Changes in Permafrost Distribution Produced by a Migrating River Meander in the Northern Yukon, Canada

Abstract

Drill hole data from the Eagle River crossing by the Dempster Highway near the Arctic Circle have been interpreted on the basis of point bars formed by a migrating meander loop and dated by tree core ring counts. In the wake of the migrating meander loop, two waves of changes in the state of permafrost have penetrated downwards into the ground, associated with a downward migrating and thickening interpermafrost talik layer containing water under pressure.