Yedoma: Late Pleistocene ice-rich syngenetic permafrost of Beringia

Research output: Contribution to book/Conference proceedings/Anthology/ReportEntry for encyclopedia/DictionaryContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Lutz Schirrmeister - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Author)
  • Duane Froese - , University of Alberta (Author)
  • Sebastian Wetterich - , Chair of Physical Geography (Author)
  • Jens Strauss - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Author)
  • Aleksandra Veremeeva - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Author)
  • Guido Grosse - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Author)

Abstract

Yedoma is a permafrost deposit widely distributed across the Arctic and found exclusively within the unglaciated regions in northern Siberia, Alaska, and the Yukon, which are the core regions of Beringia. Yedoma deposits accumulated during the late Pleistocene Stage and are characterized by their predominantly fine-grained texture and association with syngenetic permafrost formation. The very high ground ice content is most commonly present as pore ice and wedge ice that formed contemporaneously with sediment deposition. In the last decade, research has transitioned from debates about the origin of the Yedoma deposits towards increasing attention on the large carbon and nitrogen pools in Yedoma, their vulnerability to thaw, and increasing mobilization as the climate has warmed across the Arctic. In addition to classical cryolithological and sedimentological research, new methods such as stable isotope paleoclimate reconstruction and ancient sedimentary DNA studies have been more widely applied to better understand the characteristics of Yedoma deposits and helped emphasize their value as archives of Quaternary climate and paleoecological conditions during Ice Age Beringia.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationEncyclopedia of Quaternary Science
EditorsScott Elias
Pages296-311
Number of pages16
Volume5
ISBN (electronic)9780323999311
Publication statusPublished - 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Mendeley 3fcba03d-264a-3fa1-98a8-e7d6aef00053
Scopus 105031546618

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas