Cryolithology аnd Glaciology

About the program

The profile «Cryolithology and Glaciology»provides an opportunity to study the methodology of cryosphere research. The graduate can assess the evolution of the Earth's cryosphere, the depth and characteristics of the impact of economic sectors on the components of the cryosphere and apply in practice methods of geographical assessment of anthropogenic impact. The bachelor is familiar with the latest remote sensing methods and has practical skills in working with satellite images to monitor and predict the state of the natural environment in the North and highlands. The graduate can make forecasts of changes in the cryosphere under climatic and anthropogenic changes.

Graduates of the profile are able to solve problems corresponding to scientific research and design and survey types of problems of professional activity.

Specialized professional competencies of graduates of the profile «Cryolithology and glaciology» 

A student is able to apply knowledge about the patterns of formation and genetic types of permafrost strata and glaciers, zonal and regional features of their distribution, macro- and microstructure, heat and mass transfer in their thickness, vertical structure and thickness, as well as use genetic classifications and taxonomies of cryological objects in theory and practice (SPK-1).

He/she is able to apply knowledge about the conditions for the formation of processes such as avalanches, mudflows, solifluction, thermokarst, heaving, frost cracking, thermal erosion, thermal abrasion; assess the intensity of processes in natural conditions and their activation during technogenesis, determine the geographical distribution of processes at the regional and local level (SPK-2).

A student is able to apply fundamental knowledge about the properties of frozen rocks, underground and surface ice, depending on thermodynamic parameters, the structure of rocks and ice; assess the deformation of ice and frozen rocks under the influence of temperature and mechanical influences in order to develop optimal engineering solutions, calculate the bearing capacity of soils (SPK-3).

He/she is able to assess the geoecological hazard and risk during the development of the lowland permafrost zone and mountains in connection with the development of catastrophic and dangerous glacial and cryogenic processes; has knowledge about measures for prevention and elimination of dangerous situations in areas of economic and recreational development of the mountains and plains of the permafrost zone; is able to recommend the locations for economic facilities with minimal risk to humans and nature; knows modern problems associated with the reconstruction of mountain glaciation, climate trends and degradation or aggradation of glaciers and permafrost; capable of performing permafrost and glacial forecasts (SPK-4).

A student has knowledge of zoning at the global and regional level of the latest deposits of the North, frozen rocks, glaciers, snow cover; has the skills of zoning permafrost and glacial objects in accordance with climatic and geological-geographical conditions (SPK-5).

He/she is proficient in methods of studying ablation and accumulation on glaciers, snow metamorphism, the structure of snow layers, ice structure, water-physical and mechanical properties of soils, organizing field research in the area of permafrost, in the mountains, on glaciers; is able to use computer programs to process quantitative data obtained in expeditions and laboratories (SPK-6).

Disciplines forming the profile «Cryolithology and glaciology» 

2nd year

Introduction to the doctrine of morpholithogenesis

Glaciology

Soil science

Historical geology

Basics of cryogenesis

Fundamentals of mathematical statistics and numerical modeling

Fundamentals of permafrost and glaciology

3rd year

External mass and energy exchange of glaciers

Geoinformation methods for studying the cryosphere

Cryolithology

Glacier regions of the world

Glacial regions of Russia

Permafrost studies

General paleogeography

Snow cover of the Earth

Physics and mechanics of frozen soils and ice

4th year

Geoecology of the permafrost zone

Engineering glaciology

Engineering permafrost

Avalanche science

Permafrost forecast during permafrost development

Newest deposits of the North

Mudflow science

An approximate list of disciplines of the student’s choice that form a profile:

Geographic information systems in permafrost science and glaciology

Landscape geophysics

Geophysical methods for studying permafrost zone

Landscape geochemistry

Remote sensing methods for cryosphere research

Engineering assessment and protection of the territory

Information technologies for cryosphere research

History of exploration and development of the Arctic

Methods of paleolandscape research

Fundamentals of Engineering Surveys

Open questions in the study of the cryosphere

Regional cryolithology

Evolutionary glaciology