Review: The paper presents brief results of studying the cryosphere of the Zeravshan and Hissar ranges. At the same time, the rate of change in the area of glaciers over the past almost a hundred years and the presence and degradation of permafrost during this time were considered. The actual description of the numerical method for estimating the depth of soil freezing based on data on the thickness of the snow cover and air temperature was also given. An example of the use of this numerical method for estimating the depth of soil freezing on slopes was given in order to map the cryolithozone of the Zeravshan and Hissar ranges. According to the calculations, the ground under the snow cover remains frozen on the Anzob pass from December to April. The power of the accumulated snow cover can reach one and a half meters or more. At the same time, the soil under the snow-covered surface freezes according to calculations by an average of 1.5 m. Thus, the proposed method for calculating the dynamics of the depth of soil freezing based on data on air temperature and the thickness of snow cover made it possible to assess the freezing of soil as a factor of soil stability during the construction of village and avalanche protection structures. Thus, the Anzob pass belongs to the area of seasonal freezing of rocks, taking into account the gradient of the average annual temperature of rocks, we can conclude that the appearance of permafrost rocks on the Hissar ridge can be expected at altitudes of more than 4,000 meters.

Keywords: geophysical research, cryolithozone, Tien Shan, thermometry, high-altitude permafrost, snow cover thickness, air temperature, mapping, freezing depth, numerical method