Brief communication: Alternation of thaw zones and deep permafrost in the cold climate conditions of the East Siberian Mountains, Suntar-Khayata Range 

Abstract. The Suntar-Khayata Range include numerous natural phenomena interacting or depending on permafrost conditions. Here, we examine some patterns of deep permafrost and talik zones on adjacent sites. A 210 m deep borehole in siltstone bedrock was equipped in July 2010 for temperature monitoring of the topmost 15 m and measurements of a deep permafrost temperature profile. The temperature curvature in the upper part has a bend which is consistent with at upper portion justify by climate warming and shows a steady-state linear geothermal profile below 85 m depth with a high geothermal heat flux. A shallow borehole situated at the river floodplain was used to investigate thaw zones temperature regime. Temperatures down to 6.7 m has been monitored at 5-min intervals during heavy rainfall and has had quite peculiar way. The thickness of the season freezing layer reach to 5.7 m, moreover ground temperature increases to 6 °C at 6.7 m depth by groundwater heat transfer. This study provides some new insight on the permafrost condition at one of the coldest places of Northern Hemisphere.