Developments in Permafrost Science and Engineering in Response to Climate Warming in Circumpolar and High Mountain Regions, 2019–2024

ABSTRACT Research in geocryology is currently principally concerned with the effects of climate change on permafrost terrain. The motivations for most of the research are (1) quantification of the anticipated net emissions of CO 2 and CH 4 from warming and thaw of near‐surface permafrost and (2) mitigation of effects on infrastructure of such warming and thaw. Some of the effects, such as increases in ground temperature or active‐layer thickness, have been observed for several decades. Landforms that are sensitive to creep deformation are moving more quickly as a result, and Rock Glacier Velocity is now part of the Essential Climate Variable Permafrost of the Global Climate Observing System. Other effects, for example, the occurrence of physical disturbances associated with thawing permafrost, particularly the development of thaw slumps, have noticeably increased since 2010. Still, others, such as erosion of sedimentary permafrost coasts, have accelerated. Geochemical effects in groundwater from trace elements, including contaminants, and those that issue from the release of sediment particles during mass wasting have become evident since 2020. Net release of CO 2 and CH 4 from thawing permafrost is anticipated within two decades and, worldwide, may reach emissions that are equivalent to a large industrial economy. The most immediate local concerns are for waste disposal pits that were constructed on the premise that permafrost would be an effective and permanent containment medium. This assumption is no longer valid at many contaminated sites. The role of ground ice in conditioning responses to changes in the thermal or hydrological regimes of permafrost has re‐emphasized the importance of regional conditions, particularly landscape history, when applying research results to practical problems.

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Publication Details

Journal
Permafrost and Periglacial Processes
Published
2024-12-10
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2261
Citations
12
Primary Topic
Climate change and permafrost
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
4.52

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article

Developments in Permafrost Science and Engineering in Response to Climate Warming in Circumpolar and High Mountain Regions, 2019–2024

Soumik Das, Sebastian Westermann, Isabelle Gärtner‐Roer, Elliott K. Skierszkan et al.
12 citations
Permafrost and Periglacial Processes
Climate change and permafrost
4.52
article

Developments in Permafrost Science and Engineering in Response to Climate Warming in Circumpolar and High Mountain Regions, 2019–2024

Soumik Das, Sebastian Westermann, Isabelle Gärtner‐Roer, Elliott K. Skierszkan, C. R. Burn, Benjamin Jones, Pier Paul Overduin, Moritz Langer, Regula Frauenfelder, Sharon L. Smith, Kjersti Gisnås, Gonçalo Vieira, S A Wolfe, Suzanne E. Tank, Teddi Herring, Sophie Opfergelt, Fujun Niu, Steven V. Kokelj, Simone Maria Stuenzi, Annett Bartsch, H B O'Neill, Emma Lathrop, Edward A. G. Schuur, Jurjen van der Sluijs, Julian B. Murton, David Nielsen, Christine L. Olson, Kevin Schaefer, Elora Chakraborty, Ed Yarmak
article en
12 citations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Research in geocryology is currently principally concerned with the effects of climate change on permafrost terrain. The motivations for most of the research are (1) quantification of the anticipated net emissions of CO 2 and CH 4 from warming and thaw of near‐surface permafrost and (2) mitigation of effects on infrastructure of such warming and thaw. Some of the effects, such as increases in ground temperature or active‐layer thickness, have been observed for several decades. Landforms that are sensitive to creep deformation are moving more quickly as a result, and Rock Glacier Velocity is now part of the Essential Climate Variable Permafrost of the Global Climate Observing System. Other effects, for example, the occurrence of physical disturbances associated with thawing permafrost, particularly the development of thaw slumps, have noticeably increased since 2010. Still, others, such as erosion of sedimentary permafrost coasts, have accelerated. Geochemical effects in groundwater from trace elements, including contaminants, and those that issue from the release of sediment particles during mass wasting have become evident since 2020. Net release of CO 2 and CH 4 from thawing permafrost is anticipated within two decades and, worldwide, may reach emissions that are equivalent to a large industrial economy. The most immediate local concerns are for waste disposal pits that were constructed on the premise that permafrost would be an effective and permanent containment medium. This assumption is no longer valid at many contaminated sites. The role of ground ice in conditioning responses to changes in the thermal or hydrological regimes of permafrost has re‐emphasized the importance of regional conditions, particularly landscape history, when applying research results to practical problems.

Permafrost and Periglacial ProcessesVol. 36(2)
Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NO), Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (DE), Natural Resources Canada (CA), Geological Survey of Canada (CA), University of Alaska Fairbanks (US), University of Lisbon (PT), Southcentral Foundation (US), Jawaharlal Nehru University (IN), University of Alberta (CA), University of Sussex (GB), University of Calgary (CA), University of Oslo (NO), University of Colorado Boulder (US), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), University of Zurich (CH), Northern Arizona University (US), Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources (CN), Landesklinikum Korneuburg (AT), Government of Northwest Territories (CA), Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (DE), Carleton University (CA), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL), UCLouvain (BE)
International Permafrost Association
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Climate change and permafrost
4.52
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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