Dynamics of snow cover characteristics exerting influence on stability of the Svalbard permafrost

• Published in: Ice and Snow
• Main Authors: N. I. Osokin, A. V. Sosnovsky
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Russian
• Published: Nauka 2016
• Subjects: аномальные и экстремальные значения параметров снежного покрова; зимние жидкие осадки; особенности снегонакопления; оттепель; снежный покров; шпицберген; Science; Q; Barentsburg; Svalbard; permafrost
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2016-2-189-198; https://doaj.org/article/21c4897e6c0444ff823f33982d7f8574

Climate variations result in changes of the snow cover characteristics which have a certain influence upon thermal state and stability of permafrost. Analysis of data of meteorological station Barentsburg (Svalbard) and our own observations has revealed small change in the snow cover thickness for the period 1984–2015. At the same time, duration of the snow cover presence has shortened by 8%. In recent years, more than 60% of the snow cover thickness was formed during the early third of the cold season which adversely affects a rate of the ground freezing. Durations of thaws increased from 12 to 22 days, and the rainfall amount decreased during the cold period from 60 to 120 mm. The largest increase in the thaw duration (by a factor of 7) and decrease of the rainfall amount (by a factor of 8) fall on January and February. Summing up of the thaw duration and the rainfall amount for the 5‑year periods demonstrated significant growth of both. It should be noted also that, according to data of the Barentsburg station and our ones, in a few last years, these parameters reached anomalously high values. Appearance of anomalous values of the snow cover thickness as well as of the dates of its onset became more frequent. For the last decade, recurrence of anomalous values of the snow cover thickness increased: one event for 2.4 years before 2000, and one occurrence of anomalous thickness for 1.4 years since 2001. The later onset of snow cover resulted in shortening of duration of its presence. Occurrence of anomalous duration of the snow cover presence was observed once for 4.3 years before 2001, and once for 3.3 years after 2000.