Thermal state of the active layer and permafrost along the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Railway from 2006 to 2010

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: Wu, Q., Zhang, T., Liu, Y.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2012
• Subjects: article; Verlagsveröffentlichung; Arctic; Active layer thickness; permafrost; Subarctic; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-607-2012; https://noa.gwlb.de/receive/cop_mods_00025758; https://noa.gwlb.de/servlets/MCRFileNodeServlet/cop_derivate_00025713/tc-6-607-2012.pdf; https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/6/607/2012/tc-6-607-2012.pdf

In this study, we investigated changes in active layer thickness (ALT) and permafrost temperatures at different depths using data from the permafrost monitoring network along the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Railway (QXR) since 2005. Among these sites, mean ALT is ~3.1 m, with a range of ~1.1 to 5.9 m. From 2006 through 2010, ALT has increased at a rate of ~6.3 cm a−1. The mean rate of permafrost temperature rise at the depth of 6.0 m is ~0.02 °C a−1, estimated by linear regression using 5 yr of data, and the mean rate of mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) rise at a depth of zero amplitude is ~0.012 °C a−1. Changes for colder permafrost (MAGT <−1.0 °C) are greater than changes for relatively warmer permafrost (MAGT >−1.0 °C). This is consistent with results observed in the Arctic and subarctic.