Arctic Lakes

Definition

Lakes located in an arctic area. Geographically it is the area north of the Arctic Circle, 66°30′N; climatically it is the area north of the 10°C isotherm for the warmest month, provided the mean temperature of the coldest month is below 0°C.

Arctic lakes may be classified according to the formation of the depression where the lake is formed and the material in the bottom of the lake. Many arctic lakes owe their existence to carving of the landscape by previous or recent glacial erosion. This erosion may result in numerous lakes of all forms and depths; however, often an orientation determined by the direction of the ice movement is seen. Elongated deeper lakes may be formed by the melt water (tunnel valleys). Other deep lakes may be formed by the melting of buried dead ice. In recent tundra areas, lakes may be formed by periglacial processes such as thermokarst and development of pingos. The material of the bed is most often till of variable thickness or solid bed rock. In...