| Term: | Continuous permafrost |
| Definition: |
Form of permafrost that exists across a landscape as an unbroken layer. PhysicalGeography
Geographic area in which permafrost occurs everywhere beneath the exposed land surface with the exception of widely scattered sites, such as newly deposited unconsolidated sediments that have just been exposed to the freezing climate; mean annual soil surface temperatures are typically below -5 degrees (23 degrees Fahrenheit). NSIDCCryosphere Permafrost occurring everywhere beneath the exposed land surface throughout a geographic region with the exception of widely scattered sites, such as newly deposited unconsolidated sediments, where the climate has just begun to impose its influence on the thermal regime of the ground, causing the development of continuous permafrost IPAPermafrost Permafrost occurring everywhere beneath the exposed land surface throughout a geographic region with the exception of widely scattered sites, such as newly deposited sediments, where the climate is just beginning to influence the ground thermal regime, causing the development of Continuous Permafrost. For practical purposes, the existence of small Taliks within Continuous Permafrost has to be recognized. The term, therefore, generally refers to areas where more than 90% of the ground surface is underlain by Permafrost. The term 'continuous' Permafrost is mostly used for Arctic/Antarctic Permafrost zones. For the mountainous zones the terms 'likely, possible and unlikely' are preferred. TrombottoGeocryology GCW |