Validation of the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, Ruby Range, Yukon Territory and Haines Summit, British Columbia

This study is the second attempt to use the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in mountainous regions of northwestern Canada. It differs from the first study which took place in Wolf Creek in terms of (1) the methodology used to evaluate BTS, (2) the strategy used to avoid spat...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Bonnaventure, Philip P
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Ottawa (Canada) 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10393/27335
https://doi.org/10.20381/ruor-18654
id ftunivottawa:oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/27335
record_format openpolar
spelling ftunivottawa:oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/27335 2023-05-15T17:55:46+02:00 Validation of the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, Ruby Range, Yukon Territory and Haines Summit, British Columbia Bonnaventure, Philip P 2006 121 p. application/pdf http://hdl.handle.net/10393/27335 https://doi.org/10.20381/ruor-18654 en eng University of Ottawa (Canada) Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-05, page: 2437. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/27335 http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-18654 Physical Geography Geotechnology Thesis 2006 ftunivottawa https://doi.org/10.20381/ruor-18654 2021-01-04T17:09:04Z This study is the second attempt to use the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in mountainous regions of northwestern Canada. It differs from the first study which took place in Wolf Creek in terms of (1) the methodology used to evaluate BTS, (2) the strategy used to avoid spatial autocorrelation in residuals, and (3) the climatic regions investigated. Two study areas, part of the Ruby Range (61° 12' N, 138° 19' W) and Haines Summit (59° 37' N, 136° 27' W) were selected for BTS sampling based on differing climatic conditions and previous knowledge of permafrost elevations from active rock glaciers. A total of 30 BTS measurements were made in the Ruby Range in the winter of 2006 and a total of 77 BTS values were obtained in the Haines Summit area during 2005 and 2006. From these results, modeled BTS surfaces were created using elevation and potential incoming solar radiation as independent variables in a multiple linear regression. At Haines Summit, potential incoming solar radiation was not significant in the model and thus was dropped. The surface of modeled BTS was then combined with a physical validation of permafrost presence completed during the late-summer of 2005 in a logistic regression. The modeled results produced permafrost probability maps for both study areas. Based on modeled results, permafrost underlies an estimated 282 km2 or 66% of the Ruby Range study area and 23--236 km 2 or 43--44% of the Haines Summit study area. An attempt was made to use the linear model derived in the Ruby Range at Haines Summit in order to examine the possibility of expanding predictions into new areas. Although the results produced similar total amounts of permafrost, the spatial distribution differed: permafrost probabilities were reduced at high elevations while lower elevation sites exhibited increased probabilities. The results of the model transfer illustrate the importance of the pit data in determining the total amount of permafrost, while knowledge of BTS ranges contributes to the spatial distribution of permafrost. With further study it is likely that generic models can be derived for areas of similar climate. Thesis permafrost Yukon uO Research (University of Ottawa - uOttawa) British Columbia ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000) Canada Yukon
institution Open Polar
collection uO Research (University of Ottawa - uOttawa)
op_collection_id ftunivottawa
language English
topic Physical Geography
Geotechnology
spellingShingle Physical Geography
Geotechnology
Bonnaventure, Philip P
Validation of the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, Ruby Range, Yukon Territory and Haines Summit, British Columbia
topic_facet Physical Geography
Geotechnology
description This study is the second attempt to use the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in mountainous regions of northwestern Canada. It differs from the first study which took place in Wolf Creek in terms of (1) the methodology used to evaluate BTS, (2) the strategy used to avoid spatial autocorrelation in residuals, and (3) the climatic regions investigated. Two study areas, part of the Ruby Range (61° 12' N, 138° 19' W) and Haines Summit (59° 37' N, 136° 27' W) were selected for BTS sampling based on differing climatic conditions and previous knowledge of permafrost elevations from active rock glaciers. A total of 30 BTS measurements were made in the Ruby Range in the winter of 2006 and a total of 77 BTS values were obtained in the Haines Summit area during 2005 and 2006. From these results, modeled BTS surfaces were created using elevation and potential incoming solar radiation as independent variables in a multiple linear regression. At Haines Summit, potential incoming solar radiation was not significant in the model and thus was dropped. The surface of modeled BTS was then combined with a physical validation of permafrost presence completed during the late-summer of 2005 in a logistic regression. The modeled results produced permafrost probability maps for both study areas. Based on modeled results, permafrost underlies an estimated 282 km2 or 66% of the Ruby Range study area and 23--236 km 2 or 43--44% of the Haines Summit study area. An attempt was made to use the linear model derived in the Ruby Range at Haines Summit in order to examine the possibility of expanding predictions into new areas. Although the results produced similar total amounts of permafrost, the spatial distribution differed: permafrost probabilities were reduced at high elevations while lower elevation sites exhibited increased probabilities. The results of the model transfer illustrate the importance of the pit data in determining the total amount of permafrost, while knowledge of BTS ranges contributes to the spatial distribution of permafrost. With further study it is likely that generic models can be derived for areas of similar climate.
format Thesis
author Bonnaventure, Philip P
author_facet Bonnaventure, Philip P
author_sort Bonnaventure, Philip P
title Validation of the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, Ruby Range, Yukon Territory and Haines Summit, British Columbia
title_short Validation of the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, Ruby Range, Yukon Territory and Haines Summit, British Columbia
title_full Validation of the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, Ruby Range, Yukon Territory and Haines Summit, British Columbia
title_fullStr Validation of the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, Ruby Range, Yukon Territory and Haines Summit, British Columbia
title_full_unstemmed Validation of the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, Ruby Range, Yukon Territory and Haines Summit, British Columbia
title_sort validation of the basal temperature of snow (bts) method to map permafrost in complex mountainous terrain, ruby range, yukon territory and haines summit, british columbia
publisher University of Ottawa (Canada)
publishDate 2006
url http://hdl.handle.net/10393/27335
https://doi.org/10.20381/ruor-18654
long_lat ENVELOPE(-125.003,-125.003,54.000,54.000)
geographic British Columbia
Canada
Yukon
geographic_facet British Columbia
Canada
Yukon
genre permafrost
Yukon
genre_facet permafrost
Yukon
op_relation Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-05, page: 2437.
http://hdl.handle.net/10393/27335
http://dx.doi.org/10.20381/ruor-18654
op_doi https://doi.org/10.20381/ruor-18654
_version_ 1766163762675449856