A two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the Murtèl–Corvatsch rock glacier
The thermal regime of permafrost on scree slopes and rock glaciers is characterized by the importance of air flow driven convective and advective heat transfer processes. These processes are supposed to be part of the energy balance in the active layer of rock glaciers leading to lower subsurface te...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:eb982d78da644069a9c7c66cb51c96f6 2023-05-15T17:57:05+02:00 A two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the Murtèl–Corvatsch rock glacier M. Scherler S. Schneider M. Hoelzle C. Hauck 2014-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-141-2014 https://doaj.org/article/eb982d78da644069a9c7c66cb51c96f6 EN eng Copernicus Publications http://www.earth-surf-dynam.net/2/141/2014/esurf-2-141-2014.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/2196-6311 https://doaj.org/toc/2196-632X 2196-6311 2196-632X doi:10.5194/esurf-2-141-2014 https://doaj.org/article/eb982d78da644069a9c7c66cb51c96f6 Earth Surface Dynamics, Vol 2, Iss 1, Pp 141-154 (2014) Dynamic and structural geology QE500-639.5 article 2014 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-141-2014 2022-12-31T11:02:56Z The thermal regime of permafrost on scree slopes and rock glaciers is characterized by the importance of air flow driven convective and advective heat transfer processes. These processes are supposed to be part of the energy balance in the active layer of rock glaciers leading to lower subsurface temperatures than would be expected at the lower limit of discontinuous high mountain permafrost. In this study, new parametrizations were introduced in a numerical soil model (the Coup Model) to simulate permafrost temperatures observed in a borehole at the Murtèl rock glacier in the Swiss Alps in the period from 1997 to 2008. A soil heat sink and source layer was implemented within the active layer, which was parametrized experimentally to account for and quantify the contribution of air flow driven heat transfer on the measured permafrost temperatures. The experimental model calibration process yielded a value of about 28.9 Wm −2 for the heat sink during the period from mid September to mid January and one of 26 Wm −2 for the heat source in the period from June to mid September. Energy balance measurements, integrated over a 3.5 m-thick blocky surface layer, showed seasonal deviations between a zero energy balance and the calculated sum of the energy balance components of around 5.5 Wm −2 in fall/winter, −0.9 Wm −2 in winter/spring and around −9.4 Wm −2 in summer. The calculations integrate heat exchange processes including thermal radiation between adjacent blocks, turbulent heat flux and energy storage change in the blocky surface layer. Finally, it is hypothesized that these deviations approximately equal unmeasured freezing and thawing processes within the blocky surface layer. Article in Journal/Newspaper permafrost Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Earth Surface Dynamics 2 1 141 154 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Dynamic and structural geology QE500-639.5 |
spellingShingle |
Dynamic and structural geology QE500-639.5 M. Scherler S. Schneider M. Hoelzle C. Hauck A two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the Murtèl–Corvatsch rock glacier |
topic_facet |
Dynamic and structural geology QE500-639.5 |
description |
The thermal regime of permafrost on scree slopes and rock glaciers is characterized by the importance of air flow driven convective and advective heat transfer processes. These processes are supposed to be part of the energy balance in the active layer of rock glaciers leading to lower subsurface temperatures than would be expected at the lower limit of discontinuous high mountain permafrost. In this study, new parametrizations were introduced in a numerical soil model (the Coup Model) to simulate permafrost temperatures observed in a borehole at the Murtèl rock glacier in the Swiss Alps in the period from 1997 to 2008. A soil heat sink and source layer was implemented within the active layer, which was parametrized experimentally to account for and quantify the contribution of air flow driven heat transfer on the measured permafrost temperatures. The experimental model calibration process yielded a value of about 28.9 Wm −2 for the heat sink during the period from mid September to mid January and one of 26 Wm −2 for the heat source in the period from June to mid September. Energy balance measurements, integrated over a 3.5 m-thick blocky surface layer, showed seasonal deviations between a zero energy balance and the calculated sum of the energy balance components of around 5.5 Wm −2 in fall/winter, −0.9 Wm −2 in winter/spring and around −9.4 Wm −2 in summer. The calculations integrate heat exchange processes including thermal radiation between adjacent blocks, turbulent heat flux and energy storage change in the blocky surface layer. Finally, it is hypothesized that these deviations approximately equal unmeasured freezing and thawing processes within the blocky surface layer. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
M. Scherler S. Schneider M. Hoelzle C. Hauck |
author_facet |
M. Scherler S. Schneider M. Hoelzle C. Hauck |
author_sort |
M. Scherler |
title |
A two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the Murtèl–Corvatsch rock glacier |
title_short |
A two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the Murtèl–Corvatsch rock glacier |
title_full |
A two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the Murtèl–Corvatsch rock glacier |
title_fullStr |
A two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the Murtèl–Corvatsch rock glacier |
title_full_unstemmed |
A two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the Murtèl–Corvatsch rock glacier |
title_sort |
two-sided approach to estimate heat transfer processes within the active layer of the murtèl–corvatsch rock glacier |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-141-2014 https://doaj.org/article/eb982d78da644069a9c7c66cb51c96f6 |
genre |
permafrost |
genre_facet |
permafrost |
op_source |
Earth Surface Dynamics, Vol 2, Iss 1, Pp 141-154 (2014) |
op_relation |
http://www.earth-surf-dynam.net/2/141/2014/esurf-2-141-2014.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/2196-6311 https://doaj.org/toc/2196-632X 2196-6311 2196-632X doi:10.5194/esurf-2-141-2014 https://doaj.org/article/eb982d78da644069a9c7c66cb51c96f6 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-141-2014 |
container_title |
Earth Surface Dynamics |
container_volume |
2 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
141 |
op_container_end_page |
154 |
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1766165443894050816 |