EARTH DEGASSING IN THE ARCTIC: COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF FROST MOUNDS AND THERMOKARST LAKES WITH GAS BLOWOUT CRATERS ON THE YAMAL PENINSULA

For the first time 7,185 perennial frost mounds and 415 thermokarst lakes with gas blowout craters in the Arctic on the Yamal Peninsula have been identified based on the integrated interpretation of Earth remote sensing data from space and field research. The density of their distribution has been analyzed and areas of increased risk for human life have been identified. It has been established that at this level of knowledge, the highest distribution density of hazardous objects is confined to the eastern part of the Yamal Peninsula, and the extreme zones are located in the Seyakha, North-Tambey and South-Tambey study areas. In a number of crater lakes, continuous and/or periodic gas blowouts (including powerful emissions) have been proved, indicating the volcanic genesis of eruptions. We have substantiated the necessity to expand and detail research areas in the human activity regions and to monitor the dynamics of cryolithosphere and degassing.

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