Active-layer thermal monitoring on the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, maritime Antarctica

Abstract. International attention to climate change phenomena has grown in the last decade; the active layer and permafrost are of great importance in understanding processes and future trends due to their role in energy flux regulation. The objective of this paper is to present active-layer temperature data for one Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring South hemisphere (CALM-S) site located on the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, maritime Antarctica over an 57-month period (2008–2012). The monitoring site was installed during the summer of 2008 and consists of thermistors (accuracy of ±0.2 °C), arranged vertically with probes at different depths, recording data at hourly intervals in a high-capacity data logger. A series of statistical analyses was performed to describe the soil temperature time series, including a linear fit in order to identify global trends, and a series of autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models was tested in order to define the best fit for the data. The affects of weather on the thermal regime of the active layer have been identified, providing insights into the influence of climate change on permafrost. The active-layer thermal regime in the studied period was typical of periglacial environments, with extreme variation in surface during the summer resulting in frequent freeze and thaw cycles. The active-layer thickness (ALT) over the studied period shows a degree of variability related to different annual weather conditions, reaching a maximum of 117.5 cm in 2009. The ARIMA model could describe the data adequately and is an important tool for more conclusive analysis and predictions when longer data sets are available. Despite the variability when comparing temperature readings and ACT over the studied period, no trend can be identified.

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Active layer thermal monitoring at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Maritime Antarctica

Solid Earth Discussions ◽

10.5194/sed-6-1423-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 1423-1449 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

R. F. M. Michel ◽

C. E. G. R. Schaefer ◽

F. N. B. Simas ◽

Francelino M. R. ◽

E. I. Fernandes-Filho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Layer Thickness ◽

Active Layer ◽

Thermal Regime ◽

Arima Model ◽

Active Layer Thickness ◽

Monitoring Site ◽

King George Island ◽

Data Logger ◽

Maritime Antarctica ◽

Fildes Peninsula

Abstract. International attention to the climate change phenomena has grown in the last decade; the active layer and permafrost are of great importance in understanding processes and future trends due to their role in energy flux regulation. The objective of the this paper is to present active layer temperature data for one CALM-S site located at Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Maritime Antarctica over an fifth seven month period (2008–2012). The monitoring site was installed during the summer of 2008 and consists of thermistors (accuracy of ± 0.2 °C), arranged vertically with probes at different depths, recording data at hourly intervals in a~high capacity data logger. A series of statistical analysis were performed to describe the soil temperature time series, including a linear fit in order to identify global trend and a series of autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models were tested in order to define the best fit for the data. The controls of weather on the thermal regime of the active layer have been identified, providing insights about the influence of climate chance over the permafrost. The active layer thermal regime in the studied period was typical of periglacial environment, with extreme variation at the surface during summer resulting in frequent freeze and thaw cycles. The active layer thickness (ALT) over the studied period showed variability related to different annual weather conditions, reaching a maximum of 117.5 cm in 2009. The ARIMA model was considered appropriate to treat the dataset, enabling more conclusive analysis and predictions when longer data sets are available. Despite the variability when comparing temperature readings and active layer thickness over the studied period, no warming trend was detected.

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Active layer thermal regime at different vegetation covers at Lions Rump, King George Island, Maritime Antarctica

Geomorphology ◽

10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.03.048 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 225 ◽

pp. 36-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Ivan C.C. Almeida ◽

Carlos Ernesto G.R. Schaefer ◽

Raphael B.A. Fernandes ◽

Thiago T.C. Pereira ◽

Alexandre Nieuwendam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Active Layer ◽

Thermal Regime ◽

King George Island ◽

Maritime Antarctica

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Active layer thermal regime in two climatically contrasted sites of the Antarctic Peninsula region

Cuadernos de Investigación Geográfica ◽

10.18172/cig.2915 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 457 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

F. Hrbáček ◽

M. Oliva ◽

K. Laska ◽

J. Ruiz-Fernández ◽

M. A. De Pablo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Active Layer ◽

Antarctic Peninsula ◽

Thermal Regime ◽

Active Layer Thickness ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

Climate Trends ◽

Ground Temperatures ◽

Air Temperatures ◽

Discontinuous Permafrost ◽

The Antarctic

Permafrost controls geomorphic processes in ice-free areas of the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) region. Future climate trends will promote significant changes of the active layer regime and permafrost distribution, and therefore a better characterization of present-day state is needed. With this purpose, this research focuses on Ulu Peninsula (James Ross Island) and Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island), located in the area of continuous and discontinuous permafrost in the eastern and western sides of the AP, respectively. Air and ground temperatures in as low as 80 cm below surface of the ground were monitored between January and December 2014. There is a high correlation between air temperatures on both sites (r=0.74). The mean annual temperature in Ulu Peninsula was -7.9 ºC, while in Byers Peninsula was -2.6 ºC. The lower air temperatures in Ulu Peninsula are also reflected in ground temperatures, which were between 4.9 (5 cm) and 5.9 ºC (75/80 cm) lower. The maximum active layer thickness observed during the study period was 52 cm in Ulu Peninsula and 85 cm in Byers Peninsula. Besides climate, soil characteristics, topography and snow cover are the main factors controlling the ground thermal regime in both areas.

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Projected Changes in Permafrost Active Layer Thickness Over the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau Under Climate Change

Water Resources Research ◽

10.1029/2019wr024969 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 55 (9) ◽

pp. 7860-7875 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Dongsheng Zhao ◽

Shaohong Wu

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Layer Thickness ◽

Active Layer ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Active Layer Thickness ◽

Projected Changes ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau

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Permafrost and active layer research on James Ross Island: An overview

Czech Polar Reports ◽

10.5817/cpr2019-1-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 20-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Filip Hrbáček ◽

Daniel Nývlt ◽

Kamil Láska ◽

Michaela Kňažková ◽

Barbora Kampová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Thermal Conductivity ◽

Layer Thickness ◽

Active Layer ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Thermal Regime ◽

Ground Temperature ◽

Active Layer Thickness ◽

Near Surface ◽

James Ross Island ◽

The Mean

This study summarizes the current state of the active layer and permafrost research on James Ross Island. The analysis of climate parameters covers the reference period 2011–2017. The mean annual air temperature at the AWS-JGM site was -6.9°C (ranged from -3.9°C to -8.2°C). The mean annual ground temperature at the depth of 5 cm was -5.5°C (ranged from -3.3°C to -6.7°C) and it also reached -5.6°C (ranged from -4.0 to -6.8°C) at the depth of 50 cm. The mean daily ground temperature at the depth of 5 cm correlated moderately up to strongly with the air temperature depending on the season of the year. Analysis of the snow effect on the ground thermal regime confirmed a low insulating effect of snow cover when snow thickness reached up to 50 cm. A thicker snow accumulation, reaching at least 70 cm, can develop around the hyaloclastite breccia boulders where a well pronounced insulation effect on the near-surface ground thermal regime was observed. The effect of lithology on the ground physical properties and the active layer thickness was also investigated. Laboratory analysis of ground thermal properties showed variation in thermal conductivity (0.3 to 0.9 W m-1 K-1). The thickest active layer (89 cm) was observed on the Berry Hill slopes site, where the lowest thawing degree days index (321 to 382°C·day) and the highest value of thermal conductivity (0.9 W m-1 K-1) was observed. The clearest influence of lithological conditions on active layer thickness was observed on the CALM-S grid. The site comprises a sandy Holocene marine terrace and muddy sand of the Whisky Bay Formation. Surveying using a manual probe, ground penetrating radar, and an electromagnetic conductivity meter clearly showed the effect of the lithological boundary on local variability of the active layer thickness.

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Active layer thickness variations on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau under the scenarios of climate change

Environmental Earth Sciences ◽

10.1007/s12665-011-1296-1 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 66 (3) ◽

pp. 849-857 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Qiangqiang Pang ◽

Lin Zhao ◽

Shuxun Li ◽

Yongjian Ding

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Layer Thickness ◽

Active Layer ◽

Tibet Plateau ◽

Active Layer Thickness ◽

Thickness Variations ◽

Qinghai Tibet Plateau

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The link between precipitation and recent outbreak of anthrax in North-West Siberia

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-10449 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ekaterina Ezhova ◽

Dmitry Orlov ◽

Elli Suhonen ◽

Dmitry Kaverin ◽

Alexander Mahura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Active Layer ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Winter Precipitation ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Yamal Peninsula ◽

Stable Region ◽

Active Layer Thickness ◽

Bacterial Disease ◽

Monitoring Site ◽

North West

Anthrax is a bacterial disease affecting mainly livestock but also posing a risk for humans. During the outbreak of anthrax on Yamal peninsula in 2016, 36 humans were infected and more than 2.5 thousand reindeer died or were killed to prevent further contamination [1]. Anthrax is a natural focal disease, which means that its agents depend on climatic conditions. The revival of bacteria in previously epidemiologically stable region was attributed to thawing permafrost, intensified during the heat wave of 2016. We studied recent dynamics of air temperature as well as summer and winter precipitation in the region. In addition, we analysed the effect of winter precipitation and air temperature on the dynamics of active layer thickness using data from Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring sites [2]. Our analysis suggests that permafrost was thawing intensively during several years before the outbreak, when snowy cold winters followed warmer winters. Thick snow prevented soil from freezing and enhanced permafrost thawing. In addition, we showed that summer precipitation drastically decreased in the region of outbreak during recent years, likely contributing to the spread of disease. &#160;[1] Popova, A.Yu. et al. Outbreak of Anthrax in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District in 2016, Epidemiological Peculiarities. Problemy Osobo Opasnykh Infektsii [Problems of Particularly Dangerous Infections]. 4, 42&#8211;46 (2016).[2] Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring site: https://www2.gwu.edu/~calm/ [2/08/2019].

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