Talik

A talik is a layer of year-round unfrozen ground that lies in permafrost areas. In regions of continuous permafrost, taliks often occur underneath shallow thermokarst lakes and rivers, where the deep water does not freeze in winter, and thus the soil underneath will not freeze either. Sometimes closed, open and through talik are distinguished. These terms refer to whether the talik is completely surrounded by permafrost, is open to the top (e.g. a thermokarst lake), or open to both top and unfrozen layers beneath the permafrost, respectively.