Alas ( sah, Алаас) is a shallow depression which occurs primarily in
Yakutia, which is formed by subsidence of the
Arctic permafrost
Permafrost is ground that continuously remains below 0 °C (32 °F) for two or more years, located on land or under the ocean. Most common in the Northern Hemisphere, around 15% of the Northern Hemisphere or 11% of the global surface ...
owing to repeated melting and refreezing. An alas first develops as a shallow lake as melt water fills the depression. The lake eventually dries out and is replaced by grasses and other
herbaceous
Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials.
Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous"
The fourth edition of t ...
vegetation.
Examples
An alas is different from
thermokarst depressions found elsewhere in the Arctic in that the lake is only temporary. Due to the aridity of Yakutia, the lake will dry up once the underlying ice has been depleted.
Alases are often used for pasturage for horses as well as hay-fields. They are common in the
Central Yakutian Lowland. The largest alas in the world is
Myuryu, located in
Ust-Aldan District.
Evolution of the Alas of Central Yakutia
(in Russian)
The alas also hold great cultural importance. During the festival of Ysyakh, the traditional Yakut New Year’s day celebrated in the summer, as many as 20,000 gather to an alas in the general vicinity of Yakutsk. Other minor celebrations occur at other alas across the Republic of Sakha
Sakha, officially the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia),, is the largest republic of Russia, located in the Russian Far East, along the Arctic Ocean, with a population of roughly 1 million. Sakha comprises half of the area of its governing Far Ea ...
. Once set up there, temporary Uraha ( Yakut: Ураһа), which are homes made of birch bark are constructed among other wooden idols and structures.
See also
* Baydzharakh
* Yedoma
References
*
External links
*
Geography of Russia
Permafrost
{{SakhaRepublic-geo-stub