October 10, 2016

Training Course for Heilongjiang University Professors

MPI organized a training program on permafrost regions hydrogeology and hydraulic engineering for participants from the Heilongjiang University, School of Hydraulic and Electric Power from 22 September to 6 October 2016. The program included classroom lectures and field trips, covering various topics such as problems of urban construction on permafrost; frost-related metamorphism of groundwater and soils; cryopegs; permafrost hydrology in a changing climate; precipitation geochemistry and environmental effects; toxic chemical elements in the environment of Yakutia; construction of hydroengineering structures in cold regions; and experience in the establishment and management of a frozen soil laboratory. Field trips provided an opportunity to observe groundwater springs and icings on the Bestyakh terrace of the Lena River, to learn about hydrogeology of small river basins on permafrost while visiting the Malaya Chabyda monitoring site, and to better understand the water drainage problems for open-pit mining in permafrost regions during a tour of the Kangalassy Coal Mine. Several meetings with key MPI researchers were held to discuss the setting up of a joint laboratory of cold regions hydrology and hydroengineering.

July 20, 2016

A Doctor Degree Dissertation by Leonid Neradovskii Approved for Defense

The Dissertation Council at MPI has accepted for defense a dissertation submitted by Leonid Neradovskii, Senior Research Scientist at the Laboratory of Permafrost Engineering, for the Doctor of Science degree in specialty 25.00.08 – engineering geology, geocryology and geotechnical engineering. The dissertation titled “Methodological Bases for Electromagnetic Sounding of Frozen Ground within the Layer of Annual Temperature Variations” was evaluated positively by a commission consisting of Drs. R.V. Zhang, G.P. Kuzmin and A.V. Omelyanenko. The Council approved Dr. Y.B. Bashkuev, Institute of Physical Material Science (Ulan-Ude), Dr. V.I. Dzhurik, Institute of Earth Crust (Irkutsk) and Dr. A.V. Brouchkov, Moscow State University, as official opponents. The public defense of the dissertation is scheduled on 23 November 2016 at 9:00 a.m. The full text of the dissertation, as well as other related documents (in Russian) can be found here. Photo below: Leonid Neradovskii (right) and Alexander Fedorov during a field survey on a Lena River island. 

 
August 22, 2016

Strengthening Collaboration with SKLFSE, Lanzhou, China

Three delegates from the State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering (SKLFSE), Lanzhou, China visited the Melnikov Permafrost Institute from 5-10 August 2016. Led by Prof. Wu Qingbai, Director of SKLFSE, the delegation met with colleagues at MPI to introduce the research priorities at SKLFSE as part of the newly formed Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources and to identify collaboration areas and projects. The busy schedule included tours of the MPI laboratories, facilities and field sites, as well as residential construction sites in downtown Yakutsk and the proposed bridge site on the Lena River near Tabaga. As part of the visit, Prof. Huijun Jin gave lectures at the international summer school organized by the University of the Arctic Thematic Network on Permafrost/Natural Hazards. An important outcome from the visit is an agreement signed between the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources and the Melnikov Permafrost Institute to establish an International Research Center on Asian Cold Regions Environment and Engineering (关于建立亚洲寒区环境与工程国际研究中心的协议).The Center, abbreviated as IRC–ACEE, will be based at SKLFSE in Lanzhou and MPI in Yakutsk.  

10 June 2016

Laboratory of General Geocryology Seminar on Suntar-Khayata Glaciers

Research seminars are held regularly at MPI to offer the Institute members and visitors the opportunity to present their current research. On 9 June, the Laboratory of General Geocryology hosted an open seminar, where Vasily Lytkin, a junior research scientist at this Laboratory, made a report titled “Glaciers and Rock Glaciers in the Suntar-Khayata Range: Structure, Age, and Late Holocene Dynamics”. Since this research was for a PhD dissertation, the lecturer received many questions and comments from his senior colleagues. The research advisor, Dr. Alexey Galanin, noted that Vasily had performed a large amount of work to interpret satellite images and had come up with some interesting new findings on rock glaciers. Glaciological and permafrost studies in the Suntar-Khayata Range were first conducted during the International Geophysical Year 1957/58. Starting from 2012, MPI has continued research in these mountains to study climate change effects on glaciers, permafrost and surrounding landscapes. For more photographs of the Suntar-Khayata glaciers, view the gallery here.