The Laboratory of Permafrost Geothermics conducts research to develop an understanding of spatial and temporal variations in the subsurface temperature distribution and permafrost within the geological structures and physiographic regions of northern Asia. Specific goals include:

• collection, synthesis and analysis of geothermal data based on the geological-structural principle;
• borehole temperature measurements;
• determination of thermal and physical properties of soils and rocks; estimation of effective thermal conductivities of sedimentary complexes;
• determination of the heat flux in different geological structures; estimation of the heat flow components;
• improvement of measurement methods;
• study of permafrost distribution and thickness within mineral and hydrocarbon deposits, geomorphological regions, and geological structures;
• compilation of temperature databases;
• development of a temperature monitoring network in northern Asia;
• use of geothermal data for reconstruction of former permafrost and for prediction of future environmental changes;
• study of heat flow redistribution related to topography and hydrocarbon occurrences;
• evaluation of the current state of permafrost from analysis of heat flow in and below permafrost;
• development and improvement of heat flow modeling methods;
• evaluation of the factors controlling the ground temperature field.

Research Staff

Aleksandr Zhirkov, Ph.D., Head
Mikhail Zhelezniak D.Sc., Principal Research Scientist
Vladimir Zhizhin D.Sc., Principal Research Scientist
Aleksandr Galkin, D.Sc., Principal Research Scientist
Pavel Skryabin Ph.D., Leading Research Scientist
Petr Permyakov D.Sc., Leading Research Scientist
Mark Shatz Ph.D., Leading Research Scientist
Yurii Skachkov Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist
Stepan Varlamov Ph.D., Leading Research Scientist
Ivan Misailov, Research Scientist
Valerii Semenov, Research Scientist 
Anatolii Kirillin, Research Scientist
Tatiana Vinokurova, Junior Research Scientist
Robert Sysoliatin, Junior Research Scientist

Technical Staff

Artem Egorov, Senior Technical Assistant
Anna Rybchak, Senior Technical Assistant
Maria Rozhina, Technical Assistant
Maksim Sivtsev, Technical Assistant
Dmitrii Gogolev, Technical Assistant
Nikolai Maksimov, Technical Assistant

Address

Melnikov Permafrost Institute
Merzlotnaya St., 36
Yakutsk, Russia 677010

Tel.: 7-4112-390843
Email: zhirkov_af@mail.ru