Today’s Journal
Melissa at the permafrost tunnel entrance
Looking into the permafrost tunnel
We visited the Permafrost tunnel run by the Army Corps of Engineers, which took us back in time about 40,000 years and up to 80 feet below the surface. Permafrost is any soil that remains frozen for two or more years. Fairbanks is in an area of discontinuous permafrost, meaning that there are areas with permafrost and areas without it. When I head up to my study area, Toolik, the permafrost will be continuous.
Many bones have been found preserved in the frozen walls of the permafrost tunnel including bones from Bison priscus cousin to the buffalo currently found in the United States (Bison bison).
Jaw bone from Bison priscus that has been preserved in the frozen soil
Femur bone from Bison priscus about 14,000 years old
There was even green grass that has been preserved in the permafrost.
Sarah and Sam checking out the preserved vegetation above them
Bacteria that dates back to 25,000 years ago has also been found preserved in ice wedges like the one below. Scientists have been able to thaw the bacteria and they have successfully reproduced in the lab.
This is an example ice wedge found in the permafrost tunnel
Stay tuned in May to learn more about permafrost!