Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon
Permafrost thaw alters subsurface flow in boreal regions that in turn influences the magnitude, seasonality, and chemical composition of streamflow. Prediction of these changes is challenged by incomplete knowledge of timing, flowpath depth, and amount of groundwater discharge to streams in response...
Published in: | Environmental Research Letters |
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc https://doaj.org/article/4bf17d0c6a374e7d8760bb712fcc482b |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:4bf17d0c6a374e7d8760bb712fcc482b 2023-09-05T13:22:26+02:00 Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon Michelle A Walvoord Clifford I Voss Brian A Ebel Burke J Minsley 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc https://doaj.org/article/4bf17d0c6a374e7d8760bb712fcc482b EN eng IOP Publishing https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc https://doaj.org/toc/1748-9326 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc 1748-9326 https://doaj.org/article/4bf17d0c6a374e7d8760bb712fcc482b Environmental Research Letters, Vol 14, Iss 1, p 015003 (2019) permafrost cryohydrogeology boreal geophysics Alaska Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Science Q Physics QC1-999 article 2019 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc 2023-08-13T00:37:31Z Permafrost thaw alters subsurface flow in boreal regions that in turn influences the magnitude, seasonality, and chemical composition of streamflow. Prediction of these changes is challenged by incomplete knowledge of timing, flowpath depth, and amount of groundwater discharge to streams in response to thaw. One important phenomenon that may affect flow and transport through boreal hillslopes is development of lateral perennial thaw zones (PTZs), the existence of which is here supported by geophysical observations and cryohydrogeologic modeling. Model results link thaw to enhanced and seasonally-extended baseflow, which have implications for mobilization of soluble constituents. Results demonstrate the sensitivity of PTZ development to organic layer thickness and near-surface factors that mediate heat exchange at the atmosphere/ground-surface interface. Study findings suggest that PTZs serve as a detectable precursor to accelerated permafrost degradation. This study provides important contextual insight on a fundamental thermo-hydrologic process that can enhance terrestrial-to-aquatic transfer of permafrost carbon, nitrogen, and mercury previously sequestered in thawing watersheds. Article in Journal/Newspaper permafrost Alaska Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Environmental Research Letters 14 1 015003 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
permafrost cryohydrogeology boreal geophysics Alaska Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Science Q Physics QC1-999 |
spellingShingle |
permafrost cryohydrogeology boreal geophysics Alaska Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Science Q Physics QC1-999 Michelle A Walvoord Clifford I Voss Brian A Ebel Burke J Minsley Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon |
topic_facet |
permafrost cryohydrogeology boreal geophysics Alaska Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering TD1-1066 Environmental sciences GE1-350 Science Q Physics QC1-999 |
description |
Permafrost thaw alters subsurface flow in boreal regions that in turn influences the magnitude, seasonality, and chemical composition of streamflow. Prediction of these changes is challenged by incomplete knowledge of timing, flowpath depth, and amount of groundwater discharge to streams in response to thaw. One important phenomenon that may affect flow and transport through boreal hillslopes is development of lateral perennial thaw zones (PTZs), the existence of which is here supported by geophysical observations and cryohydrogeologic modeling. Model results link thaw to enhanced and seasonally-extended baseflow, which have implications for mobilization of soluble constituents. Results demonstrate the sensitivity of PTZ development to organic layer thickness and near-surface factors that mediate heat exchange at the atmosphere/ground-surface interface. Study findings suggest that PTZs serve as a detectable precursor to accelerated permafrost degradation. This study provides important contextual insight on a fundamental thermo-hydrologic process that can enhance terrestrial-to-aquatic transfer of permafrost carbon, nitrogen, and mercury previously sequestered in thawing watersheds. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Michelle A Walvoord Clifford I Voss Brian A Ebel Burke J Minsley |
author_facet |
Michelle A Walvoord Clifford I Voss Brian A Ebel Burke J Minsley |
author_sort |
Michelle A Walvoord |
title |
Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon |
title_short |
Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon |
title_full |
Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon |
title_fullStr |
Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon |
title_full_unstemmed |
Development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon |
title_sort |
development of perennial thaw zones in boreal hillslopes enhances potential mobilization of permafrost carbon |
publisher |
IOP Publishing |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc https://doaj.org/article/4bf17d0c6a374e7d8760bb712fcc482b |
genre |
permafrost Alaska |
genre_facet |
permafrost Alaska |
op_source |
Environmental Research Letters, Vol 14, Iss 1, p 015003 (2019) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc https://doaj.org/toc/1748-9326 doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc 1748-9326 https://doaj.org/article/4bf17d0c6a374e7d8760bb712fcc482b |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aaf0cc |
container_title |
Environmental Research Letters |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
015003 |
_version_ |
1776202953786392576 |