Spatial Distribution of Thawed and Frozen Grounds Based on Areal Electrical Tomography Data

This article presents the results of a study of the spatial distribution of thawed and frozen grounds in the permafrost zone using three-dimensional electrical resistivity tomography. The purpose of the research was to determine the boundaries between frozen and thawed rocks and identify the groundwater level. The study used electrical resistivity tomography, drilling, and borehole thermometry data. Based on the resulting data, we have constructed a three-dimensional geoelectric model, which is well consistent with the available geological information. It has been revealed that the anomalous zones with elevated temperatures are correlated with areas of reduced electrical resistivity, which indicates the presence of taliks. We have constructed maps of the groundwater level and top of permafrost rocks, which reflect the geological features of the studied area. The results confirm the effectiveness of the three-dimensional model for data interpretation under complex geological conditions and can be applied to solve similar problems.