Trace elements and stable isotope diagrams of Late Pleistocene ice wedges of Batagaika yedoma, Central Yakutia

Yu.K.Vasil'chuk1 J.Yu.Vasil'chuk1 N. A. Budantseva1 A.C. Vasil'chuk1

1Department of Geography, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, , e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract The subject of the study is the yedoma ice complex, which locates in the Batagaika depression, Republic, Russia. The oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition, and the content of the dissolved forms of minor and major elements were studied for the first time in ice-wedges of Batagaika depression, which makes the novelty of the study. The isotope composition of the two most saline ice-wedges located in the upper and lower parts of the depression indicates that they were formed in a close temperature range, the average winter temperature was close to –34/–35 °C, and the average January air temperature was –51/ –53 °C. The ice-wedge with the lowest content of all the trace elements was formed in more severe conditions, the average winter air temperature was close to -36 °C, and the average January air temperature was –54/–55 °C.

Keywords: permafrost; ice wedge; oxygen isotope; hydrogen isotope; trace elements; East Siberia, Late Pleistocene

The subject of the study is the yedoma, which is found lacustrine or taberal deposits, which are form horizontal in the Batagaika depression (67°34'49" N, 134°46'19" E), wedge 150-200 meters long and intruding into the located 10 km southeast of Batagai settlement (about 17 yedoma deposits and overlaying it. Yedoma deposits also km along the highway and about 4 km along the trail), in underlay triangle-shape deposits. of the Sakha Republic, Russia. The upper yedoma unit contains narrow ice wedges 1.5-2 m width. From this part, we sampled ice wedge (IW №3) from the depth of 5-10 m (or 315-320 m a.s.l.). The ice has vertical layers with high content of sandy loam. Polygons are 4-5 m width and of 1.5-3 m height. The lower part of the yedoma from the depth of 65-73 m or 252-260 m a.s.l. ice wedge (IW №2) was sampled in detail. In this lower part, the ice wedges are yellowish- gray, diagonally-vertically-layered, with few soil inclusions, which are predominantly gray in color. Fig. 1. Location of the study site. Batagaika yedoma in the From the isotopic composition of upper ice wedge Central Yakutia. (the average value of δ18O for 38 samples of ice wedge The site is located on the northeastern slope of the hill (№3) is –34.23 ‰, the average value of δ2H is –266.8 ‰ between the hill Kirgilyakh and the mountain – (Table 1), the calculation of air paleotemperature using Khatynnakh, its absolute height is about 290 m a.s.l. Vasil'chuk's (1991) formula shows that they were formed The oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope composition in severe winter conditions, the mean air temperature and the content of the dissolved forms of minor and was –51/–52 °С. The isotope composition of the lower major elements were studied for the first time in ice- ice wedges (the average value of δ18O for 59 samples of wedges of Batagaika depression. Batagai megaslump is a ice wedge (№2) is -35.69 ‰, and the lowest value is wide ravine with vertical walls of 50-85 m height. Ice- δ18O –37.2 ‰, the average value of δ2H is –276.3 ‰, rich yedoma deposits are found in the wall from the and the lowest value is δ2H is –290.8 ‰) shows that they surface to the depth of 75 m. In western part of the were formed in even more severe winter conditions, the exposure yedoma deposits are subdivided into two units: mean air temperature was –54/–55 °С. the upper, 30 to 40 m thick, and the lower, 30 m thick. We estimate the approximate age of IW profile №2 to We observed a feather-like contact of the unit with 55-36 ka BP, and IW profile №3 to 27-12 ka BP,

132 5TH EUROPEAN CONFERENCE ON PERMAFROST according to radiocarbon radiocarbon dates (Murton et μg/L, in the Batagaika River Co content was 0.99 μg/L, al., 2017; Ashastina et al., 2017). in the River – 0.074 μg/L. Table 1. Stable isotope (δ18О and δ2H) minimum, mean, and Table 2. Trace elements minimum, mean, and maximum maximum values in ice wedges of the Batagaika yedoma. values in ice wedges of the Batagaika yedoma, μg/L. Sampl. δ18О, ‰ δ2H, ‰ Sampl. Co Ni (n) min. mean. max. min. mean. max. (n) min. mean. max. min. mean. max. IW profile №1 (№1-8), depth 68-70 m (255-257 m a.s.l.) IW profile №1 (№1-8), depth 68-70 m (255-257 m a.s.l.) 8 –34.86 –34.4 –32.67 –270.2 –265.0 –247.1 3 3.35 3.62 3.88 9.20 9.95 10.70 IW profile №2 (№9-33, 76-111), depth 65-73 m (252-260 m a.s.l.) IW profile №2 (№9-33, 76-111), depth 65-73 m (252-260 m a.s.l.) 59 –37.2 –35.69 –34.51 –290.8 –276.3 –267.8 13 0.34 1.58 3.39 2.94 5.47 11.00 IW profile №3 (№34-72), depth 5-10 m (315-320 m a.s.l.) IW profile №3(№34-72), depth 5-10 m (315-320 m a.s.l.) 38 –34.83 –34.23 –33.8 –272.6 –266.8 –261.8 6 1.20 3.45 8.78 3.04 9.52 23.50 The isotope composition of the two most saline ice- Sampl. Zn Cu wedges located in the upper and lower parts of the (n) min. mean. max. min. mean. max. Batagaika megaslump indicates that they were formed in IW profile №1(№1-8), depth 68-70 m (255-257 m a.s.l.) 3 10.90 18.50 26.10 9.98 14.04 18.10 a close temperature range, the average winter IW profile №2 (№9-33, 76-111), depth 65-73 m (252-260 m a.s.l.) temperature was close to –34/–35 °C, and the average 13 2.57 6.40 12.60 2.70 4.45 7.61 January air temperature was –51/–53 °C. The ice IW profile №3 (№34-72), depth 5-10 m (315-320 m a.s.l.) wedge with the lowest content of all trace elements was 6 3.14 20.24 48.40 3.18 10.79 30.70 formed in more severe conditions, the average winter air Sampl. Mo Ce temperature was close to –36 °C, and the average (n) min. mean. max. min. mean. max. IW profile №1(№1-8), depth 68-70 m (255-257 m a.s.l.) January air temperature was –54/–55 ° C, and, in 3 0.16 0.21 0.25 6.38 6.55 6.72 addition there was presumably lower wind activity. IW profile №2 (№9-33, 76-111), depth 65-73 m (252-260 m a.s.l.) According to the data from Batagai ice wedges, the lowest values of winter paleotemperature for Arctic 13 0.13 0.25 0.47 0.78 2.19 8.29 IW profile №3 (№34-72), depth 5-10 m (315-320 m a.s.l.) Siberia obtained in Batagai area. This confirmed 6 0.15 0.19 0.22 1.55 8.43 24.50 previously designed maps of the distribution of winter temperature for different periods of late Pleistocene, Ni content in ice wedges №1-3 is 2.94-23.50 μg /L, and where an isotope and a temperature minimum was 4.75 μg/L in the water of the Batagaika river. Cu content identified (Vasil'chuk, 1992), although there was a lack in ice wedges varies from 2.7 to 30.7 μg/L, and is 7.61 of data in this area (but an analysis of the isotopic μg/L in river water. Zn content in ice wedges ranges composition of the surrounding yedoma ice complexes from 2.57 to 48.4 μg/L, and is 3.95 μg/L in river water. allowed Yu.Vasil'chuk to identify the temperature Mo content varies in ice wedges from 0.13 to 0.47 μg/L minimum). The Batagay permafrost phenomenon fully and is 0.43 μg/L. in river water. Ce content in ice confirmed the correctness of previously designed wedges is 0.7-24 μg /L, and is 0.14-2 μg/L mg/L in palaeotemperature maps. river water. Acknowledgments Russian Scientific Foundation financially supported the research, grant № 14-27-00083-P. References Ashastina, K., Schirrmeister, L., Fuchs, M., Kienast, F. 2017. Palaeoclimate characteristics in interior Siberia of MIS 6-2: first insights from the Batagay permafrost mega-thaw slump in the Yana Highlands. Climate of the

Past 13: 795–818. Fig. 3. The isotope data from Batagaika megaslump, which Murton, Ju. B., Edwards, M.E., Lozhkin, A.V. et al., shows mean January temperature of –51 °C for the period of 2017. Preliminary paleoenvironmental analysis of 30-25 ka BP. Data perfectly fitted the center of isotherm –48 °С (lowest temperature) (Vasil'chuk, 1992, p. 261). permafrost deposits at Batagaika megaslump, Yana Uplands, northeast Siberia. Quaternary Res. 87: 314–330. We studied trace elements content in ice wedges in order Vasil'chuk, Y.K., 1991. Reconstruction of the to examine the change of concentration and distribution paleoclimate of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene on of environmentally available trace elements within winter the basis of isotope studies of subsurface ice and waters and summer seasons. These data bring additional of the permafrost zone. Water Resources. 17(6): 640–647. information on ice wedge development. Co content in Vasil'chuk, Y.K., 1992. Oxygen Isotope Composition of ice wedges (Table 2) varies in the range of 0.34-8.78 Ground Ice (Application to Paleogeocryological Reconstructions). Moscow. 1: 420 p. (in Russian).

133

5th European Conference on Permafrost June 23 – July 1, 2018, Chamonix, France

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th 5 ​ European Conference on Permafrost ​

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