Palskumises

Palskumises is a term that originates from the Estonian language and describes a specific type of soil profile or ground condition. It refers to a region of thawed soil that appears within a permafrost landscape. Permafrost, or permanently frozen ground, is ground that remains below 0 degrees Celsius for at least two consecutive years. When a portion of this permafrost thaws, typically due to changes in surface conditions or heat transfer, it creates an area of unfrozen soil. This unfrozen zone is what is referred to as palskumises.

These thawed patches can vary in size and shape and are often found in thermokarst environments, which are landscapes characterized by irregular surfaces of marshy hollows and hummocks formed as a result of thawing permafrost. The formation of palskumises is a dynamic process influenced by factors such as the thickness of the active layer (the top layer of ground that thaws and freezes annually), vegetation cover, snow depth, and the presence of water. The thawing can be caused by natural climatic changes or human activities that disturb the permafrost's thermal balance. Understanding palskumises is important for studying permafrost dynamics, its impact on ecosystems, and its implications for infrastructure development in cold regions.