Effect of Snow Cover on the Active‐Layer Thermal Regime – A Case Study from James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula. (25th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hrbáček, Filip; Láska, Kamil; Engel, Zbyněk
• Is Part Of: Permafrost and periglacial processes. Volume 27:Number 3(2016:Jul./Sep.)
• Page Start: 307
• Page End: 315
• Publication Date: 2015-11-25
• Subjects: active‐layer -- ground temperature -- snow cover -- air temperature -- Antarctic Peninsula -- active layer thickness; Frozen ground -- Periodicals; Sols gelés -- Périodiques; Périglaciaire -- Périodiques; 551.3805
• DOI: 10.1002/ppp.1871
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1045-6740

Abstract

Abstract: The response of active‐layer thickness and the ground thermal regime to climatic conditions on the Ulu Peninsula (James Ross Island, northeastern Antarctic Peninsula) in 2011–13 is presented. The mean air temperature over this period was –8.0°C and ground temperature at 5 cm depth varied from –6.4°C (2011–12) to –6.7°C (2012–13). The active‐layer thickness ranged between 58 cm (January 2012) and 52 cm (February 2013). Correlation analyses indicate that air temperature affects ground temperature more significantly on snow‐free days (R 2 = 0.82) than on snow cover days (R 2 = 0.53). Although the effect of snow cover on the daily amplitude of ground temperature was observable to 20 cm depth, the overall influence of snow depth on ground temperature was negligible (freezing n ‐factor of 0.95–0.97). Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.