Climate Change, Permafrost, and Impacts on Civil Infrastructure

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Canada; Climate change; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.383.5664; http://www.arlis.org/docs/vol1/E/56956315.pdf

Permafrost, or perenially frozen ground, is a critical component of the cryosphere and the Arctic system. Permafrost regions occupy approximately 24 % of the terrestrial surface of the Northern Hemisphere; further, the distribution of subsea permafrost in the Arctic Ocean is not well known, but new occurrences continue to be found. The effects of climatic warming on permafrost and the seasonally thawed layer above it (the active layer) can severely disrupt ecosystems and human infrastructure such as roads, bridges, buildings, utilities, pipelines, and airstrips. The susceptibility of engineering works to thaw-induced damage is particularly relevant to communities and structures throughout northern Alaska, Russia, and Canada. It is clear from the long-term paleographic record in these areas that climatic warming can lead to increases in permafrost temperature, thickening of the active layer, and a reduction in the percentage of the terrestrial surface underlain by near-surface permafrost. Such changes can lead to extensive settlement of the ground surface, with attendant damage to infrastructure. To advance U.S. and international permafrost research, the U.S. Arctic Research Commission in 2002 chartered a task force on climate change, permafrost, and infrastructure impacts. The task force was asked to identify key issues and research needs to foster a greater understanding of global change impacts on permafrost in the Arctic and their linkages to natural and human systems. Permafrost was found to