Permafrost wedges in Podzamcze

Authors

  • Alicja Filipiuk University of Lodz, Institute of Geography, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26485/BP/1960/7/4

Keywords:

ice wedges, permafrost, aeolian sediments, polygonal ground

Abstract

The studied site is located on the Podzamcze plateau, 3 km west of Wieruszów, north of the Wieruszów–Kępno road. The sedimentary profile consists of till and fluvioglacial deposits overlain by cover sands and characterised by good sorting and a predominance of the 0.1–0.4 mm fraction. Within the profile, ice wedges measuring 0.6–1.5 m in length and up to 50 cm in width at the top occur, forming a polygonal network of fissures with diameters of 0.5–3 m. The material filling the wedges shows aeolian features and a genetic link with the cover sands. Morphological and stratigraphic analysis indicates that the wedges formed due to ground contraction under permafrost conditions and were subsequently filled with aeolian material during ice melting, forming stable polygonal structures analogous to tundra polygons observed in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.

References

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Published

2025-12-17

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Section

ARTICLES