Alkane distribution in ancient permafrost deposits at the Batagay Megaslump, East Siberia

Paq: aquatic organic matter proxy based on n-alkanes.This dataset presents the alkane concentrations (range: n-C17 to n-C33) from 30 sediment samples which are given in µg/g sediment. Different alkane compounds were found: n-alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, alkylcyclopentanes, methylalkanes, as well as diethylalkanes and ethyl-methylalkanes. Biomarker parameters include the concentrations of short-chain (n-C17 to n-C19) and long-chain (n-C20 to n-C33) n-alkanes, the average chain length of n-alkanes (ACL), the aquatic organic matter proxy based on n-alkanes (Paq) and the carbon preference index of n-alkanes (CPI). The alkanes were measured using a TRACE 1310 Gas Chromatograph coupled to a TSQ 9000 Mass Spectrometer (Thermo Scientific).