Pingo formation

Abstract

The word pingo is gleaned from the Inuit word pinga. It describes the ice-cored conical hills of the Mackenzie Delta in Canada. Pingos form in high-latitude periglacial regions of permafrost in areas where thermokarst lakes exist. These lakes initially form due to the freeze/thaw action of the active layer. Due to their requirement of large amounts of water, pingos tend to grow in regions with a steady supply of groundwater or in areas where there is an accumulation of outwash material. Pingos form under the ground surface and grow upward from a depression of accumulated water. The freezing water is pushed toward the surface and forms an ice structure that appears as a lens. If properly insulated around the edges, a mini, human-made pingo can be used to demonstrate and study pingo genesis.