Effect of summer snow cover on the active layer thermal regime and thickness on CALM-S JGM site, James Ross Island, eastern Antarctic Peninsula

HRBÁČEK, Filip, Zbyněk ENGEL, Michaela KŇAŽKOVÁ and Jana SMOLÍKOVÁ. Effect of summer snow cover on the active layer thermal regime and thickness on CALM-S JGM site, James Ross Island, eastern Antarctic Peninsula. Catena. Elsevier B.V., 2021, vol. 207, December, p. 105608-105618. ISSN 0341-8162. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105608.

Basic information

• Original name: Effect of summer snow cover on the active layer thermal regime and thickness on CALM-S JGM site, James Ross Island, eastern Antarctic Peninsula
• Authors: HRBÁČEK, Filip (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Zbyněk ENGEL (203 Czech Republic), Michaela KŇAŽKOVÁ (703 Slovakia, belonging to the institution) and Jana SMOLÍKOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
• Edition: Catena, Elsevier B.V. 2021, 0341-8162.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Field of Study: 10508 Physical geography
• Country of publisher: Netherlands
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Impact factor: Impact factor: 6.367
• RIV identification code: RIV/00216224:14310/21:00119355
• Organization unit: Faculty of Science
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2021.105608
• UT WoS: 000703268900033
• Keywords in English: Antarctica; Soils; Periglacial environment; Ground penetrating radar; Ground temperature
• Tags: rivok
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

This study aims to assess the role of ephemeral snow cover on ground thermal regime and active layer thickness in two ground temperature measurement profiles on the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring Network – South (CALM-S) JGM site on James Ross Island, eastern Antarctic Peninsula during the high austral summer 2018. The snowstorm of 13–14 January created a snowpack of recorded depth of up to 38 cm. The snowpack remained on the study site for 12 days in total and covered 46% of its area six days after the snowfall. It directly affected ground thermal regime as indicates temperature record at snow-covered profile AWS-JGM which subsurface section was nearly 5 °C colder compared to the snow-free AWS-CALM profile. The thermal insulation effect of snow cover is also reflected in the mean monthly (January) and summer (DJF) ground temperatures on AWS-JGM that decreased by ca 1.1 and 0.7 °C, respectively. Summer thawing degree days at a depth of 5 cm decreased by ca 10% and active layer was ca 5–10 cm thinner when compared to previous snow-free summer seasons. Surveying by ground penetrating radar revealed a general active layer thinning of up to 20% in those parts of the CALM-S which were covered by snow of >20 cm depth for at least six days.

Links

• EF16_013/0001708, research and development project: Name: ECOPOLARIS - Změny ve struktuře a funkci součástí terestrických polárních ekosystémů (CzechPolar2)
• GA20-20240S, research and development project: Name: Dopady klimatické změny na tání sněhu a ledu v oblasti Antarktického poloostrova

Investor: Czech Science Foundation

• LM2015078, research and development project: Name: Česká polární výzkumná infrastruktura (Acronym: CzechPolar2)

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR

• MUNI/A/1570/2020, interní kód MU: Name: Geografický výzkum dynamiky přírodních a společenských prostorových procesů (Acronym: GEODYN)

Investor: Masaryk University