DOCSLIB.ORG

Water in Permafrost; Case Study of Aufeis and Pingo Hydrology in Discontinuous Permafrost

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Water in Permafrost; Case Study of Aufeis and Pingo Hydrology in Discontinuous Permafrost Permafrost, Phillips, Springman & Arenson (eds) © 2003 Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse, ISBN 90 5809 582 7 Water in permafrost; case study of aufeis and pingo hydrology in discontinuous permafrost K. Yoshikawa, D. White, L. Hinzman, D. Goering, K. Petrone & W. Bolton Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA N. Ishikawa Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Japan ABSTRACT: Groundwater infiltration and discharge processes for a watershed located in discontinuous per- mafrost were identified and characterised. The source of the groundwater and freezing conditions for intra-, or sub- permafrost groundwater are studied at the Caribou Poker Creeks Research Watershed (CPCRW) in Interior Alaska. Two open (hydraulic) system pingos are located along Caribou Creek; the pingo ice and discharge water were stud- ied. Springs adjacent to one of the pingos (collapsed pingo) had a higher electric conductivity and higher uranium and strontium concentrations than nine other springs in the watershed. This result suggested that the pingo water had a different source than surrounding springs. Pyrolysis-GC/MS fingerprinting of organic matter, used to detect the areas the infiltration of surface water in the watershed, suggested the water in adjacent springs came from a permafrost free, hardwood (birch) forest area. The residence time of the water in adjacent springs was determined to be about one to three decades by CFCs and tritium analysis. There are several intra- and sub-permafrost ground- water monitoring wells in the area. The seasonal oxygen and deuterium isotope abundances vary in Interior Alaska. However, the eight springs surrounding collapse pingo do not respond to this seasonal fluctuation. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and inorganic carbon (IC) results show three different types of aufeis (icing). Perennial groundwater has three different types of flow: 1) near surface permafrost-free flow, 2) deep bedrock sub- permafrost flow, and 3) intra-permafrost (mainly between sediment and weathered bedrock) flow. Each of these flow paths plays a critical role in aufeis (and pingo) formation in a permafrost-dominated watershed. 1 INTRODUCTION There have been many research studies conducted in CPCRW since it was established by the Inter-Agency Hydrology Committee of Alaska in 1969. The purpose of this study is to clarify the groundwater source, path- way, residence time, and relationship with aufeis and open (hydraulic) system pingos. Figure 1 displays the permafrost distributions, springs, and sampling sites at CPCRW. Permafrost dominates valley bottom or north facing slopes, but is largely absent on south facing slopes (Fig. 1). The annual mean ground temperature of CPCRW varies between Ϫ3 to 0.5°C in permafrost areas and up to 2.5°C for south facing slopes. The ther- mal and hydraulic properties of the soil are strongly Figure 1. Caribou Creek well study site (double circle) affected by the absence or presence of permafrost. The and springs location. Shaded pattern indicate permafrost distribution. liquid water content of soil (particle size) and the sur- face topography are the important factors affecting permafrost related features. These hydrologic and ther- used chemical, physical, and isotope approaches to mal regimes directly control the aufeis or pingo forma- investigate the groundwater system and its related tion. There are 463 open system pingos reported in permafrost hydrology, including pingo genesis. interior Alaska, including the Brooks Range (Holmes et al. 1968, Hamilton & Obi 1982, Slaughter & Hartzmann 1993). Many of the open system pingos in 2 METHODS other areas have a different type of groundwater sys- tem and genesis, such as glacier fed type and near Twenty-eight drilling operations were conducted in shore type (Yoshikawa & Harada 1995). This study 1985, 95, 98, 99, 2000, 2001, and 2002. The depth of 1259 the boreholes varied between a few metres up to 33 m. dominated and permafrost-free slopes support signif- Eight of 28 boreholes were used as groundwater mon- icantly different vegetation types (Haugen et al. 1983), itoring wells. Geophysical surveys (DC resistivity, the leachable organic matter from respective slopes ground penetrating radar at 40–200 MHz) were per- should likewise be different. Most samples were col- formed along the Caribou Creek tributary (in the draw lected in late winter when the active layer was frozen. immediately south/upslope from the two pingos). This NOM in springs were therefore considered as unconta- data was used to extrapolate knowledge of subsurface minated by surface sources of organic matter. Prolysis- materials and thermal conditions using borehole data GC/MS was conducted with a CDS Pyroprobe 2000 as a reference. Topographic surveys were conducted pyrolyzer and AS2500 autosampler in tandem with 1987, 88, 89, 90, 91, 98, 99, 2000, 01, and 02 at two a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) at pingo sites. Stereo photogrametric analysis was applied University of Alaska Fairbanks. to determine pingo surface elevations and to locate Tritium samples were analysed with an enrichment springs in 1950, 69, 86, 99 (Fig. 2). Groundwater levels method at CAIS, University of Georgia (Neary 1997). were collected using pressure transducers (1, 5, 30 psi ␦18O and deuterium samples were analysed at the by Honeywell) with data loggers (Campbell Scientific University of Arizona, National Institute of Polar CR10x, 21x) since 1997 at four monitoring wells and Research in Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan University and collapsed pingo crater pond. University of Alaska Fairbanks. Chemical samples were Pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyzed at USGS Boulder Colorado and Hokkaido (py-GC/MS) was used to investigate the molecular University. character of organic matter in groundwaters from The residence time of the ground water was deter- the CPCRW. Py-GC/MS is an analytical tool with mined through analyses of chlorofluorocarbons which individual organic compounds from Natural (CCl3F and CCl2F2) (CFCs) and tritium. The mixing Organic Matter (NOM) can be identified and quanti- ratio between snowmelt water and summer precipita- fied. Pyrolysis-GC/MS has been used to examine litter tion in to the groundwater system was determined decomposition and humification of soils. White et al. through oxygen and deuterium isotope analysis as (2002) used pyrolysis-GC/MS fingerprinting to cor- well as general chemistry analysis. CFCs samples were relate the organic matter found in CPCRW water to its analysed at the U.S. Geological Survey Chlorofluoro- probable origin. Since water dissolves organic matter carbon Laboratory, Reston, Virginia. as it passes through the canopy, soil litter and subsur- face soil, it retains clues about its origin despite physi- 3 RESULTS cal, chemical and biological changes. As groundwater ages and the organic matter is subjected to greater 3.1 Infiltration processes degrees of transformation, less information about the organic matter origin is retained. Since permafrost Evapotranspiration creates relatively dry soil condi- tions within the root zone during the summer. Minor summer precipitation events are offset by evapotranspi- ration (Kane 1980). The snowmelt and summer heavy storm events were the most reliable sources of ground- water recharge. The ␦18O value of the precipitation has strong seasonal signals in the Fairbanks area. Figure 3 presents the ␦18O values and air tempera- ture during 1998–2000 for each snow or rain event. Figure 2. Four different stages of the collapse pingo along the Caribou Creek. There is already crater form in 1950. Spring discharging point was shift to out of rim in 1999 Figure 3. ␦18O value of precipitation and air temperature (aufeis suggest presence of active spring). at Fairbanks Alaska. 1260 Most of the snow precipitation was lighter than distance from the pingo and separate from the spruce Ϫ20‰, and rain was heavier than snow. However, there stand immediately upslope of the pingo. were several strong southern wind events (Chinooks) that brought heavier ␦18O water from Gulf of Alaska during the middle of winter (see Fig. 3 arrow). The ␦18O 3.2 Water-rock (permafrost) interactions value of the snowmelt water is around Ϫ23‰. The ground-water mixing ratio from the snowmelt and There were no isotope exchange processes observed summer storm water was distinguished using a two in the water from spring sites such as exchange with ␦18 member mixing model (Rantz et al. 1982). CO2 or hydration of silicates. The ratio between O and ␦2H of the groundwater is aligned with the local ␦2 ϭ ␦18 Ϫ Qs() IsϪ Igw meteoric waterline ( H 6.7469 O 21.589). The Q ϭ (1) Ϫ strontium concentration of water from pingo springs ()Igw Ir and south-facing slope wells was relatively high (Table 1), as was uranium. Pingo spring and Cabin ϭ where Q discharge of spring; Qs infiltration vol- well water (schist bedrock aquifer 18 m below sur- ϭ 18 ume of snowmelt water; Is d O value of the face), at the base of the south-facing slope, also had ϭ␦18 snowmelt water; Igw O value of the groundwa- higher Ca concentrations. The source of the Ca, such ϭ␦18 ter; and Ir O value of the summer storm water. as limestone bedrock materials, is possibly located in The springs and base flow at CPCRW had a nearly these areas. ␦18 Ϫ constant value of O value between 17 and The strontium isotope 87Sr/86Sr data also indicate Ϫ ␴ϭ 18.5‰ (Caribou Creek; 0.12, pingo spring; pingo spring water had passed through highly weath- ␴ϭ 0.89), which indicates 33–40% of the ground- ered, fractured Birch Creek Schist formation water will be derived from snowmelt infiltration. The (0.74071 Ϯ 1 ppb) (Farmer et al. 1998). The current infiltration process during snowmelt through the sea- seasonal variation of the tritium value was 4.96 (sum- sonally frozen dry materials mainly occurs near the mer) and 10.96 (winter) TU. The residence time (t) is upper part of the hill. The infiltration rate is reduced to about one-half that for the unfrozen condition (Kane 1980).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Infiltration from the Pedon to Global Grid Scales: an Overview and Outlook for Land Surface Modeling
    Published June 24, 2019 Reviews and Analyses Core Ideas Infiltration from the Pedon to Global • Land surface models (LSMs) show Grid Scales: An Overview and Outlook a large variety in describing and upscaling infiltration. for Land Surface Modeling • Soil structural effects on infiltration in LSMs are mostly neglected. Harry Vereecken, Lutz Weihermüller, Shmuel Assouline, • New soil databases may help to Jirka Šimůnek, Anne Verhoef, Michael Herbst, Nicole Archer, parameterize infiltration processes Binayak Mohanty, Carsten Montzka, Jan Vanderborght, in LSMs. Gianpaolo Balsamo, Michel Bechtold, Aaron Boone, Sarah Chadburn, Matthias Cuntz, Bertrand Decharme, Received 22 Oct. 2018. Agnès Ducharne, Michael Ek, Sebastien Garrigues, Accepted 16 Feb. 2019. Klaus Goergen, Joachim Ingwersen, Stefan Kollet, David M. Lawrence, Qian Li, Dani Or, Sean Swenson, Citation: Vereecken, H., L. Weihermüller, S. Philipp de Vrese, Robert Walko, Yihua Wu, Assouline, J. Šimůnek, A. Verhoef, M. Herbst, N. Archer, B. Mohanty, C. Montzka, J. Vander- and Yongkang Xue borght, G. Balsamo, M. Bechtold, A. Boone, S. Chadburn, M. Cuntz, B. Decharme, A. Infiltration in soils is a key process that partitions precipitation at the land sur- Ducharne, M. Ek, S. Garrigues, K. Goergen, J. face into surface runoff and water that enters the soil profile. We reviewed the Ingwersen, S. Kollet, D.M. Lawrence, Q. Li, D. basic principles of water infiltration in soils and we analyzed approaches com- Or, S. Swenson, P. de Vrese, R. Walko, Y. Wu, and Y. Xue. 2019. Infiltration from the pedon monly used in land surface models (LSMs) to quantify infiltration as well as its to global grid scales: An overview and out- numerical implementation and sensitivity to model parameters.
    [Show full text]
  • Impact of Water-Level Variations on Slope Stability
    ISSN: 1402-1757 ISBN 978-91-7439-XXX-X Se i listan och fyll i siffror där kryssen är LICENTIATE T H E SIS Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering1 Division of Mining and Geotechnical Engineering Jens Johansson Impact of Johansson Jens ISSN 1402-1757 Impact of Water-Level Variations ISBN 978-91-7439-958-5 (print) ISBN 978-91-7439-959-2 (pdf) on Slope Stability Luleå University of Technology 2014 Water-Level Variations on Slope Stability Variations Water-Level Jens Johansson LICENTIATE THESIS Impact of Water-Level Variations on Slope Stability Jens M. A. Johansson Luleå University of Technology Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering Division of Mining and Geotechnical Engineering Printed by Luleå University of Technology, Graphic Production 2014 ISSN 1402-1757 ISBN 978-91-7439-958-5 (print) ISBN 978-91-7439-959-2 (pdf) Luleå 2014 www.ltu.se Preface PREFACE This work has been carried out at the Division of Mining and Geotechnical Engineering at the Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources, at Luleå University of Technology. The research has been supported by the Swedish Hydropower Centre, SVC; established by the Swedish Energy Agency, Elforsk and Svenska Kraftnät together with Luleå University of Technology, The Royal Institute of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology and Uppsala University. I would like to thank Professor Sven Knutsson and Dr. Tommy Edeskär for their support and supervision. I also want to thank all my colleagues and friends at the university for contributing to pleasant working days. Jens Johansson, June 2014 i Impact of water-level variations on slope stability ii Abstract ABSTRACT Waterfront-soil slopes are exposed to water-level fluctuations originating from either natural sources, e.g.
    [Show full text]
  • Icing Mound on Sadlerochit River, Alaska
    Short Papers and Notes ICING MOUND ON SADLERO- Sadlerochithas emerged from the CHIT RIVER, ALASKA* mountains, has arelatively low gra- dient and flows in a broad, braided bed Icing mounds- small to large domes, characterized by manyanastomosing mounds,and ridges resulting from an shallowchannels separated by bare, upwardarching of soiland ice asso- gravelly and bouldery bars (Fig. 2). AS ciated with fields of aufeis - have been is characteristic of all riversof the Arc- described in detailfor Siberia1. Icing tic Slope, the change from a single deep mounds have also been mentioned brief- channel to a braided pattern of many ly inconnection with aufeisfields in shallow channels allows the formation Alaskaby Leffigwell (ref. 2, p. 158) of an aufeis field every year near the and Taber (ref. 3, p. 1528; ref. 4, p. 249), mountain front. During the fall the but there is little descriptive literature shallow channels freeze early and the on this phenomenon in theNorth Amer- obstruction of the resulting ice causes ican Arctic. One such icing mound was the river to overflow its bars;this over- examined briefly by the author on June flow then freezes and by repeated freez- 25,1959 during the course of a trip down ing,overflow and freezingsuccessive the SadlerochitRiver in northeastern layers of ice are built up toform an Alaska (Fig. 1). aufeis field. Another factor contributing Fig. 1. Locationmap, Arctic Slope, Alaska. The SadlerochitRiver rises in the to the formation of large aufeis fields is Franklin Mountains of the eastern a source of water that persists for some Brooks Range and flows northwardin a time after freezingbegins.
    [Show full text]
  • Mineral Element Stocks in the Yedoma Domain
    Discussions https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2020-359 Earth System Preprint. Discussion started: 8 December 2020 Science c Author(s) 2020. CC BY 4.0 License. Open Access Open Data Mineral element stocks in the Yedoma domain: a first assessment in ice-rich permafrost regions Arthur Monhonval1, Sophie Opfergelt1, Elisabeth Mauclet1, Benoît Pereira1, Aubry Vandeuren1, Guido Grosse2,3, Lutz Schirrmeister2, Matthias Fuchs2, Peter Kuhry4, Jens Strauss2 5 1Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium 2Permafrost Research Section, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Potsdam, Germany 3Institute of Geosciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany 4Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden 10 Correspondence to: Arthur Monhonval ([email protected]) Abstract With permafrost thaw, significant amounts of organic carbon (OC) previously stored in frozen deposits are unlocked and 15 become potentially available for microbial mineralization. This is particularly the case in ice-rich regions such as the Yedoma domain. Excess ground ice degradation exposes deep sediments and their OC stocks, but also mineral elements, to biogeochemical processes. Interactions of mineral elements and OC play a crucial role for OC stabilization and the fate of OC upon thaw, and thus regulate carbon dioxide and methane emissions. In addition, some mineral elements are limiting nutrients for plant growth or microbial metabolic activity. A large ongoing effort is to quantify OC stocks and their lability in permafrost 20 regions, but the influence of mineral elements on the fate of OC or on biogeochemical nutrient cycles has received less attention. The reason is that there is a gap of knowledge on the mineral element content in permafrost regions.
    [Show full text]
  • Low Tunnels Reduce Irrigation Water Needs and Increase Growth, Yield
    HORTSCIENCE 54(3):470–475. 2019. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13568-18 mental conditions and plant stage (size). Increased ET results in increased crop water needs. Factors influencing ET are SR, crop Low Tunnels Reduce Irrigation Water growth stage, daylength, air temperature, rel- ative humidity (RH), and wind speed (Allen Needs and Increase Growth, Yield, and et al., 1998; Jensen and Allen, 2016; Zotarelli et al., 2010). Therefore, fully grown plants Water-use Efficiency in Brussels demand larger amounts of water, especially in warm, sunny, and windy days (Abdrabbo et al., 2010). Under LT, however, rowcover Sprouts Production reduces direct sunlight and blocks wind, which Tej P. Acharya1, Gregory E. Welbaum, and Ramon A. Arancibia2 reduces ET even at higher temperatures School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, 330 Smyth Hall, Virginia Tech, (Arancibia, 2009, 2012). Therefore, reducing ET in crops grown under LTs may reduce Blacksburg, VA 24061 irrigation requirements and improve WUE. Additional index words. rowcover, temperature, solar radiation, evapotranspiration The use of LT can be beneficial to extend the harvest season of brussels sprouts (Bras- Abstract. Farmers use low tunnels (LTs) covered with spunbonded fabric to protect sica oleracea L. Group Gemmifera). Brussels warm-season vegetable crops against cold temperatures and extend the growing season. sprout is a cool season, frost-tolerant vegeta- Cool season vegetable crops may also benefit from LTs by enhancing vegetative growth ble crop from the family Brassicaceae. It is an and development. This study investigated the effect of the microenvironmental condi- important source of dietary fiber, vitamins tions under LTs on brussels sprouts growth and production as well as water re- (A, C, and K), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), quirements and use efficiency in comparison with those in open fields.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.New Technologies in Groundwater Exploration. Surface
    Geologica Acta: an international earth science journal ISSN: 1695-6133 [email protected] Universitat de Barcelona España Yaramanci, U. New technologies in groundwater exploration. Surface Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Geologica Acta: an international earth science journal, vol. 2, núm. 2, 2004, pp. 109-120 Universitat de Barcelona Barcelona, España Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=50520203 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Geologica Acta, Vol.2, Nº2, 2004, 109-120 Available online at www.geologica-acta.com New technologies in groundwater exploration. Surface Nuclear Magnetic Resonance U. YARAMANCI Technical University of Berlin, Department of Applied Geophysics Ackerstr.71-76, 13355 Berlin, Germany. E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT As groundwater becomes increasingly important for living and environment, techniques are asked for an improved exploration. The demand is not only to detect new groundwater resources but also to protect them. Geophysical techniques are the key to find groundwater. Combination of geophysical measurements with bore- holes and borehole measurements help to describe groundwater systems and their dynamics. There are a num- ber of geophysical techniques based on the principles of geoelectrics, electromagnetics, seismics, gravity and magnetics, which are used in exploration of geological structures in particular for the purpose of discovering georesources. The special geological setting of groundwater systems, i.e. structure and material, makes it neces- sary to adopt and modify existing geophysical techniques.
    [Show full text]
  • Historical and Recent Aufeis, the Indigirka River Basin (Russia)
    1 Historical and recent aufeis, the Indigirka river basin 2 (Russia) 3 *Olga Makarieva1,2,, Andrey Shikhov3, Nataliia Nesterova2,4, Andrey Ostashov2 4 1Melnikov Permafrost Institute of RAS, Yakutsk 5 2St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 6 3Perm State University, Perm 7 4State Hydrological institute, St. Petersburg 8 RUSSIA 9 *[email protected] 10 Abstract: A detailed spatial geodatabase of aufeis (or naleds in Russian) within the 11 Indigirka River watershed (305 000 km2), Russia, was compiled from historical Russian 12 publications (year 1958), topographic maps (years 1970–1980’s), and Landsat images (year 13 2013-2017). Identification of aufeis by late-spring Landsat images was performed with a semi- 14 automated approach according to Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI) and additional 15 data. After this, a cross-reference index was set for each aufeis, to link and compare historical 16 and satellite-based aufeis data sets. 17 The aufeis coverage varies from 0.26 to 1.15% in different sub-basins within the 18 Indigirka River watershed. The digitized historical archive (Cadastre, 1958) contains the 19 coordinates and characteristics of 896 aufeis with total area of 2064 km2. The Landsat-based 20 dataset included 1213 aufeis with a total area of 1287 km2. Accordingly, the satellite-derived 21 total aufeis area is 1.6 times less than the Cadastre (1958) dataset. However, more than 600 22 aufeis identified from Landsat images are missing in the Cadastre (1958) archive. It is 23 therefore possible that the conditions for aufeis formation may have changed from the mid- 24 20th century to the present.
    [Show full text]
  • Statistical Control of Processes Aplied for Peanut Mechanical Digging In
    Journal of the Brazilian Association of Agricultural Engineering ISSN: 1809-4430 (on-line) STATISTICAL CONTROL OF PROCESSES APLIED FOR PEANUT MECHANICAL DIGGING IN SOIL TEXTURAL CLASSES Doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1809-4430-Eng.Agric.v37n2p315-322/2017 CRISTIANO ZERBATO1*, CARLOS E. A. FURLANI2, ROUVERSON P. DA SILVA2, MURILO A. VOLTARELLI3, ADÃO F. DOS SANTOS2 1*Corresponding author. Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias/ Jaboticabal - SP, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT:Thedigging of peanut, which has the pod production in the subsurface, is directly affected by soil conditions, physical or environmental characteristics, at the time of operation and may be the cause of unwanted losses. Therefore, the quality of the operation is very important for minimizing these losses. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the quality of mechanizeddiggingoperation of peanut according to three soil textural classes(Sandy, Medium and Loamy) and their water content conditions at operation through statistical process control. The experiment was conducted at three locations in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, under sampling scheme arranged in tracks and 40 sampling points for each textural class of soil, using the mechanical digging variables as indicators of quality. We found that the mechanized digging operation in Sandy soil was the most critical, just meeting the specifications of quality indicators, reflecting higher losses and lower quality of the operation. Medium soil showed at the digginggood and homogeneous conditions in relation to water content in soil and pods, and because it has favorable characteristics it obtained the lower total losses and higher quality of operation.
    [Show full text]
  • Hydrologic and Mass-Movement Hazards Near Mccarthy Wrangell-St
    Hydrologic and Mass-Movement Hazards near McCarthy Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska By Stanley H. Jones and Roy L Glass U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 93-4078 Prepared in cooperation with the NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Anchorage, Alaska 1993 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR BRUCE BABBITT, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ROBERT M. HIRSCH, Acting Director For additional information write to: Copies of this report may be purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Earth Science Information Center 4230 University Drive, Suite 201 Open-File Reports Section Anchorage, Alaska 99508-4664 Box 25286, MS 517 Denver Federal Center Denver, Colorado 80225 CONTENTS Abstract ................................................................ 1 Introduction.............................................................. 1 Purpose and scope..................................................... 2 Acknowledgments..................................................... 2 Hydrology and climate...................................................... 3 Geology and geologic hazards................................................ 5 Bedrock............................................................. 5 Unconsolidated materials ............................................... 7 Alluvial and glacial deposits......................................... 7 Moraines........................................................ 7 Landslides....................................................... 7 Talus..........................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Periglacial Processes, Features & Landscape Development 3.1.4.3/4
    Periglacial processes, features & landscape development 3.1.4.3/4 Glacial Systems and landscapes What you need to know Where periglacial landscapes are found and what their key characteristics are The range of processes operating in a periglacial landscape How a range of periglacial landforms develop and what their characteristics are The relationship between process, time, landforms and landscapes in periglacial settings Introduction A periglacial environment used to refer to places which were near to or at the edge of ice sheets and glaciers. However, this has now been changed and refers to areas with permafrost that also experience a seasonal change in temperature, occasionally rising above 0 degrees Celsius. But they are characterised by permanently low temperatures. Location of periglacial areas Due to periglacial environments now referring to places with permafrost as well as edges of glaciers, this can account for one third of the Earth’s surface. Far northern and southern hemisphere regions are classed as containing periglacial areas, particularly in the countries of Canada, USA (Alaska) and Russia. Permafrost is where the soil, rock and moisture content below the surface remains permanently frozen throughout the entire year. It can be subdivided into the following: • Continuous (unbroken stretches of permafrost) • extensive discontinuous (predominantly permafrost with localised melts) • sporadic discontinuous (largely thawed ground with permafrost zones) • isolated (discrete pockets of permafrost) • subsea (permafrost occupying sea bed) Whilst permafrost is not needed in the development of all periglacial landforms, most periglacial regions have permafrost beneath them and it can influence the processes that create the landforms. Many locations within SAMPLEextensive discontinuous and sporadic discontinuous permafrost will thaw in the summer months.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dynamics and Mass Budget of Aretic Glaciers
    DA NM ARKS OG GRØN L ANDS GEO L OG I SKE UNDERSØGELSE RAP P ORT 2013/3 The Dynamics and Mass Budget of Aretic Glaciers Abstracts, IASC Network of Aretic Glaciology, 9 - 12 January 2012, Zieleniec (Poland) A. P. Ahlstrøm, C. Tijm-Reijmer & M. Sharp (eds) • GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF D EN MARK AND GREENLAND DANISH MINISTAV OF CLIMATE, ENEAGY AND BUILDING ~ G E U S DANMARKS OG GRØNLANDS GEOLOGISKE UNDERSØGELSE RAPPORT 201 3 / 3 The Dynamics and Mass Budget of Arctic Glaciers Abstracts, IASC Network of Arctic Glaciology, 9 - 12 January 2012, Zieleniec (Poland) A. P. Ahlstrøm, C. Tijm-Reijmer & M. Sharp (eds) GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF DENMARK AND GREENLAND DANISH MINISTRY OF CLIMATE, ENERGY AND BUILDING Indhold Preface 5 Programme 6 List of participants 11 Minutes from a special session on tidewater glaciers research in the Arctic 14 Abstracts 17 Seasonal and multi-year fluctuations of tidewater glaciers cliffson Southern Spitsbergen 18 Recent changes in elevation across the Devon Ice Cap, Canada 19 Estimation of iceberg to the Hansbukta (Southern Spitsbergen) based on time-lapse photos 20 Seasonal and interannual velocity variations of two outlet glaciers of Austfonna, Svalbard, inferred by continuous GPS measurements 21 Discharge from the Werenskiold Glacier catchment based upon measurements and surface ablation in summer 2011 22 The mass balance of Austfonna Ice Cap, 2004-2010 23 Overview on radon measurements in glacier meltwater 24 Permafrost distribution in coastal zone in Hornsund (Southern Spitsbergen) 25 Glacial environment of De Long Archipelago
    [Show full text]
  • Hydrological Connectivity from Glaciers to Rivers in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: Roles of Suprapermafrost and Subpermafrost Groundwater
    Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4803–4823, 2017 https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4803-2017 © Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater Rui Ma1,2, Ziyong Sun1,2, Yalu Hu2, Qixin Chang2, Shuo Wang2, Wenle Xing2, and Mengyan Ge2 1Laboratory of Basin Hydrology and Wetland Eco-restoration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China 2School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China Correspondence to: Rui Ma ([email protected]) and Ziyong Sun ([email protected]) Received: 5 January 2017 – Discussion started: 15 February 2017 Revised: 29 May 2017 – Accepted: 7 August 2017 – Published: 27 September 2017 Abstract. The roles of groundwater flow in the hydrologi- 1 Introduction cal cycle within the alpine area characterized by permafrost and/or seasonal frost are poorly known. This study explored Permafrost plays an important role in groundwater flow and the role of permafrost in controlling groundwater flow and thus hydrological cycles of cold regions (Walvoord et al., the hydrological connections between glaciers in high moun- 2012). This is especially true for the mountainous headwaters tains and rivers in the low piedmont plain with respect to of large rivers. In these areas interactive processes between hydraulic head, temperature, geochemical and isotopic data, permafrost and groundwater influence water resource man- at a representative catchment in the headwater region of agement, engineering construction, biogeochemical cycling, the Heihe River, northeastern Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The and downstream water supply and conservation (Cheng and results show that the groundwater in the high mountains Jin, 2013).
    [Show full text]