Thaw Subsidence in Undisturbed Tundra Landscapes, Barrow, Alaska, 1962–2015

Dmitry A. Streletskiy; Nikolay I. Shiklomanov; Jonathon D. Little; Frederick E. Nelson; Jerry Brown; Kelsey E. Nyland; Anna E. Klene

doi:10.1002/ppp.1918

Thaw Subsidence in Undisturbed Tundra Landscapes, Barrow, Alaska, 1962–2015

Dmitry A. Streletskiy
, Nikolay I. Shiklomanov
, Jonathon D. Little
, Frederick E. Nelson
, Jerry Brown
, Kelsey E. Nyland
, Anna E. Klene

W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

83 Scopus citations

Abstract

In some regions underlain by ice-rich permafrost, a consistent, long-term increase in ALT under changing climatic conditions is not supported by observations. The apparent lack of ALT may be attributed to soil consolidation from thawing of the uppermost ice-rich permafrost and subsidence of the ground surface. Four plots established in 1962 at Barrow, Alaska, were re-instrumented in 2003 and surveyed annually using differential GPS technology, accompanied by active-layer probing. Elevation change from 1962 to 2003 was within the interannual variability of the 2003–15 period, indicating net stability in the area. Over the 2003–15 period, however, all four plots experienced subsidence trends of 0.4–1.0 cm/year, resulting in a net elevation change of 8–15 cm. Warmer winters and increased snow depth during this period decreased the potential for frost heave. Warmer summers resulted in thaw penetration into the ice-rich transient layer and ice wedges, leading to the net subsidence in recent years.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	566-572
Number of pages	7
Journal	Permafrost and Periglacial Processes
Volume	28
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.1918
State	Published - Jul 1 2017

Funding

This research was supported by US National Science Foundation (NSF) grants PLR-1304555 and ICER-1558389 to the George Washington University. Opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this paper are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF. Mention of specific products does not constitute endorsement by the NSF. Equipment and services were provided by the UNAVCO facility, with support from the NSF and NASA under NSF Cooperative Agreement No. EAR-0735156. The original CRREL plot surveys were conducted by Robert I. Lewellen (Lewellen Arctic Research, Inc.), who also recently verified survey details for this paper, as did Ryan Cody, University of Texas, El Paso. Field support was provided by the NARL, the CRREL and the Barrow Arctic Science Consortium on Barrow Environmental Observatory land owned by the Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation. We thank Wilfried Haeberli, Chris Burn and an anonymous reviewer for constructive and insightful comments on the manuscript.

Funders	Funder number
ICER-1558389, PLR-1304555, 1304555, 1558389
National Aeronautics and Space Administration	EAR-0735156
George Washington University
National Applied Research Laboratories Taiwan

Keywords

Alaska
Barrow
active layer
frost heave
permafrost
thaw subsidence

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10.1002/ppp.1918

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@article{8085a31a62bb46f0939cfe8a2e8db9d4,

title = "Thaw Subsidence in Undisturbed Tundra Landscapes, Barrow, Alaska, 1962–2015",

abstract = "In some regions underlain by ice-rich permafrost, a consistent, long-term increase in ALT under changing climatic conditions is not supported by observations. The apparent lack of ALT may be attributed to soil consolidation from thawing of the uppermost ice-rich permafrost and subsidence of the ground surface. Four plots established in 1962 at Barrow, Alaska, were re-instrumented in 2003 and surveyed annually using differential GPS technology, accompanied by active-layer probing. Elevation change from 1962 to 2003 was within the interannual variability of the 2003–15 period, indicating net stability in the area. Over the 2003–15 period, however, all four plots experienced subsidence trends of 0.4–1.0 cm/year, resulting in a net elevation change of 8–15 cm. Warmer winters and increased snow depth during this period decreased the potential for frost heave. Warmer summers resulted in thaw penetration into the ice-rich transient layer and ice wedges, leading to the net subsidence in recent years.",

keywords = "Alaska, Barrow, active layer, frost heave, permafrost, thaw subsidence",

author = "Streletskiy, \{Dmitry A.\} and Shiklomanov, \{Nikolay I.\} and Little, \{Jonathon D.\} and Nelson, \{Frederick E.\} and Jerry Brown and Nyland, \{Kelsey E.\} and Klene, \{Anna E.\}",

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doi = "10.1002/ppp.1918",

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AU - Streletskiy, Dmitry A.

AU - Shiklomanov, Nikolay I.

AU - Little, Jonathon D.

AU - Nelson, Frederick E.

AU - Brown, Jerry

AU - Nyland, Kelsey E.

AU - Klene, Anna E.

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N2 - In some regions underlain by ice-rich permafrost, a consistent, long-term increase in ALT under changing climatic conditions is not supported by observations. The apparent lack of ALT may be attributed to soil consolidation from thawing of the uppermost ice-rich permafrost and subsidence of the ground surface. Four plots established in 1962 at Barrow, Alaska, were re-instrumented in 2003 and surveyed annually using differential GPS technology, accompanied by active-layer probing. Elevation change from 1962 to 2003 was within the interannual variability of the 2003–15 period, indicating net stability in the area. Over the 2003–15 period, however, all four plots experienced subsidence trends of 0.4–1.0 cm/year, resulting in a net elevation change of 8–15 cm. Warmer winters and increased snow depth during this period decreased the potential for frost heave. Warmer summers resulted in thaw penetration into the ice-rich transient layer and ice wedges, leading to the net subsidence in recent years.

AB - In some regions underlain by ice-rich permafrost, a consistent, long-term increase in ALT under changing climatic conditions is not supported by observations. The apparent lack of ALT may be attributed to soil consolidation from thawing of the uppermost ice-rich permafrost and subsidence of the ground surface. Four plots established in 1962 at Barrow, Alaska, were re-instrumented in 2003 and surveyed annually using differential GPS technology, accompanied by active-layer probing. Elevation change from 1962 to 2003 was within the interannual variability of the 2003–15 period, indicating net stability in the area. Over the 2003–15 period, however, all four plots experienced subsidence trends of 0.4–1.0 cm/year, resulting in a net elevation change of 8–15 cm. Warmer winters and increased snow depth during this period decreased the potential for frost heave. Warmer summers resulted in thaw penetration into the ice-rich transient layer and ice wedges, leading to the net subsidence in recent years.

KW - Alaska

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KW - active layer

KW - frost heave

KW - permafrost

KW - thaw subsidence

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DO - 10.1002/ppp.1918

M3 - Article

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SN - 1045-6740

VL - 28

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JO - Permafrost and Periglacial Processes

JF - Permafrost and Periglacial Processes

IS - 3

ER -

Thaw Subsidence in Undisturbed Tundra Landscapes, Barrow, Alaska, 1962–2015

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