N. Kovalenko

Irkutsk State University,
664003, Irkutsk, Ulan-Batorskaya st., 1, Russia;
E-mail: igpug@mail.ru

Abstract

The study of the nival-glacial objects of the Munku-Sardyk Range (East Sayan) as good long-term indicators of climate development has been going on for more than 100 years. In addition to the most studied glaciers of the Peretolchin glacier and second largest the Radde glacier, found various transitional glacial-permafrost formations permafrost-ice-rock formations and buried glaciers, which in the area were virtually un explored. One such object is a probably buried glacier (active rock glacier). It represents a rock-ice landslide array of fragmentation material with an ice core (up to 20 m), 660 m long, 150–250 m wide and a total thickness of about 25 m (according to geo-radar research), with a height difference of 1810–2030 m above sea level, overgrown with “drunk” woods. It probably formed 5500–4300 years ago, at the same time as the modern glaciers of Peretolchin and Rudde. According to the genetic classification of A.A. Galanin, it corresponds to the kar tongue rock glaciers. According to the classification of Altai glaciologists, this object corresponds to rock-ice complexes. Because of the constant flow movement, at the exit to the Beliy Irkut river, it ends with a “living” scree, dangerous for passing tourists. There may also be a catastrophic descent of the breakage material into the riverbed with the consequences of the temporary overlap of the main channel. The study of such formations has an independent interest as a self-organized geosystem of long-term development.

Keywords

East Sayan, nival-glecial formations, glacier, rock glacier, rock stream, remote research, Ground-penetrating radar research

References

  1. Barsch D. Rock glaciers: Indicators for the Present and Former Geoecology in High Mountain Environments. Berlin: Springer-Verlag, 1996. 331 p.
  2. Dyakova G.S., Goreyavcheva A.A., Ostanin O.V., Olenchenko V.V., Biryukov R.Yu. Geophysical studies of the internal structure of glacial-permafrost stone formations of the Central Altai. Ice and Snow, 2020. V. 60. No. 1. P. 109–120 (in Russian). DOI: 10.31857/S2076673420010027
  3. Imbrie J. and Imbrie K.P. Ice ages: Solving the mystery. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1986. 224 p.
  4. IPCC. Climate change 2007. The physical science basis. Contribution of working group 1 to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Geneva: Published by IPCC, 2007. 996 p.
  5. Galanin A.A. Rock glaciers: the study history and modern conceptions Vestnik SVNC DVO RAN, 2008. No. 3. P. 15–33 (in Russian).
  6. Galanin A.A. Rock glaciers: the problems of terminology and classification. Vestnik SVNC DVO RAN, 2010. No. 4. P. 2–11 (in Russian).
  7. Galanin A.A., Olenchenko V.V., Khristoforov I.I., Severskiy E.V., Galanina A.A. Highly dynamic rock glaciers of Tien Shan. Earth’s cryosphere, 2017. V. XXI. No. 4. P. 58–74 (in Russian).
  8. Gorbunov A.P. Rock glaciers of the Aasian Russia. Earth’s cryosphere, 2006. V. X. No. 1. P. 22–28 (in Russian).
  9. Gorbunov A.P. Rock glaciers, glaciers and permafrost in Iran. Earth’s cryosphere, 2013. V. XVII. No. 1. P. 28–34 (in Russian).
  10. Groswald M.G. Rock Glaciers of East Sayan. Nature, 1959. No. 2. P. 89–91 (in Russian).
  11. Ivanovsky L.N. Glacial Geomorphology of the Mountains (in the example of Siberia and the Far East). Novosibirsk: Science, 1981. 173 p. (in Russian).
  12. Kitov A.D., Kovalenko S.N., Plyusnin V.M. The results of 100-year-long observations of the glacial geosystem dynamics in the Munku-Sardyk massif. Geography and natural resources, 2009. V. 30. No. 3. P. 272–278. DOI: 10.1016/j.gnr.2009.09.012.
  13. Kitov A.D., Ivanov E.N., Balyazin I.V., Kovalenko S.N., Munkoyev E.V. Third 2014 expedition to The Munku-Sardyk Club Portulan. Herald of the Department of Geography of VSGAO, 2014. No. 4 (11). P. 79–84 (in Russian).
  14. Kovalenko S.N. Gatial Geomorphology of the Munku-Sardyk district. Article 1. Forms of local glaciation of the valleys of the Muguvek and White Irkut rivers. Herald of the Department of Geography of VSGAO, 2011. No. 1. P. 38–62 (in Russian).
  15. Kovalenko S.N., Kitov A.D., Munkoeva E.V. Szezepin N.A. “Rock Glacier” of Beliy Irkut. Herald of the Department of Geography of VSGAO, 2013. No. 1–2 (7). P. 29–38 (in Russian).
  16. Lambrecht A., Mayer C., Hagg W., Popovnin V., Rezepkin A., Lomidze N., Svanadze D. A comparison of glacier melt on debris-covered glaciers in the northern and southern Caucasus. The Cryosphere, 2011. V. 5. P. 525–538.
  17. Macheret Ju.Ja. Radio-echo sounding of glaciers. Moscow: Scientific World, 2006. 392 p. (in Russian).
  18. Maurer H., Hauck C. Instruments and methods geophysical imaging of alpine rock glaciers. Journ. of Glaciology, 2007. V. 53. No. 180. P. 110–120.
  19. Ostanin O.V., Diakova G.S. Morfodynamic classification of Altai rock glaciers. Geography and natural use of Siberia, 2013. No. 16. P. 114–125. http://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=22897061 (in Russian).
  20. USSR Glacier Inventory. V. 16. Iss. 1. Part. 3–5. Iss. 2. Part. 1. Leningrad: Hydrometeoizdat, 1973. 64 p. (in Russian).

For citation: Kitov A.D., Kovalenko S.N. Paleoclimatic analysis paleoglacial and permafrost-rock formations of the Munku-Sardyk mountain range (East Sayan). InterCarto. InterGIS. GI support of sustainable development of territories: Proceedings of the International conference. Moscow: MSU, Faculty of Geography, 2021. V. 27. Part 3. P. 136–150. DOI: 10.35595/2414-9179-2021-3-27-136-150 (in Russian)