CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERMAFROST STRUCTURE ON THE FILDES PENINSULA, KING GEORGE ISLAND, ANTARCTICA

Based on the data from the pitting, geoelectrical prospectings, temper ature measuring, and the divided layers frost-heaving instruments, thi s paper, first, discusses the structure features of active layers in t his region, and proves the presence of the bowl-shaped frost table in the stone circles area. Second, it analyses the temperature distributi ve rule in the active layer, meantime, according to the vertical-profi le parameters of granularity, clay mineral, salt content and resistivi ties, it also discusses the different features of permafrost structure and their control actions on the periglacial landform development bet ween high and low places. It suggests that the four-layer structure sh ould exist in the permafrost region (including under-bedrock), that is , active layer, frost sand and gravels layer, frost volcanic rock perm eated by sea water, and frost volcanic rock unpermeated by sea water. Finally, the permafrost table and its vertical gradient are deduced.