Underwater view of strudel in Kaminak Lake
Location:
Southwestern
Nunavut, Canada;
NTS 55L Kaminak Lake
This is an underwater view of the raised outer rim and central depression of one of the strudel shown in the aerial view in image 0123. The strudel bottom here is underlain by permafrost at a depth of 30-40 cm below the sediment surface, in water that is 2-4 m deep in the summer (fall freeze-back water levels can be as much as 2 m below the late spring/summer depths). This indicates that mean annual temperature of the sediment must be below 0°C, which suggests that ice is in contact with the bottom at least in some winters. The sediment itself is a loose, fine silt with minor amounts of organic material. Water temperatures during the very warm summer of 1973 were about 18°C at this depth.
Updated 08/31/2009 CAB