CURRENT CHANGES OF CLIMATE AND PERMAFROST IN THE ARCTIC AND SUB-ARCTIC OF RUSSIA

In northern Russia, from the time meteorological measurements began in the early nineteenth century to the end of that century, the air temperature was characterized by a general decrease (approximately 1 degrees C). It then rose up to the 1950s (by 0.6 degrees C). A subsequent slight fall in temperature lasted until the mid 1970s. Since then a further rise has been observed (0.6-0.9 degrees C). Temperatures in the upper horizons of permafrost over the last 10-20 years are in good agreement with recent global warming trends. For the European north-east during the period 1970-90 a rise in temperature at a depth of 3 m amounted to 0.6-0.7 degrees C on average. However, this rise is related not necessarily to a rise in air temperature, but more likely to an increase in snow cover.