scholarly journals Permafrost and ground ice conditions of northwestern Canada

1992 ◽  
Author(s):  
J A Heginbottom ◽  
L K Radburn
Keyword(s):  
Ground Ice ◽  
Ice Conditions

scholarly journals Assessment of permafrost distribution maps in the Hindu Kush–Himalayan region using rock glaciers mapped in Google Earth

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 5293-5319 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.-O. Schmid ◽  
P. Baral ◽  
S. Gruber ◽  
S. Shahi ◽  
T. Shrestha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ground Truth ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Ground Ice ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
First Order ◽  
Hindu Kush ◽  
Ice Conditions ◽  
Rock Glaciers

Abstract. The extent and distribution of permafrost in the mountainous parts of the Hindu Kush–Himalayan (HKH) region have barely been investigated and are largely unknown. Only on the Tibetan Plateau a long tradition of permafrost research on rather gentle relief exists. Two permafrost maps are available that cover the HKH and provide estimates of permafrost extent, i.e. the areal proportion of permafrost: the manually delineated Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground Ice Conditions (Brown et al., 1998) and the Global Permafrost Zonation Index, based on a computer model (Gruber, 2012). This article provides first-order assessment of permafrost maps of the HKH region based on the mapping of rock glaciers. Rock glaciers were used as a proxy, because they are visual indicators of permafrost, often occurring near the lowermost regional occurrence of permafrost in mountains, and because they can be delineated based on high-resolution remote sensing imagery freely available on Google Earth. For the mapping 4000 square samples (approx. 30 km2) were randomly distributed over the HKH region. Every sample was investigated and rock glaciers were mapped by two independent researchers following precise mapping instructions. Samples with insufficient image quality were recorded but not mapped. It is shown that mapping of rock glaciers in Google Earth can be used as first-order evidence for permafrost in mountain areas with severely limited ground truth. The minimum elevation of rock glaciers varies between 3500 and 5500 m a.s.l. within the region. The Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground Ice Conditions does not reproduce mapped conditions in the HKH region adequately, whereas the Global Permafrost Zonation Index appears to be a reasonable first-order prediction of permafrost in the HKH. Only in the central part of the region a considerable deviation exists that needs further investigations.

Retrogressive thaw slumps in areas with tabular ground ice on Kolguev (Barents Sea) and Novaya Sibir’ (East-Siberian Sea) Islands

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Kizyakov ◽  
Frank Günther ◽  
Mikhail Zimin ◽  
Anton Sonyushkin ◽  
Ekaterina Zhdanova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Air Temperature ◽  
Linear Trend ◽  
Open Water ◽  
Wave Action ◽  
Observation Data ◽  
Ground Ice ◽  
Significant Linear Trend ◽  
Ice Conditions ◽  
Kolguev Island

<p>The activation of retrogressive thaw slumps is associated with slope surface stability disturbances, or with an increase in the depth of seasonal thawing, that can reach the top of surface-near ground ice. Most retrogressive thaw slumps are confined to terraced slope surfaces that have been undercut and started to retreat due to lateral river erosion or wave action along lake, river or sea shores. Subsequent long-term retrogressive that slump growth depends on constant removal of material from the slope foot by river water or sea waves.</p><p>We have studied the current dynamics of coastal destruction and retrogressive thaw slumps in the western (Kolguev Island) and one of the eastern-most (Novaya Sibir’ Island) occurrences of tabular ground ice in the Eurasian Arctic. A wide set of multi-temporal optical earth observation data of high and very-high spatial resolution (SPOT 6 & 7, GeoEye, WorldView, Kompsat, Prism, Formosat, and Resurs) was used. We modified the TanDEM-X DEM (12 m) for relief reconstruction of earlier stage relief settings to ensure consistent orthorectification of oblique viewing satellite imagery. All raw images were terrain-corrected and georeferenced using a comprehensive block adjustment.</p><p>In the western part of Kolguev Island retrogressive thaw slump average retreat rates of different thermocirque features varied from 0.7 to 7.9 m/year in 2002-2018. Maximum rates reached 14.5-15.1 m/year. On the Novaya Sibir’ Island thermocirques averaged retreat rates in 2007-2018 varied from 3.3 to 8.5 m/year, maximum rates were up to 15.5 m/year.</p><p>Besides dependence of thermocirque occurrence on local ground ice conditions, external forcing on coastal dynamics and thermocirque retreat has been analysed for air temperature and sea ice fluctuations through sums of positive daily mean air temperature and the duration of the open-water period variability for specific periods bracketed by image acquisition dates. Ice conditions in the coastal zone (app. near 50 km of coastal line) of the studied areas were analyzed according to microwave satellite OSI-450 and OSI-430 datasets. We assumed the open-water season as the period when sea ice concentration was less than 15%. Around Kolguev Island, over the 2006-2018 there has been not statistically significant linear trend for open-water period - median value of linear trend is 2.5 days/year with different sea ice conditions off the south and north coasts of the island. At the same time, an increase in the annual sum of positive daily mean  air temperature is noted. For the period 2006-2018, the linear trend was 23.2 degree/year. That is why, for Kolguev Island, we expect at least a sustained level of substantially stronger retreat rates when compared with the past, if not a further increase in thermal denudation intensity and thermocirque growth, and strong and steady rates of coastal destruction due to wave action. Further research will focus on identifying commonalities and differences between the two study regions with respect to hydrometeorological and permafrost conditions.</p><p>Supported by RFBR grants № 18-05-60080 and 18-05-60221, and by DFG grant № WE4390/7-1.</p>

scholarly journals Assessment of permafrost distribution maps in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region using rock glaciers mapped in Google Earth

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 2089-2099 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.-O. Schmid ◽  
P. Baral ◽  
S. Gruber ◽  
S. Shahi ◽  
T. Shrestha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ground Truth ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Ground Ice ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Distribution Maps ◽  
First Order ◽  
Hindu Kush ◽  
Ice Conditions ◽  
Rock Glaciers

Abstract. The extent and distribution of permafrost in the mountainous parts of the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region are largely unknown. A long tradition of permafrost research, predominantly on rather gentle relief, exists only on the Tibetan Plateau. Two permafrost maps are available digitally that cover the HKH and provide estimates of permafrost extent, i.e., the areal proportion of permafrost: the manually delineated Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground Ice Conditions (Brown et al., 1998) and the Global Permafrost Zonation Index, based on a computer model (Gruber, 2012). This article provides a first-order assessment of these permafrost maps in the HKH region based on the mapping of rock glaciers. Rock glaciers were used as a proxy, because they are visual indicators of permafrost, can occur near the lowermost regional occurrence of permafrost in mountains, and can be delineated based on high-resolution remote sensing imagery freely available on Google Earth. For the mapping, 4000 square samples (~ 30 km2) were randomly distributed over the HKH region. Every sample was investigated and rock glaciers were mapped by two independent researchers following precise mapping instructions. Samples with insufficient image quality were recorded but not mapped. We use the mapping of rock glaciers in Google Earth as first-order evidence for permafrost in mountain areas with severely limited ground truth. The minimum elevation of rock glaciers varies between 3500 and 5500 m a.s.l. within the region. The Circum-Arctic Map of Permafrost and Ground Ice Conditions does not reproduce mapped conditions in the HKH region adequately, whereas the Global Permafrost Zonation Index does so with more success. Based on this study, the Permafrost Zonation Index is inferred to be a reasonable first-order prediction of permafrost in the HKH. In the central part of the region a considerable deviation exists that needs further investigations.

Distribution and origin of ground ice in University Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlin Lapalme ◽  
Denis Lacelle ◽  
Wayne Pollard ◽  
David Fisher ◽  
Alfonso Davila ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vapour Deposition ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Mcmurdo Dry Valleys ◽  
Dry Valleys ◽  
Ground Ice ◽  
Permafrost Soils ◽  
Glacier Ice ◽  
Ice Conditions ◽  
Ice Content ◽  
Moisture Conditions

AbstractGround ice is one of the most important and dynamic geologic components of permafrost; however, few studies have investigated the distribution and origin of ground ice in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica. In this study, ice-bearing permafrost cores were collected from 18 sites in University Valley, a small hanging glacial valley in the Quartermain Mountains. Ground ice was found to be ubiquitous in the upper 2 m of permafrost soils, with excess ice contents reaching 93%, but ground ice conditions were not homogeneous. Ground ice content was variable within polygons and along the valley floor, decreasing in the centres of polygons and increasing in the shoulders of polygons towards the mouth of the valley. Ground ice also had different origins: vapour deposition, freezing of partially evaporated snow meltwater and buried glacier ice. The variability in the distribution and origin of ground ice can be attributed to ground surface temperature and moisture conditions, which separate the valley into distinct zones. Ground ice of vapour-deposition origin was predominantly situated in perennially cryotic zones, whereas ground ice formed by the freezing of evaporated snow meltwater was predominantly found in seasonally non-cryotic zones.

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