Characteristics of relict permafrost on the West Siberian Plain

Abstract

The article discusses the occurrence of a zone of deep‐lying relict permafrost in the northern part of the Ket’ basin in the West Siberian Plain. It occurs at depths varying from 117 to 283 m. This permafrost is very “warm,”; its temperature being only a fraction of a degree below 0° C. It is suggested that this permafrost may not be related to atmospheric temperatures, but rather to processes occurring within the rocks; as gas compressed within permeable reservoir rocks escapes through fractures in overlying impermeable clay beds, the release of pressure may produce a reduction in temperature sufficient to initiate freezing.