noun
- A mound of earth-covered ice found in subarctic regions, formed by the freezing of groundwater and the accumulation of peat and soil.
Usage: geology; geography; technical term
Examples
- The palsa landscape of northern Scandinavia is characterized by numerous ice-cored mounds.
- Climate change is causing the degradation of palsas in subarctic regions.
- Researchers studied the palsa formations to understand permafrost dynamics.
- The palsa ecosystem supports specialized vegetation adapted to frozen ground.