Synthesis of Studies of Palsa Formation Underlining the Importance of Local Environmental and Physical Characteristics
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Response of CO2 Exchange in a Tussock Tundra Ecosystem to Permafrost Thaw and Thermokarst Development Jason Vogel,L Edward A
Response of CO2 exchange in a tussock tundra ecosystem to permafrost thaw and thermokarst development Jason Vogel,l Edward A. G. Schuur,2 Christian Trucco,2 and Hanna Lee2 [1] Climate change in high latitudes can lead to permafrost thaw, which in ice-rich soils can result in ground subsidence, or thermokarst. In interior Alaska, we examined seasonal and annual ecosystem CO2 exchange using static and automatic chamber measurements in three areas of a moist acidic tundra ecosystem undergoing varying degrees of permafrost thaw and thermokarst development. One site had extensive thermokarst features, and historic aerial photography indicated it was present at least 50 years prior to this study. A second site had a moderate number of thermokarst features that were known to have developed concurrently with permafrost warming that occurred 15 years prior to this study. A third site had a minimal amount of thermokarst development. The areal extent of thermokarst features reflected the seasonal thaw depth. The "extensive" site had the deepest seasonal thaw depth, and the "moderate" site had thaw depths slightly, but not significantly deeper than the site with "minimal" thermokarst development. Greater permafrost thaw corresponded to significantly greater gross primary productivity (GPP) at the moderate and extensive thaw sites as compared to the minimal thaw site. However, greater ecosystem respiration (Recc) during the spring, fall, and winter resulted in the extensive thaw site being a significant net source of CO2 to the atmosphere over 3 years, while the moderate thaw site was a CO2 sink. The minimal thaw site was near CO2 neutral and not significantly different from the extensive thaw site. -
Surficial Geology Investigations in Wellesley Basin and Nisling Range, Southwest Yukon J.D
Surficial geology investigations in Wellesley basin and Nisling Range, southwest Yukon J.D. Bond, P.S. Lipovsky and P. von Gaza Surficial geology investigations in Wellesley basin and Nisling Range, southwest Yukon Jeffrey D. Bond1 and Panya S. Lipovsky2 Yukon Geological Survey Peter von Gaza3 Geomatics Yukon Bond, J.D., Lipovsky, P.S. and von Gaza, P., 2008. Surficial geology investigations in Wellesley basin and Nisling Range, southwest Yukon. In: Yukon Exploration and Geology 2007, D.S. Emond, L.R. Blackburn, R.P. Hill and L.H. Weston (eds.), Yukon Geological Survey, p. 125-138. ABSTRACT Results of surficial geology investigations in Wellesley basin and the Nisling Range can be summarized into four main highlights, which have implications for exploration, development and infrastructure in the region: 1) in contrast to previous glacial-limit mapping for the St. Elias Mountains lobe, no evidence for the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene pre-Reid glacial limits was found in the study area; 2) placer potential was identified along the Reid glacial limit where a significant drainage diversion occurred for Grayling Creek; 3) widespread permafrost was encountered in the study area including near-continuous veneers of sheet-wash; and 4) a monitoring program was initiated at a recently active landslide which has potential to develop into a catastrophic failure that could damage the White River bridge on the Alaska Highway. RÉSUMÉ Les résultats d’études géologiques des formations superficielles dans le bassin de Wellesley et la chaîne Nisling peuvent être résumés en quatre principaux faits saillants qui ont des répercussions pour l’exploration, la mise en valeur et l’infrastructure de la région. -
Contemporary Periglacial Processes in the Swiss Alps: Seasonal, Inter-Annual and Long-Term Variations
Permafrost, Phillips, Springman & Arenson (eds) © 2003 Swets & Zeitlinger, Lisse, ISBN 90 5809 582 7 Contemporary periglacial processes in the Swiss Alps: seasonal, inter-annual and long-term variations N. Matsuoka & A. Ikeda Institute of Geoscience, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan K. Hirakawa & T. Watanabe Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan ABSTRACT: Comprehensive monitoring of periglacial weathering and mass wasting has been undertaken near the lower limit of the mountain permafrost belt. Seven years of monitoring highlight both seasonal and inter- annual variations. On the seasonal scale, three types of movements are identified: (A) small magnitude events associated with diurnal freeze-thaw cycles, (B) larger events during early seasonal freezing and (C) sporadic events originating from refreezing of meltwater during seasonal thawing. Type A produces pebbles or smaller fragments from rockwalls and shallow (Ͻ10 cm) frost creep on debris slopes. Types B and C are responsible for larger debris production and deeper (Ͻ50 cm) frost creep/gelifluction. Some of these events contribute to perma- nent opening of rock joints and advance of solifluction lobes. Sporadic large boulder falls enhance inter-annual variation in rockwall retreat rates. On some debris slopes, prolonged snow melting occasionally triggers rapid soil flow, which causes inter-annual variation in rates of soil movement. 1 INTRODUCTION 9º40'E 10º00'E Piz Kesch Real-time monitoring of periglacial slope processes is 3418 Switzerland useful to predict ongoing slope instability problems in Inn alpine regions. Such a prediction, however, needs long- Piz d'Err Piz Ot term variations in slope processes caused by climate 3378 3246 Samedan Italia change to be distinguished from inter-annual scale vari- A 30'E 30'E º St. -
Introduction to Foundations in Areas of Significant Frost Penetration
Introduction to Foundations in Areas of Significant Frost Penetration Course No: G03-003 Credit: 3 PDH J. Paul Guyer, P.E., R.A., Fellow ASCE, Fellow AEI Continuing Education and Development, Inc. 22 Stonewall Court Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677 P: (877) 322-5800 [email protected] An Introduction to Foundations in Areas of Significant Frost Penetration Guyer Partners J. Paul Guyer, P.E., R.A. 44240 Clubhouse Drive El Macero, CA 95618 Paul Guyer is a registered mechanical (530) 758-6637 engineer, civil engineer, fire protection [email protected] engineer and architect with over 35 years experience in the design of buildings and related infrastructure. For an additional 9 years he was a principal advisor to the California Legislature on infrastructure and capital outlay issues. He is a graduate of Stanford University and has held numerous national, state and local offices with the American Society of Civil Engineers, Architectural Engineering Institute, and National Society of Professional Engineers. © J. Paul Guyer 2013 1 CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION 2. FACTORS AFFECTING DESIGN OF FOUNDATIONS 3. SITE INVESTIGATIONS 4. FOUNDATION DESIGN (This publication is adapted from the Unified Facilities Criteria of the United States government which are in the public domain, have been authorized for unlimited distribution, and are not copyrighted.) (The figures, tables and formulas in this publication may at times be a little difficult to read, but they are the best available. DO NOT PURCHASE THIS PUBLICATION IF THIS LIMITATION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO YOU.) © J. Paul Guyer 2013 2 1. INTRODUCTION. 1.1 TYPES OF AREAS. For purposes of this manual, areas of significant frost penetration may be defined as those in which freezing temperatures occur in the ground to sufficient depth to be a significant factor in foundation design. -
The Influence of Shallow Taliks on Permafrost Thaw and Active Layer
PUBLICATIONS Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface RESEARCH ARTICLE The Influence of Shallow Taliks on Permafrost Thaw 10.1002/2017JF004469 and Active Layer Dynamics in Subarctic Canada Key Points: Ryan Connon1 , Élise Devoie2 , Masaki Hayashi3, Tyler Veness1, and William Quinton1 • Shallow, near-surface taliks in subarctic permafrost environments 1Cold Regions Research Centre, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2Department of Civil and fl in uence active layer thickness by 3 limiting the depth of freeze Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Department of Geoscience, University of • Areas with taliks experience more Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada rapid thaw of underlying permafrost than areas without taliks • Proportion of areas with taliks can Abstract Measurements of active layer thickness (ALT) are typically taken at the end of summer, a time increase in years with high ground synonymous with maximum thaw depth. By definition, the active layer is the layer above permafrost that heat flux, potentially creating tipping point for permafrost thaw freezes and thaws annually. This study, conducted in peatlands of subarctic Canada, in the zone of thawing discontinuous permafrost, demonstrates that the entire thickness of ground atop permafrost does not always refreeze over winter. In these instances, a talik exists between the permafrost and active layer, and ALT Correspondence to: must therefore be measured by the depth of refreeze at the end of winter. As talik thickness increases at R. Connon, the expense of the underlying permafrost, ALT is shown to simultaneously decrease. This suggests that the [email protected] active layer has a maximum thickness that is controlled by the amount of energy lost from the ground to the atmosphere during winter. -
Geophysical Mapping of Palsa Peatland Permafrost
The Cryosphere, 9, 465–478, 2015 www.the-cryosphere.net/9/465/2015/ doi:10.5194/tc-9-465-2015 © Author(s) 2015. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Geophysical mapping of palsa peatland permafrost Y. Sjöberg1, P. Marklund2, R. Pettersson2, and S. W. Lyon1 1Department of Physical Geography and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden 2Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Correspondence to: Y. Sjöberg ([email protected]) Received: 15 August 2014 – Published in The Cryosphere Discuss.: 13 October 2014 Revised: 3 February 2015 – Accepted: 10 February 2015 – Published: 4 March 2015 Abstract. Permafrost peatlands are hydrological and bio- ing in these landscapes are influenced by several factors other geochemical hotspots in the discontinuous permafrost zone. than climate, including hydrological, geological, morpholog- Non-intrusive geophysical methods offer a possibility to ical, and erosional processes that often combine in complex map current permafrost spatial distributions in these envi- interactions (e.g., McKenzie and Voss, 2013; Painter et al., ronments. In this study, we estimate the depths to the per- 2013; Zuidhoff, 2002). Due to these interactions, peatlands mafrost table and base across a peatland in northern Swe- are often dynamic with regards to their thermal structures and den, using ground penetrating radar and electrical resistivity extent, as the distribution of permafrost landforms (such as tomography. Seasonal thaw frost tables (at ∼ 0.5 m depth), dome-shaped palsas and flat-topped peat plateaus) and talik taliks (2.1–6.7 m deep), and the permafrost base (at ∼ 16 m landforms (such as hollows, fens, and lakes) vary with cli- depth) could be detected. -
Frost Heave Due to Ice Lens Formation in Freezing Soils 1
Nordic Hydrolgy, 26, 1995, 125-146 No pd11 m,ty ix ~rproduredby .my proce\\ w~thoutcomplete leference Frost Heave due to Ice Lens Formation in Freezing Soils 1. Theory and Verification D. Sheng, K. Axelsson and S. Knutsson Department of Civil Engineering, Lulei University of Technology, Sweden A frost heave model which simulates formation of ice lenses is developed for saturated salt-free soils. Quasi-steady state heat and mass flow is considered. Special attention is paid to the transmitted zone, i.e. the frozen fringe. The permeability of the frozen fringe is assumed to vary exponentially as a function of temperature. The rates of water flow in the frozen fringe and in the unfrozen soil are assumed to be constant in space but vary with time. The pore water pres- sure in the frozen fringe is integrated from the Darcy law. The ice pressure in the frozen fringe is detcrmined by the generalized Clapeyron equation. A new ice lens is assumed to form in the liozen fringe when and where the effective stress approaches zero. The neutral stress is determined as a simple function of the un- frozen water content and porosity. The model is implemented on an personal computer. The simulated heave amounts and heaving rates are compared with expcrimental data, which shows that the model generally gives reasonable esti- mation. Introduction The phenomenon of frost heave has been studied both experimentally and theoreti- cally for decades. Experimental observations suggest that frost heave is caused by ice lensing associated with thermally-induced water migration. Water migration can take place at temperatures below the freezing point, by flowing via the unfrozen wa- ter film adsorbed around soil particles. -
Cold Season Emissions Dominate the Arctic Tundra Methane Budget
Cold season emissions dominate the Arctic tundra methane budget Donatella Zonaa,b,1,2, Beniamino Giolic,2, Róisín Commaned, Jakob Lindaasd, Steven C. Wofsyd, Charles E. Millere, Steven J. Dinardoe, Sigrid Dengelf, Colm Sweeneyg,h, Anna Kariong, Rachel Y.-W. Changd,i, John M. Hendersonj, Patrick C. Murphya, Jordan P. Goodricha, Virginie Moreauxa, Anna Liljedahlk,l, Jennifer D. Wattsm, John S. Kimballm, David A. Lipsona, and Walter C. Oechela,n aDepartment of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182; bDepartment of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, United Kingdom; cInstitute of Biometeorology, National Research Council, Firenze, 50145, Italy; dSchool of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138; eJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109-8099; fDepartment of Physics, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland; gCooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80304; hEarth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder, CO 80305; iDepartment of Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4R2; jAtmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., Lexington, MA 02421; kWater and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7340; lInternational Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7340; mNumerical Terradynamic Simulation -
Permafrost Soils and Carbon Cycling
SOIL, 1, 147–171, 2015 www.soil-journal.net/1/147/2015/ doi:10.5194/soil-1-147-2015 SOIL © Author(s) 2015. CC Attribution 3.0 License. Permafrost soils and carbon cycling C. L. Ping1, J. D. Jastrow2, M. T. Jorgenson3, G. J. Michaelson1, and Y. L. Shur4 1Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Palmer Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1509 South Georgeson Road, Palmer, AK 99645, USA 2Biosciences Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA 3Alaska Ecoscience, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA 4Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA Correspondence to: C. L. Ping ([email protected]) Received: 4 October 2014 – Published in SOIL Discuss.: 30 October 2014 Revised: – – Accepted: 24 December 2014 – Published: 5 February 2015 Abstract. Knowledge of soils in the permafrost region has advanced immensely in recent decades, despite the remoteness and inaccessibility of most of the region and the sampling limitations posed by the severe environ- ment. These efforts significantly increased estimates of the amount of organic carbon stored in permafrost-region soils and improved understanding of how pedogenic processes unique to permafrost environments built enor- mous organic carbon stocks during the Quaternary. This knowledge has also called attention to the importance of permafrost-affected soils to the global carbon cycle and the potential vulnerability of the region’s soil or- ganic carbon (SOC) stocks to changing climatic conditions. In this review, we briefly introduce the permafrost characteristics, ice structures, and cryopedogenic processes that shape the development of permafrost-affected soils, and discuss their effects on soil structures and on organic matter distributions within the soil profile. -
Ice Segregation As an Origin for Lenses of Non-Glacial Ice in "Ice-Cemented" Rock Glaciers
Journal of Glaciology, VoI. 27, No. 97, .g8. ICE SEGREGATION AS AN ORIGIN FOR LENSES OF NON-GLACIAL ICE IN "ICE-CEMENTED" ROCK GLACIERS By WILLIAM J. WAYNE (Department of Geology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, D.S.A.) 0 ABSTRACT. In order to flow with the gradients observed (100 to 15 ) rock glaciers cannot be simply ice-cemented rock debris, but probably contain masses or lenses of debris-free ice. The nature and origin of the ice in rock glaciers that are in no way connected to ice glaciers has not been adequately explained. Rock glaciers and tal us above them are permeable. Water from snow-melt and rain flows through the lower part of the debris on top of the bedrock floor. In the headward part of a rock glacier, where the total thick ness is not great, if this groundwater flow is able to maintain water pressure against the base of an aggrading permafrost, segregation of ice lenses should take place. Ice segregation on a large scale would produce lenses of clear ice of sufficient size to permit the streams or lobes of rock debris to flow with gradients comparable to those of glaciers. It would also account for the substantial loss in volume that takes place when a rock glacier stabilizes and collapses. RESUME. La segregation de la glace a l'origine des lentilles de glace d'origine non glaciaire dans les glaciers rocheux soudis par la glace. Pour qu'ils puissent s'ecouler sur les pentes ou on les observe (100 a 150), les glaciers rocheux ne peuvent pas etre simplement constitues de debris rocheux soudes par la glace, mais contient probablement des blocs ou des lentilles de glace depourvus de sediments. -
Tors in Central European Mountains – Are They Indicators of Past Environments? ISSN 2080-7686
Bulletin of Geography. Physical Geography Series, No. 16 (2019): 67–87 http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/bgeo-2019-0005 Tors in Central European Mountains – are they indicators of past environments? ISSN 2080-7686 Aleksandra Michniewicz University of Wroclaw, Poland Correspondence: University of Wroclaw, Poland. E-mail: [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8477-2889 Abstract. Tors represent one of the most characteristic landforms in the uplands and mountains of Central Europe, including the Sudetes, Czech-Moravian Highlands, Šumava/Bayerischer Wald, Fichtel- gebirge or Harz. These features occur in a range of lithologies, although granites and gneisses are particularly prone to tor formation. Various models of tor formation and development have been pre- sented, and for each model the tors were thought to have evolved under specific environmental con- ditions. The two most common theories emphasised their progressive emergence from pre-Quaternary weathering mantles in a two-stage scenario, and their development across slopes under periglacial conditions in a one-stage scenario. More recently, tors have been analysed in relation to ice sheet ex- tent, the selectivity of glacial erosion, and the preservation of landforms under ice. In this paper we describe tor distribution across Central Europe along with hypotheses relating to their formation and Key words: development, arguing that specific evolutionary histories are not supported by unequivocal evidence tors, and that the scenarios presented were invariably model-driven. Several examples from the Sudetes deep weathering, are presented to demonstrate that tor morphology is strongly controlled by lithology and structure. periglacial processes, The juxtaposition of tors of different types is not necessarily evidence that they differ in their mode glacial erosion, of origin or age. -
Cryolithogenesis Ground Ice Content of Frost Mounds In
EARTH’S CRYOSPHERE SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL Kriosfera Zemli, 2019, vol. XXIII, No. 2, pp. 25–32 http://www.izdatgeo.ru CRYOLITHOGENESIS DOI: 10.21782/EC2541-9994-2019-2(25-32) GROUND ICE CONTENT OF FROST MOUNDS IN THE NADYM RIVER BASIN N.M. Berdnikov1, A.G. Gravis1, D.S. Drozdov1–4, O.E. Ponomareva1,2, N.G. Moskalenko1, Yu.N. Bochkarev1,5 1 Earth Cryosphere Institute, Tyumen Scientifi c Centre SB RAS, P/O box 1230, Tyumen, 625000, Russia; [email protected] 2 Russian State Geological Prospecting University (MGRI–RSGPU), 23, Miklukho-Maclay str., Moscow, 117997, Russia 3 Tyumen State Oil and Gas University, 56, Volodarskogo str., Tyumen, 625000, Russia 4 Тyumen State University, 6, Volodarskogo str., Tyumen, 625003, Russia 5 Lomonosov Moscow State University, Faculty of Geography, 1, Leninskie Gory, Moscow, 119991, Russia The “classical type” ice-cored frost mounds (palsas) are widespread in the northern taiga of Western Si- beria. Besides, morphologically diff erent forms of permafrost hummocky landforms are developed, diff erentiat- ing from the “classical” frost mounds by size and fl atter top surface. Using core samples from ten-meter deep boreholes, we have analyzed the total thickness of segregated ice and the contribution of ice inclusions to the total soil ice content, to determine the origin of such fl at-topped mounds. A good correlation has been revealed between surface elevations and volumetric ice content of sediments composing fl at-topped peat mounds, whose ice content is found to be higher than in the intermound depressions. These facts indicate the local nature of ice segregation and therefore suggest that the investigated landforms were formed by the frost heave processes, rather than being remnant permafrost landforms.