Perspectives of the development of complex interdisciplinary hydrological and geocryological research in the North-East of Russia

Abstract

Climate warming and anthropogenic impact causes transformation of geocryological conditions in the river basins of the North-East of Russia. Changes in the thickness of the active layer, configuration of taliks, types of landscapes and other factors lead to transformation of water exchange processes between surface and groundwater runoff. This is manifested in the seasonal redistribution of the components of the water balance, accelerated melting of aufeis, change in the ratio of waters of different genesis in the structure of river runoff. As a result, natural and anthropogenic risks that affect the safe and efficient development of infrastructure and socio-economic processes are increasing. At the same time the system of observations developed in the Soviet period has been practically destroyed in the region. This paper offers a vision of organizing complex multidisciplinary research to assess and project the changes in the conditions of underground and surface water interaction in natural and disturbed river basins of the cryolithozone of the North-East of Russia, including for solving applied problems, based on permafrost, hydrology, hydrogeology, landscape science and geophysics with applications of remote sensing and field research integrated through mathematical modeling methods. To achieve the goal, the identification of natural and disturbed landscapes using remote sensing data, and key areas for detailed research will be selected. Geophysical and drilling works will be carried out within the sites to establish permafrost-hydrogeological conditions, monitoring stations will be equipped to determine hydrogeological, hydrometeorological and geocryological characteristics, including sampling for isotopic and hydrogeochemical studies. As the main key sites, it is proposed to use the area of ​​the Kolyma water-balance station and the site on Anmangynda aufeis, for which there are long-term observation series in the 20th century. Field data will become the basis for improving the mathematical model of runoff formation, considering the relationship between groundwater and river runoff in the conditions of permafrost. Mathematical modeling will make it possible to quantitatively analyze the water balance of rivers considering various factors and project water availability both for specific industrial facilities and for the region as a whole.

Geocryological Conditions of Small Mountain Catchment in the Upper Kolyma Highland (Northeastern Asia)

“…As the dynamics of ground temperatures and the hydrogeological regime exhibit a close correlation with landscape and weather characteristics, based on our findings, it is possible to categorize the studied territory according to the direction of its transformation under the impact of climate change [16,43]. Consequently, it is imperative to conduct monitoring not only of ground temperatures but also comprehensive observations of geocryological processes, the intensity of hydrological phenomena, icing processes, and other specific components of the cryosphere [17,39,44]. A comprehensive interpretation of the results is essential for predicting the development of natural processes and expanding our understanding of their mechanisms [45,46].…”

“…The Anmangynda aufeis is located in the basin of the Anmangynda River close to within 155-159 km of the Tenka highway (Magadan region) and 30 km south-east from the town of Ust-Omchug (60 • 56 ′ N, 149 • 44 ′ E). The aufeis glade covers an area of 7.6 km 2 [17]. In the 1970s, the aufeis reached an area of about 7 km 2 and a volume of over 11 million m 3 [21].…”

“…The aim of this research is to study the current state of the natural environment in the mountainous permafrost zone of the upper reaches of the Kolyma River, as well as the mechanisms and factors of interactions between underground and surface water exchange processes and the hydrothermal regimes of permafrost in the context of environmental transformation due to climate change and anthropogenic impacts. To achieve this goal, a monitoring network, including meteorological, geocryological, hydrological, and hydrogeological gauges has been established in the mountainous part of the Kolyma River basin, following a watershed approach [17]. Specialized research and surveys (geophysical, landscape studies, etc.)…”

Geophysical Indicators of Aufeis in the Anmangynda River (Magadan Region)

“…Под местом выхода подземных вод на лед (пикет 50 м) на геоэлектрическом разрезе с глубины 12 м отмечается локальная субвертикальная зона низкого УЭС шириной 18 м. Предполагается, что эта аномалия связана с каналом фильтрации подземных вод в аллювии. Ранее авторами было установлено, что каналы сосредоточенной фильтрации подземных вод в обводненных песчаных отложениях выделяются локальными низкоомными аномалиями, а в трехмерной геоэлектрической модели -в виде «трубы» с низким УЭС [Olenchenko et al, 2017]. Проследить связь этой аномалии с разломами в коренных породах не представляется возможным из-за ограниченной глубинности зондирования.…”

“…Относительная транспортная доступность, 150−159 км Тенькинской трассы в 30 км от пос. Усть-Омчуг, позволила возобновить мониторинг и междисциплинарные исследования природных процессов на этой наледи [Makarieva et al, 2021;Zemlianskova et al, 2022].…”