Permafrost investigations in Canada
A knowledge of permafrost distribution is of vital concern to the practising engineer and geologist. The Division of Building Research is engaged in mapping permafrost in Canada on the basis of continuous and discontinuous zones. The information obtained to date has been compiled mainly from direct...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
1961
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/ft/?id=c01429db-4b1a-4e9e-a64f-e268a1eebec7 https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/eng/view/object/?id=c01429db-4b1a-4e9e-a64f-e268a1eebec7 https://nrc-publications.canada.ca/fra/voir/objet/?id=c01429db-4b1a-4e9e-a64f-e268a1eebec7 |
| Summary: | A knowledge of permafrost distribution is of vital concern to the practising engineer and geologist. The Division of Building Research is engaged in mapping permafrost in Canada on the basis of continuous and discontinuous zones. The information obtained to date has been compiled mainly from direct field observations and the mapping of permafrost by such methods is a long-term project. Recently the Division has initiated a study of climatic and terrain factors affecting the existence of permafrost in specific locations as a means of improving the ability to predict permafrost conditions. The basic energy factors affecting permafrost distribution cannot be measured with sufficient accuracy to determine the thermal condition causing permafrost which is the integrated effect of climatic and terrain factors over a long period. The objective of this study, therefore, is to investigate the thermal characteristics of the terrain components and to seek correlations between these, the climatic factors, and the distribution of perennially frozen ground. Une certaine connaissance de la répartition du pergélisol est indispensable à l'ingénieur et au géologue. La Division des recherches en bâtiment est en train de dresser la carte des pergélisols du Canada, en prenant pour base l'existence de zones continues et discontinues. Les renseignements obtenus jusqu'ici résultent d'une compilation entreprise principalement à partir d'observations effectuées sur le terrain. Or, la cartographie du pergélisol par de telles mé thodes est un projet de longue haleine. La Division étudie, depuis peu, l'influence du climat et celle du relief sur l' existence du pergélisol dans certaines régions, car ces facteurs pourraient offrir un moyen d'améliorer les pré visions dans ce domaine. Les facteurs énergétiques essentiels qui influent sur la distribution du pergélisol ne peuvent être mesurés avec assez de précision pour déterminer les conditions thermiques à l'origine de ce phénomène. La formation du pergélisol combine en effet, sur une ... |
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