THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF BOTTOM SEDIMENTS IN THE REGION OF BUOR-KHAYA BAY (SHELF OF THE LAPTEV SEA)
The paper presents the actual values of the thermal conductivity of sediments of the upper horizons of the Laptev’s Sea shelf permafrost. The data have been obtained during researches in the Buor-Khaya Bay to the East from the Muostah island under the Russian-American project of studying of the methane potential in seas of the eastern Arctic. The thermal conductivity of sediments, and their water content and density have been investigated in field conditions to the under-bottom depths of 52.3 m. During investigations of the cores of bottom sediments the features of variation in the thermal conductivity values have been detected. At that, the analysis of the influence of water content, density, porosity, lithology on the thermal conductivity of sediments have been carried out. It has been found out that the content of clay and silt particles is the main factor affecting the thermal conductivity of the investigated sediments.