Abstract
Soil movements by ground heave and subsidence have affected areas of the North American Arctic for thousands of years (1). Zoltai (2) reconstructed the history of ground heave on hummocky permafrost terrain for the period 18101972 A.D. in the Inuvik and Norman Wells (Northwest Territories) areas, using compression-wood growth patterns in annual rings of conifers affected by heaving. His data revealed above-average levels of activity for the period 1847 to 1943, and low levels of activity since the mid-1940s. He suggested that the high levels of activity were related to higher than normal fall temperatures and precipitation; i.e., activity related to possible permafrost degradation, leading to ground subsidence and subsequent tilting of trees growing in the overlying active layer. A cooling trend since 1950 was reflected in a general quiescence of heave activity and complacent tree rings.
Recommended Citation
Butler, David R.
(1987)
"Climatic Implications of a Tree-Ring Record of Ground Heave, Ram River Area, N.W.T. Canada,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 29:
Iss.
2, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol29/iss2/2