Influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the Upper Engadine, Swiss Alps
Compared to lowland (polar) regions, permafrost in high mountain areas occurs in a large variety of surface and subsurface materials and textures. This work presents an eight-year (2002–2010) data set of borehole temperatures for five different (sub-) surface materials from a high alpine permafrost...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2012-04-01
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| Series: | The Cryosphere |
| Online Access: | http://www.the-cryosphere.net/6/517/2012/tc-6-517-2012.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818369323214831616 |
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| author | S. Schneider M. Hoelzle C. Hauck |
| author_facet | S. Schneider M. Hoelzle C. Hauck |
| author_sort | S. Schneider |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Compared to lowland (polar) regions, permafrost in high mountain areas occurs in a large variety of surface and subsurface materials and textures. This work presents an eight-year (2002–2010) data set of borehole temperatures for five different (sub-) surface materials from a high alpine permafrost area, Murtèl-Corvatsch, Switzerland. The influence of the material on the thermal regime was investigated by borehole temperature data, the temperature at the top of the permafrost (TTOP-concept) and the apparent thermal diffusivity (ATD). The results show that during the last eight years, material-specific temperature changes were more significant than climate-induced temperature trends. At coarse blocky, ice-rich sites, no changes in active layer depth were observed, whereas the bedrock and the fine-grained sites appear to be highly sensitive to changes in the microclimate. The results confirm that the presence and growth of ice as well as a thermally driven air circulation within the subsurface are the key factors for the occurence and preservation of alpine permafrost. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T23:22:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ccf1d57526b4c11a28816f9a2987f5e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1994-0416 1994-0424 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T23:22:01Z |
| publishDate | 2012-04-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Cryosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ccf1d57526b4c11a28816f9a2987f5e2022-12-21T23:27:42ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242012-04-016251753110.5194/tc-6-517-2012Influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the Upper Engadine, Swiss AlpsS. SchneiderM. HoelzleC. HauckCompared to lowland (polar) regions, permafrost in high mountain areas occurs in a large variety of surface and subsurface materials and textures. This work presents an eight-year (2002–2010) data set of borehole temperatures for five different (sub-) surface materials from a high alpine permafrost area, Murtèl-Corvatsch, Switzerland. The influence of the material on the thermal regime was investigated by borehole temperature data, the temperature at the top of the permafrost (TTOP-concept) and the apparent thermal diffusivity (ATD). The results show that during the last eight years, material-specific temperature changes were more significant than climate-induced temperature trends. At coarse blocky, ice-rich sites, no changes in active layer depth were observed, whereas the bedrock and the fine-grained sites appear to be highly sensitive to changes in the microclimate. The results confirm that the presence and growth of ice as well as a thermally driven air circulation within the subsurface are the key factors for the occurence and preservation of alpine permafrost.http://www.the-cryosphere.net/6/517/2012/tc-6-517-2012.pdf |
| spellingShingle | S. Schneider M. Hoelzle C. Hauck Influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the Upper Engadine, Swiss Alps The Cryosphere |
| title | Influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the Upper Engadine, Swiss Alps |
| title_full | Influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the Upper Engadine, Swiss Alps |
| title_fullStr | Influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the Upper Engadine, Swiss Alps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the Upper Engadine, Swiss Alps |
| title_short | Influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the Upper Engadine, Swiss Alps |
| title_sort | influence of surface and subsurface heterogeneity on observed borehole temperatures at a mountain permafrost site in the upper engadine swiss alps |
| url | http://www.the-cryosphere.net/6/517/2012/tc-6-517-2012.pdf |
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