Grain size distribution of the Batagay thaw slump, Northeastern Siberia

We described the Batagay permafrost sequence during the June 2014 field campaign. The 60m high outcrop was sampled from top to bottom along its height, ideally in 1m steps, but depending on its accessibility. The sampling procedure was carried out as follows: (1) the cryolithological characteristics at each sampling point were described and photographed, (2) the sampling zone was cleaned, and (3) frozen deposits were taken using a hammer and a chisel and placed into plastic bags. The wet sediments were air-dried in the field and split into subsamples for sedimentological and biogeochemical analysis in the laboratories of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam. Grain size analyses of the < 2mm fraction were carried out using an LS 200 laser particle analyser (Beckman Coulter GmbH).