ИСТИНА

Lomonosov State University, Moscow, Russia, Russian Federation; 2George Washington University, USA; 3Departament of Geography, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; 4Earth Cryosphere Institute, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tyumen, Russia; 5Tyumen State Oil and Gas University, Tyumen, Russia; 6University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; 7University of Montana, Missoula,Montana, USA; 8Engineering Scientific Company ”Ecofoundations”, Norilsk, Russia Since 2007, the Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology, in the Geography Faculty of Moscow State University, together with a number of Russian and international universities, inspired by the International Permafrost Association and in time for the International Polar Year, have been conducting international field courses on permafrost in northern Siberia. From 2007 to 2009 these field schools were conducted in western Siberia (near Novy Urengoi and Yamburg), in 2012 (in the Polar Urals and Yamburg), and in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015 in the lower Yenisei area (near Igarka, Dudinka, and Norilsk). In total, approximately 150 students from various universities in Russia, Austria, China, England, France, Germany, Norway, and the US have participated in the course. Topics each year include: the origin and development of permafrost, regional features of cryolithozone, cryogenic processes and phenomena, tundra and forest-tundra landscapes, ecology of the northern regions, and engineering geocryology. During the international field course, students experience Siberian taiga, tundra, and mountain landscapes, with a focus on relationships between biogeographic communities, and their role as indicators of permafrost conditions, and their influence upon the development of micro-relief and northern taiga, forest tundra, and tundra soils. Students get to examine a range of lithogenetic conditions and periglacial geomorphology in Pleistocene-Holocene sediments (peat mounds, pingos, wetlands, exposures of massive ice beds and ice wedges, various thermokarst stages, and slope processes in cryolithozone (solifluction, cryogenic landslide flows, and slides). In Igarka or Yamburg, access to underground laboratories allows the structure and properties of permafrost (cryostructure, lithogenetic complexes, etc.) to be readily visible. At a range of sites, students participate in hands-on data collection and detailed field work. Digging pits allows measurements of the physical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics (desiccation, thixotropy, plasticity, etc.), of frozen and thawing soils, and collecting photographs and sketches of landscape-permafrost gradients. Field measurements of the depth of active layer in different landscape and lithogenetic conditions are collected following Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) protocols, which are then compared to results from previous seasons. This contributes to discussions on differences in the depth of seasonal thawing due to lithological and landscape conditions. Techniques for monitoring soil temperatures are also discussed. Further, transects revealing the impact of local conditions (drainage, vegetation, snow accumulation, the activity of slope processes, etc.) are conducted. In some years, laboratory resources are available and laboratory determination of moisture content, density, and grain-size distribution can be done from soil samples. Engineering challenges and impacts are stressed throughout the course. Methods and technologies for construction on permafrost (the types of foundations, etc.) are discussed. Soil temperatures in natural landscapes and urban areas and factors affecting permafrost temperature, including technological systems to stabilize these temperatures (cold-ventilated cellars, steam liquid thermosyphons, bedding, etc.) are key topics. Methodologies to analyze and minimize the potential impacts of intensive anthropogenic development on northern biota for engineering and environmental purposes are discussed and many examples are available. Depending upon the location, a variety of social, economic, and geographical issues of northern development and Arctic urbanization have been included each year. Tours of a variety of facilities have been available, for instance, of the metallurgy plant in Norilsk and a processing plant in northwestern Siberia which prepares natural gas for pipeline transportation. Museums and memorial complexes are included as well. Applied projects such as the development of an ecological and landscape-permafrost schematic map around Norilsk, and an assessment of a role of the GULAG in development and creation of industry in northern Russian, broaden the student’s experience. Throughout the course a variety of lectures are presented by the professors and students. Almost daily, data collection and field work are carried out, computer processing of various measurements, creation of databases, etc., are undertaken so that each student can compile a series of reports and presentations of their results by the end of the class. We acknowledge the support of PLC «Gazprom», «Norilsk Nickel», «ConocoPhillips», the Institute on Permafrost’s Igarka Geocryological Laboratory, and the Russian Ministry of Emergencies Arctic Center.