Using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ATS (v0.83)
Climate change is profoundly transforming the carbon-rich Arctic tundra landscape, potentially moving it from a carbon sink to a carbon source by increasing the thickness of soil that thaws on a seasonal basis. However, the modeling capability and precise parameterizations of the physical characteri...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:b595736be8f942e18604ee5422fcfe47 2023-05-15T13:03:31+02:00 Using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ATS (v0.83) A. L. Atchley S. L. Painter D. R. Harp E. T. Coon C. J. Wilson A. K. Liljedahl V. E. Romanovsky 2015-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-2701-2015 https://doaj.org/article/b595736be8f942e18604ee5422fcfe47 EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.geosci-model-dev.net/8/2701/2015/gmd-8-2701-2015.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1991-959X https://doaj.org/toc/1991-9603 1991-959X 1991-9603 doi:10.5194/gmd-8-2701-2015 https://doaj.org/article/b595736be8f942e18604ee5422fcfe47 Geoscientific Model Development, Vol 8, Iss 9, Pp 2701-2722 (2015) Geology QE1-996.5 article 2015 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-2701-2015 2022-12-31T02:04:06Z Climate change is profoundly transforming the carbon-rich Arctic tundra landscape, potentially moving it from a carbon sink to a carbon source by increasing the thickness of soil that thaws on a seasonal basis. However, the modeling capability and precise parameterizations of the physical characteristics needed to estimate projected active layer thickness (ALT) are limited in Earth system models (ESMs). In particular, discrepancies in spatial scale between field measurements and Earth system models challenge validation and parameterization of hydrothermal models. A recently developed surface–subsurface model for permafrost thermal hydrology, the Advanced Terrestrial Simulator (ATS), is used in combination with field measurements to achieve the goals of constructing a process-rich model based on plausible parameters and to identify fine-scale controls of ALT in ice-wedge polygon tundra in Barrow, Alaska. An iterative model refinement procedure that cycles between borehole temperature and snow cover measurements and simulations functions to evaluate and parameterize different model processes necessary to simulate freeze–thaw processes and ALT formation. After model refinement and calibration, reasonable matches between simulated and measured soil temperatures are obtained, with the largest errors occurring during early summer above ice wedges (e.g., troughs). The results suggest that properly constructed and calibrated one-dimensional thermal hydrology models have the potential to provide reasonable representation of the subsurface thermal response and can be used to infer model input parameters and process representations. The models for soil thermal conductivity and snow distribution were found to be the most sensitive process representations. However, information on lateral flow and snowpack evolution might be needed to constrain model representations of surface hydrology and snow depth. Article in Journal/Newspaper Active layer thickness Arctic Barrow Climate change Ice permafrost Tundra wedge* Alaska Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Geoscientific Model Development 8 9 2701 2722 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Geology QE1-996.5 A. L. Atchley S. L. Painter D. R. Harp E. T. Coon C. J. Wilson A. K. Liljedahl V. E. Romanovsky Using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ATS (v0.83) |
topic_facet |
Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Climate change is profoundly transforming the carbon-rich Arctic tundra landscape, potentially moving it from a carbon sink to a carbon source by increasing the thickness of soil that thaws on a seasonal basis. However, the modeling capability and precise parameterizations of the physical characteristics needed to estimate projected active layer thickness (ALT) are limited in Earth system models (ESMs). In particular, discrepancies in spatial scale between field measurements and Earth system models challenge validation and parameterization of hydrothermal models. A recently developed surface–subsurface model for permafrost thermal hydrology, the Advanced Terrestrial Simulator (ATS), is used in combination with field measurements to achieve the goals of constructing a process-rich model based on plausible parameters and to identify fine-scale controls of ALT in ice-wedge polygon tundra in Barrow, Alaska. An iterative model refinement procedure that cycles between borehole temperature and snow cover measurements and simulations functions to evaluate and parameterize different model processes necessary to simulate freeze–thaw processes and ALT formation. After model refinement and calibration, reasonable matches between simulated and measured soil temperatures are obtained, with the largest errors occurring during early summer above ice wedges (e.g., troughs). The results suggest that properly constructed and calibrated one-dimensional thermal hydrology models have the potential to provide reasonable representation of the subsurface thermal response and can be used to infer model input parameters and process representations. The models for soil thermal conductivity and snow distribution were found to be the most sensitive process representations. However, information on lateral flow and snowpack evolution might be needed to constrain model representations of surface hydrology and snow depth. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
A. L. Atchley S. L. Painter D. R. Harp E. T. Coon C. J. Wilson A. K. Liljedahl V. E. Romanovsky |
author_facet |
A. L. Atchley S. L. Painter D. R. Harp E. T. Coon C. J. Wilson A. K. Liljedahl V. E. Romanovsky |
author_sort |
A. L. Atchley |
title |
Using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ATS (v0.83) |
title_short |
Using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ATS (v0.83) |
title_full |
Using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ATS (v0.83) |
title_fullStr |
Using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ATS (v0.83) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ATS (v0.83) |
title_sort |
using field observations to inform thermal hydrology models of permafrost dynamics with ats (v0.83) |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-2701-2015 https://doaj.org/article/b595736be8f942e18604ee5422fcfe47 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Active layer thickness Arctic Barrow Climate change Ice permafrost Tundra wedge* Alaska |
genre_facet |
Active layer thickness Arctic Barrow Climate change Ice permafrost Tundra wedge* Alaska |
op_source |
Geoscientific Model Development, Vol 8, Iss 9, Pp 2701-2722 (2015) |
op_relation |
http://www.geosci-model-dev.net/8/2701/2015/gmd-8-2701-2015.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1991-959X https://doaj.org/toc/1991-9603 1991-959X 1991-9603 doi:10.5194/gmd-8-2701-2015 https://doaj.org/article/b595736be8f942e18604ee5422fcfe47 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-8-2701-2015 |
container_title |
Geoscientific Model Development |
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8 |
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9 |
container_start_page |
2701 |
op_container_end_page |
2722 |
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1766338457066536960 |