ИСТИНА

Since 2007, the Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology, in the Geography Faculty of Moscow State University, together with a number of Russian and international universities, inspired by the International Permafrost Association and in time for the International Polar Year, have been conducting international field courses on permafrost in northern Siberia. From 2007 to 2009 these field schools were conducted in western Siberia (near Novy Urengoi and Yamburg), in 2012 (in the Polar Urals and Yamburg), and in 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2015 in the lower Yenisei area (near Igarka, Dudinka, and Norilsk). In total, approximately 150 students from various universities in Russia, Austria, China, England, France, Germany, Norway, and the US have participated in the course. Topics each year include: the origin and development of permafrost, regional features of cryolithozone, cryogenic processes and phenomena, tundra and forest-tundra landscapes, ecology of the northern regions, and engineering geocryology.