Permafrost courses in Russia

IPY Permafrost Courses in Russia

IPY Permafrost Courses in Russia

During summer 2007 two International University Courses on Permafrost (IUCP) were conducted in West Siberia, Russia as part of the IPA’s International Polar Year (IPY) activities.

Field Course in West Siberia: Technogenic and Environmental Permafrost Observatories

During July 2007, the Geography Faculty of Moscow State University and Tyumen State Oil and Gas University, in collaboration with U.S. and German institutions, conducted a 21-day summer field course in West Siberia entitled “Technogenic and Environmental Permafrost Observatories” (TEPO). Developed in 2005 as a field practice for students specializing in cryosphere studies at Moscow State and Tyumen’ State Oil and Gas Universities, for 2007 the TEPO course was adjusted for international student audience.
The program attracted 27 undergraduate and graduate student participants with diverse interests and backgrounds from Germany, Russia and the U.S., and involved six instructors specializing in different aspects of permafrost research. Instructors included Valerie Grebenets (Moscow State University), Anna Kurchatova (Tyumen State Oil and Gas University), Eva Marie Pfeiffer (Hamburg University), Nikolay Shiklomanov (University of Delaware), Anna Klene (University of Montana), and Alexander Boitsov (Tyumen State Oil and Gas University).
The course addressed three major topical areas of permafrost-related research: a) permafrost environments characteristic of the discontinuous and continuous zones; b) field instrumentation and techniques; and c) permafrost engineering and problems of development in permafrost regions.
Geographically, the course was held at series of research sites along a north-south transect on the Tazovskiy Peninsula, from the southern limit of discontinuous permafrost near the city of Novyi Urengoi to the continuous zone at the industry camp of Yamburg.
Methodologically, the course consisted of systematic permafrost investigations at long-term monitoring sites and survey-type expeditions. Systematic, process-based investigations were conducted at a network of sites which constitute the Technical-Environmental Permafrost Observatories established by Tyumen State Oil and Gas University in collaboration with the gas company “NadumGasProm”. The observation complex includes an array of 30 m boreholes equipped with automatic data collection systems and representing characteristic permafrost landscapes of West Siberia. Boreholes are complemented by sites for snow cover, vegetation, soil, ground ice, and geomorphologic investigations. As part of student research activities, four new Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) sites were established in proximity to boreholes for monitoring spatial distribution and long-term dynamic of the active layer. New sites represent diverse landscapes characteristic of the West Siberian previously underrepresented in the CALM network. Periodic monitoring of CALM sites, using standardized methodology will be conducted by faculty and students of the Tyumen State Oil and Gas University (TSOGU).
Permafrost surveys consisted of a series of field trips focused on analysis of the landscape, permafrost conditions, ecology, vegetation, and climate characteristic of the discontinuous and continuous permafrost zones. Specific emphasis was made on study of permafrost soils instructed by Profs. Pfeiffer and Kurchatova. Students learned soil-forming factors, dominating in permafrost regions and their relation to major geomorphologic processes, vegetation, and ground thermal regime. Several field studies addressed geomorphologic processes and features characteristic of permafrost regions including thermokarst, thermal erosion, frost mounds, polygons, and frost boils. A significant portion of the course was devoted to the climatic, geocryologic, and geomorphologic history of West Siberia.
Throughout the course students were exposed to a wide range of field techniques, including surveying, coring, geothermal monitoring, thaw-depth measurements, landscape characterization, geomorphologic investigations, soil description and classification according to International, Russian, German, and US classification schemes, and hydrologic and botanical field investigations. Data analysis and interpretation were also addressed.
West Siberia contains one of the world largest reserves of natural gas, and is undergoing extensive development. The impacts of modern resource extraction and urban developments were central concerns of the field course. Three major gas fields (Yamburg, Yubileinoe, and Zapolyarnoe) and associated industrial complexes and settlements were visited as part of the field excursions. Pipelines, material sites, operating gas wells, processing plants, pump stations, and permafrost engineering testing facilities were visited. Generally, visitors are not permitted inside these secured facilities and the generous hospitality of GasProm and its entire staff was greatly appreciated. A number of executives met with the group at YamburgGasDobucha’s (a regional GasProm subsidiary). Difficult issues related to environmental protection, indigenous people, energy security, and policy were very openly discussed at headquarters in Novy Urengoy. Several field trips were devoted to modern permafrost engineering.
The field work was complemented by daily lectures prepared by instructors and students, covering a wide range of topics. Students also participated in active permafrost research through daily data collection and analysis activities. Analysis of the diverse data sets obtained during the course is underway at Moscow State University, and a detailed report is in preparation. The outreach activities included several articles written by students and instructors for local and industry newspapers and magazines and participation in regional TV program devoted to IPY and permafrost in the West Siberia.

The TEPO course was made possible largely through generous support from GasProm and its regional subsidiaries NadumGasProm and YamburgGasDobucha. These organizations and the Russian office of Conoco-Phillips provided transportation, accommodations, and meals throughout the course . The next international TEPO course will be offered in July 2008. For information please contact Valerei Grebenets ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and Anna Kurchatova ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) in Russia and/or Nikolay Shiklomanov in the US ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ).

Field course Permafrost and Periglacial Geomorphology of Western Siberia and Western Taymyr.

A 10-days Permafrost and Periglacial Geomorphology of Western Siberia and Western Taymyr (PPG) course was jointly developed by faculty of the Geography Department of Moscow State University and researches from the Earth Cryosphere Institute and offered at the end of July, beginning of August 2007. The course was held on board of “Fedor Naianov” vessel which sailed on Enisey River from the town of Dudinka to the port of Dikson on the Arctic Coast. The course attracted six Russian upper level undergraduate and graduate students from Moscow State and St.Petersburg State Universities. Course instructions were provided by Dr. Irina Streletskaya (Moscow State University) and Prof. Alexander Vasil’ev (Earth Cryosphere Insitite, Russian Academy of Science).
The main topics of the course were 1) Landscape-specific permafrost conditions characteristic of lower Enisey river region; 2) Ground ice, crystallography, and cryolithology; 3) Quaternary history of Western Taimur, 4) Field methods of geophorphologic investigations. The course consisted of extensive field excursions at nine stops along Enisey and lecture series and laboratory work on board of the ship.
Students have participated in applied geocryologic, geophorphologic, biologic and quaternary research. This include: the study of spatial distribution of major landscapes, vegetation, and soil along the prime climatic gradient from Dudinka to Dikson; the study of geologic cryogenic structures of Pleistocene sediments; collection of characteristic vegetation, soil, sediment samples; collection of ground ice samples for isotopic analysis.

The course was funded by Moscow State University, Earth Cryosphere Institute, State Research Institute of Ocean Geology (St. Petersburg, Russia) with generous support from Russian office of Conoco-Philips, Enisey River Shiping Company ( Krasnoyarsk, Russia) and Russian State Nature Preserve “Great Arctic” (Dudinka, Russia). The PPG course is expected to be offered again in July-August 2008. For Information please contact Dr. Irina Streletskaya ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )