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Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms pp 1–4Cite as

Ice Wedge Polygon

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Definition

The surface expression of permafrost crosscut by integrated/intersecting polygonized fractures (formed by means of thermal-contraction) that are filled with frozen water, i.e., ice wedges.

Category

A type of nonsorted patterned ground

A type of periglacial landform

Morphometry

Ice-wedge polygon networks range from a few meters to tens of kilometers in reach (Fig. 1 ) (Washburn 1973; Mackay 1980; French 2007). Typically, individual ice-wedge polygons show diameters in the 5–40 m range (Washburn 1973; French 2007); however, ice-wedge polygons with diameters >100 m have been observed in Eastern Siberia (Geocryology of the USSR, Eastern Siberia and the far east 1989). Ice-wedge diameters at the apex range from <10 cm to >3 m, commonly tapering to a feather edge at a depth of 1 to >10 m (Harris et al. 1988).

Fig. 1
figure 1

An extensive outcrop of thermal-contraction polygons (~15–25 m in diameter) in the Tuktoyaktuk Coastlands (Photo by R. Soare)

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Fig. 1
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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Planetary Science Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Budapest, Hungary

    Henrik Hargitai

  2. Department of Geography, Dawson College, Montreal, Canada

    Richard Soare

Authors
  1. Henrik Hargitai
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  2. Richard Soare
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Correspondence to Henrik Hargitai or Richard Soare .

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Hargitai, H., Soare, R. (2014). Ice Wedge Polygon. In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_193-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_193-1

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